I've seen requests for this.

Here's an easy example of how to create a border using
the Clone / Clip tools as well as an Inkscape SVG of some
examples for your reference.

The Squares were rotated using the Cloning tool and
a 45 degree rotation. I then played with the Shift to
get the distance between just right.

Easy (Certificate / Awards) Borders Examples.

Tutorial (Text):

Inkscape 48.1

1) Create a small object (or objects - grouped)
2) Edit / Clone / Create Tiled Clones
Note: Shift X: / Shift Y - Rows, columns settings
(adjust as need be to fill the page:
1,12 = 1 row, 12 columns (horizontal)
16,1 = 16 rows, 1 column (vertical)
3) Object / Group (or Ctrl-G)
4) Edit / Copy (or Ctrl-C)
5) Object / Flip Horizontal
Object / Flip Vertical
6) Object / Ungroup (or Shift-Ctrl-G) the newly
copied right border
7) Delete Right top Object
Delete Left Bottom Object
8) Select and Object / Group the right border
objects
9) Align the right border group with the left
border group to create a border rectangle
10) Select and Object / Group the left and
right borders
11) Object / Align and Distribute (Page,
Horizontal and Vertical Center) to center
the newly created border on the page
12) That's it.

Developed with some help from the following
tutorials:

Postage Stamps with Inkscape
http://howto.nicubunu.ro/inkscape_postage_stamps/

Using the Clip Tool
https://inkscapetutorials.wordpress.com/2011/02/22/inkscape-faq-how-do-i-crop-in-inkscape/

Hope this proves useful.

P.S. If you didn't already know, in your browser, you can use:

Save as - Web Page Complete

to save a web page with images.

(Can come in handy as web pages go down, disappear, etc)

Useful in building a library of useful tutorials.

P.S. Use Layer / Layers (or Shift-Ctrl-L) to see all the layers in the Inkscape file.

Hint: Click on the Eye in the Layers Menu to reveal or hide layers. Scroll up or
down to see them all.

Hint: Hold down the Ctrl key when dragging from the corners of a border to resize it
proportionally.

P.P.S. I've noticed when printing, the border doesn't always center the same as the image / print preview. If that's the case, try saving (Save As) to a pdf and then printing that to see if you get better results. Worth a shot.

Hi, thanks for posting the tutorial. I will be glad when I have time to sit down and read your tutorial properly. I am sure I will learn something new and l always enjoy following other members tutorials. Thank you for taking the time to write the information and post it for other members to create their own projects.

I think I have video showing something similar and will have a look when I get a bit more time. If there is a video I will add a link to your tutorial in the post so members can access your written tutorial.

I looked at my process and realized there's a problem with objects
that don't have uniform sides.

In the attached file, again using layers, Ctrl-Shift-L to bring up the layers
window, the first example "A" is the result of the method described above.

Example "B" is a correction (or an alternative). Instead of copying and flipping,
once the horizontal and vertical are cloned, select in turn, the far right and
bottom most objects and use the same horizontal and vertical clone settings
to create a uniform border in which all objects are facing the same direction.

Example "C" is the same method except I played around with the rotation to
get a kind of follow the arrow effect.

The object was created by using "Path / Difference" on a centered
(using Object / Align/Distribute) triangle (foreground) and square
(background), then that centered result (foreground) and a circle
(background).

Hope they prove useful.

P.S. Almost forgot. After using the clone tool in examples "B" and "C"
be sure to delete the extra (original) objects created as shown here:

Radial Tiled Clones (by Carolyn):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZLwVpeu2-g