Joanna's Mighty Suspect

Magic Mitering Method

Step One

Cut all borders as indicated for the outermost border, and sew border strips together so that, for each border, you have an enormous strip of fabric. Since this is just like the "regular" instructions for sewing on borders, a diagram is not needed.

Step Two

Sew these strips together so that you have one great, long border strip. See figure 1, below.

Figure 1

Step Three

Measure the width of your border strip (figure 2). Measure and mark the same length from one end of the strip (figure 3). Pin strip to quilt, matching right sides, with innermost border raw edge matching the quilt's raw edge, and the top of the quilt with the mark on the border (figure 4). Sew the length of that raw edge from mark to the bottom of the quilt. Mark off another length that equals the width of the border (figure 5) and cut as squarely as possible (using a rotary cutter helps). Repeat on opposite side.

Figure 2 Figure 3

Figure 4 Figure 5

Step Four

Repeat step 3 on the remaining two sides. Note, when you do this, you will end up with two flapping chunks of border on each corner, as shown in figure 6.

Figure 6

Step Five

On each corner, one flap will seem to be on top of the other. Fold this flap as shown in figure 7, folding "C" to "A" on line BD. Pin in place. Press along BD to mark line, and unpin. Pin top border to bottom border, matching points within border, and sew along line BD (figure 8). Trim seam allowance (this will give you two triangles of border) and press.

Figure 7 Figure 8

Step Six

Repeat on remaining three corners.

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