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Precision is Key
All too often, a quilt loses its visual appeal because the borders have been poorly sewn. Susan K. Cleveland's technique, as described in her book, Marvelous Miters, ensures that your quilts will lay flat and measure precisely. Here are a few additional tips to get you going on the right track:

• Wash and starch fabric to achieve lots of body.
• Use freezer paper for block assembly. Freezer paper stabilizes the block to prevent stretching and distortion, and shows you exactly where to stitch so that you don't need to mark seam-line intersections. (This technique also aids in proper border placement.)
• Post-it notes can be used as a measurement tool for border placement.
• When neighboring blocks have mitered corners Susan suggest pressing miters in one direction (counter-clockwise from wrong direction) so that seams will nest where corner blocks meet.
• Straight-edged fonts are easier to applique and quilt than curved fonts.
• Rather than applique, use Shiva Paintstiks to stencil your letters. Leave lots of space between images so that you can cut the blocks.