Double Cable Mini Tutorial
© Longarm University, Inc.®, 2006
 
When using the Simple Cable template you MUST mark the border with registration and grid lines before quilting.  The type of border treatment you are using will determine where the registration and grid lines are placed.

Double Cable Border Mini Tutorial

Click on photo to see enlarged view.

Begin by dividing the border in half lengthwise and drawing the (horizontal)  Border Center Line.  Find the middle of the border and draw a vertical line.  Place the Longarm University Stencil Grid© on the intersection of these two lines and begin drawing the grid lines from the middle line out to both raw edges of the quilt. 

For best results I recommend the Stencil Grids designed for these templates. On light fabrics I like to use the Mark Be Gone water soluble fabric marking pen.  On dark fabric I like to use Miracle Chalk in a Chalk O Liner dispenser.

Click on photo to see enlarged view.

 

After the registration and vertical grid lines have been drawn, starting at the middle line of the top border, begin numbering the vertical grid lines 1 through 6 all the way to the RIGHT raw edge of the border.  Number 1 is ALWAYS on the Middle line of the border. Go back to the middle line and begin numbering the vertical grid lines from 6 through 1 all the way to the LEFT raw edge of the border.  See the photo at the left.

 

Click on the photos to see enlarged view.

 

Stitching Line #1—Starting at the left edge of the border, place line #1 of the template onto any of the  #1 drawn vertical grid lines. Match the etched grid lines and the Double Cable Center Line of the template to the drawn grid lines and drawn center line of the border. See the photo at the left. Notice how #1 on the template is at the top of the curve and #4 is the “bottom” of the curve. 

Starting at the raw left edge of the quilt, stitch this line across the border to the right raw edge of the quilt.  At the middle line of the border, #1 on the template and #1 on the fabric should match.  Notice how the stitching line is about ¼ inch from the edge of the template. Remember that all Longarm University® templates have a “cut back” to compensate for the width of the hopping foot.

The photo at the left shows a completed
Stitching Line #1

Click on the photos to see enlarged view.

 

Stitching Line #2—Turn the template so that the Double Cable Edge is towards you.  See the photo at the left for the correct position of the template.  Starting at the left edge of the border, place the #1 etched line on the template onto any of the  #1 drawn grid lines. Match the etched grid lines and the Double  Cable Center Line of the template to the drawn grid lines and drawn Center Line on the border.  See the photo at the left. 

Starting at the raw left edge of the quilt, with your hopping foot in FRONT of the template  stitch this line across the border to the right raw edge of the quilt.  At the Middle Line of the border, #1 on the template and #1 on the fabric should match.  Stitching Line #2 is complete.

The photo at the lower left shows a completed stitching line #2. This would make a pretty good border, but of course, we can do better!
 

Click on the photos to see enlarged view.

Stitching Line #3—Starting at the left edge of the border, place the #1 on the template onto any of the  #4 drawn grid lines. Match the etched grid lines and the Double Cable Center Line of the template to the drawn grid lines and drawn Center Line of the border. See the photo at the left. Starting at the raw left edge of the quilt stitch this line across the border to the right raw edge of the quilt.  Stitching Line #3 is complete.

The photo at the lower left shows a completed stitching line #3.

 

Click on the photos to see enlarged view.

Stitching Line #4—Turn the template so that the Double Cable Edge is towards you as you did in Step 2.  See the photo at the left for the correct position of the template.  Starting at the left edge of the border, place the #1 on the template onto any of the  #4 drawn grid lines. Match the etched grid lines and the Double  Cable Center Line of the template to the drawn grid lines and drawn Center Line on the border.  See the photo at the left.  Starting at the raw left edge of the quilt, with your hopping foot in FRONT of the template stitch this line across the border to the right raw edge of the quilt. 

The photo at the lower left shows the completed four lines of stitching to create the Double Cable Border.

The above photos and instructions show you how to quilt the Double Cable design in the top border of your quilt.  But what about the side and bottom borders? When working with templates I like to "turn the quilt" to quilt the side borders.  In the instruction manual that is included with the Simple Cable templates there are complete instruction on how to turn a quilt and stitch the side borders.  Below are some suggestions on how to quilt the "corners" for this style of border. There are more border and corner suggestions in the instruction manual.


The illustration at the left shows three different side border  and “corner” treatments.  Because most quilts are rectangles, the “corners”, or where the side border quilting lines end can be different.  You have three choices for ending the side border stitching lines as shown in the illustration at the left.

Choice #1—As shown on the Right Side Border the quilting pattern ends at the seam line of the Top and Bottom border.  This works very well and is often seen in Amish quilts. 

Choice #2— Shown in the top Left border, you can see how the Left Side border stitching line ends at the Top border stitching line.  The stitching lines of both borders blend together nicely.

Choice #3—Shown in the lower Left Border, the side border stitching lines continues all the way to the raw edges.