---
title: "How to Make a Floating Border"
date: 2023-01-01
author: "Phoebe Moon"
featured_image: "https://scrapdash.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/bright-inflatable-flamingo-and-rings-floating-in-a-sunny-pool.-565999-scaled-e1751312791485.jpg"
categories:
  - name: "Free Patterns"
    url: "/category/free-pattern.md"
  - name: "Quilt Mysteries"
    url: "/category/mysteries.md"
---

# How to Make a Floating Border

This mystery quilt is designed to show you two different ways to make perfect flying geese blocks. The clue links are listed at the bottom of this tutorial. To print just this clue, use the green Print Friendly button at the bottom of this page.

In this clue, you are putting the quilt top together. Before we can add borders, we need to put the blocks together into a top first.

Make (3) rows like the one below. These are your odd rows. Press your seams to the right. Your row should measure 12-1/2″ × 48-1/2″.

![Cook Your Goose Row 1](https://scrapdash.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/R1.jpg)

Make (2) rows like the one below. These are your even rows. Press your seams to the left. Your row should measure 12-1/2″ × 48-1/2″.

![Cook Your Goose Row 2](https://scrapdash.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/R2.jpg)

Starting with an odd row, sew alternating rows into a top as shown below. Because of the way you pressed your seams, they should just nestle at each intersection. Use pins to encourage this behavior. Your top should measure 60-1/2″ × 48-1/2″.

![Cook Your Goose Top](https://scrapdash.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/CYG-top.jpg)

*IF YOU ARE MAKING THE LARGER SIZE*  
You will need to make a (6) rows of 5 blocks each, so you would need (3) even rows and (3) odd rows. Your top will measure 72-1/2″ × 60-1/2″.

## The Floating Border

When a border is made of the same fabric as the background and is sewn so that it surrounds the center, it is called a floating border. It gives a little separation between the center and the outer border, thus “floating” it away from the outer border.

Forcing the quilt top to match two identically cut borders will force the quilt top to remain square. Sew a 3-1/2″ × 60-1/2″ Background Strip to both sides of the top, matching the center of the strip to the center of the quilt top, easing to fit if necessary. Press to the border.

Sew a 3-1/2″ × 54-1/2″ Background Strip to both sides of the tops, matching the center of the strip to the center of the quilt top, easing to fit if necessary. Press to the border. Your quilt top should measure 54-1/2″ × 66-1/2″.

![The first border of the Cook Your Goose mystery](https://scrapdash.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/first-border.jpg)

## Mystery Clues

[Fabric Requirements](https://scrapdash.com/cook-your-goose-quilt-mystery)  
[Cutting Instructions](https://scrapdash.com/cook-your-goose-quilt-mystery-cutting-instructions)   
[The Flying Geese for Block One](https://scrapdash.com/flying-geese-block-one)   
[The Flying Geese for Block Two](https://scrapdash.com/flying-geese-block-two)   
[More Blocks](https://scrapdash.com/four-patch-quilt-blocks)   
[Even More Blocks](https://scrapdash.com/kings-crown-quilt-block)   
[The Last Quilt Block](https://scrapdash.com/the-evening-star-quilt-block)   
[Borders](https://scrapdash.com/floating-border)   
[The Final Frontier ](https://scrapdash.com/finishing-quilt)  
[Picture Page](https://scrapdash.com/cook-your-goose-picture-page)





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