Quilt Tops

by Lovelle
(Arizona)

Hi, I just found this site and have been reading FAQ's. I am new to quilting. I see a lot of quilt tops on Ebay for sale. So, my question is how do you make a quilt from the quilt tops that are for sale on Ebay?

Do you add borders? Do you add sashing? Would you be able to match the fabric? Some of the quilt tops on Ebay are very nice. I just don't know how to finish them.

ANSWER

The quilt tops on Ebay are definitely worth consideration. Be aware, though, that some are probably made better than others. By that I mean the quality of the stitching and the quality of the fabric.

I know it's hard to judge quality by looking a picture or two. For that reason, it's a good idea to read the seller's feedback comments. These reviews will tell you whether or not the buyers were satisfied with their purchases.

To finish a quilt top, you'll need to:

Arrange the quilt layers.
Baste the layers together.
Permanently attach the layers with quilting stitches.

If you're buying a pre-made quilt top, you won't have the opportunity to add sashing strips. Those would already be sewn into the quilt. However, you could add a border if the quilt doesn't have one yet. Or, you could add a border to an existing border.

As for matching fabrics, I'd say that is a good possibility. There are endless fabric color choices on the market. You should have no problem finding suitable colors for your quilt top. You might even want to ask the seller if they have any leftover fabric. It's worth a try!