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Coping Strips for adding pieced borders


How do you properly add pieced borders to a quilt?

First determine the size of the pieced border you want to add. Then add a coping strip to bring the quilt up to size.

For instance: If the quilt measures 25 inches, and you want to add a border of 6 inch blocks, you need to add coping strips to bring your quilt up to 30.5", 30 being the next number that is evenly divisible by 6.

So you need to add 5.5" to the size of the quilt. Write down the FINISHED sizes of the quilt and the two coping strips you will add:

3" coping strip
24.5" quilt (finished size)
3" coping strip
------------------------
30.5" total

The quilt already has its 1/2" seam allowance. To cut the coping strips add 1/2 seam allowance, cutting two strips 3.5" wide by 25" long. Add those to opposite sides of the quilt. Cut two strips 3.5" wide by 30.5" and sew these to the two remaining sides.

Your quilt is now 30.5 inches square.