Mix and match fabrics for interesting prairie point edging for your quilts.
The small triangles that extend from the borders of some quilts are called prairie points. Prairie point edging looks like it would be complicated, but it is not. The important thing to remember is that the edging takes time to complete. Like with many aspects of quilting, these triangles actually start as a square. The squares are then folded to make either a nestled or overlapped prairie point. These instructions are for nestled prairie points.
Instructions
Make the Points
1. Stack five pieces of fabric together and smooth them out flat on the cutting board.
2. Use the ruler and rotary cutter to cut 3-inch squares from the stacked fabric. Cut enough squares to extend all the way around your quilt border.
3. Take the squares to the ironing board and preheat the iron to a setting appropriate for your fabric.
4. Fold one square in half diagonally then press.
5. Fold the triangle in half again diagonally then press and set aside.
6. Continue folding and pressing squares to create triangles until all have been completed.
Assemble the Points
7. Place one prairie point on a flat surface with the unfolded open side down. The solid fold will be facing the left and the open folds will be facing the right.
8. Slip another prairie point slightly into the first one. The second point should be facing the same direction as the first. The solid fold will be facing the left and the open folds will be facing the right.
9. Pin the triangles together where they overlap. Pin from the back side for easy removal later.
10. Continue placing points inside the previous one until enough are completed to edge the quilt.
Putting Points on the Quilt
11. Lay the quilt on a flat surface, right side up.
12. Move prairie point edges to the quilt top and place them with the points facing inward. The head of the pins should be facing you when you do this.
13. Check the arrangement of the points to make sure they fit the length and width of your quilt. Unpin and rearrange points as necessary to make sure they fill the length. When rearranging, be sure to keep the bottom straight edge of the points aligned.
14. Pin the tips of the points to the quilt to keep them in place once any rearranging is complete.
Sewing and Completing Prairie Points
15. Move the quilt to your sewing machine.
16. Stitch the prairie points into place on the quilt, 1/4 inch from the straight base of the points. Remember, the tip of the points are actually facing inward and laying on the quilt top at this time. Remove basting pins as you sew.
17.Sew the prairie points onto the quilt all the way around all four sides. Don't forget to remove the pins as you sew.
18. Trim any excess quilt top and batting to be 1/4 inch from the base edge of the prairie points.
19. Fold the prairie points back from the quilt top. The triangles now border the edges of the quilt.
20. Sew the edges of the quilt backing to the base of the prairie points by hand.
