Thread: Help!! How do you prepare a 106 inch wide fabric for your backing??

I bought a 106 inch batik wide backing to use for one of my quilts. I am struggling to figure out the best way to prepare it. My quilt is 76 inches square so I want to have a piece that is around 85 inches square. My 106 backing is around 92 inches long.

So, what are your steps?

Do you press out of the fold wrinkles/lines, then try to square it up, then cut it down to the size you need?

It is such a large piece of fabric, I can't figure out how I can maneuver it to be able to square it up (holding it by the selvage edges, let it drop and move the edges back and forth a bit until the fabric drapes relatively straight).

If the fabric doesn't look too far "out of whack", would you just cut off the selvage and then cut down the piece to the size you need then press out the hard fold wrinkles?

Am I overthinking this?? It just seems so hard.

I would first wash and press the fabric (or maybe just press, if the rest of your fabric isn't pre-washed); fabric pressed with Best Press (or starch) is more stable and manageable. Then I would straighten the cut edges in the usual way when preparing for cutting (fold, matching selvages, cut with ruler and rotary cutter). Then I would re-fold the other way and cut off the selvages (as when cutting fabric length-wise for borders). You should then have a straight piece of fabric to work with. I would then lay it out on the floor, determine its measurements, calculate the amount you need to cut off, and measure in that amount from the edges, marking the distance along the length and width. Then I would take it back to the cutting table, re-fold and use my ruler and rotary cutter to cut along the marks; then repeat for the second edge.

I know a lot will gasp in horror, but when I square up wide fabric I tear it. I always prewash, then press, then tear to get my cut edges on straight of grain. Then I leave the whole piece as is and don't cut it down until I trim after quilting.

Originally Posted by feline fanatic

I know a lot will gasp in horror, but when I square up wide fabric I tear it. I always prewash, then press, then tear to get my cut edges on straight of grain. Then I leave the whole piece as is and don't cut it down until I trim after quilting.

I do it almost the same -

First,I overcast the edges before dunking -

Then, wash and dry so the fabric "will do its thing"

Then - I do try to follow a thread across and do the tear to that I have the least loss of fabric. Occasionally i have ended up with a big wedge after tearing.

Then as feline fanatic does - - -

The piece is about the size of a king size sheet - if your washing machine is adequate to handle a large sheet - no big deal about washing the fabric

Originally Posted by feline fanatic

I know a lot will gasp in horror, but when I square up wide fabric I tear it. I always prewash, then press, then tear to get my cut edges on straight of grain. Then I leave the whole piece as is and don't cut it down until I trim after quilting.

As long as you have good quality fabric, this is very likely the best method. If you bought your fabric at JAF/HL or if it is reproduction fabric, you probably want to fold & cut because I've found that the lower quality & loose-weave repro's end up really wonky when torn.

I have LQS by me that tears standard width fabrics. The Kona & Moda solids and new batiks turn out fine. The repro's end up as much as 1.5" off and then I lose even more when squaring up!​​

If you do fold your fabric, I recommend pressing with heavy starch (or Best Press) flat; then, fold the fabric as much as needed to work with your ruler (maybe draw three lines measuring into the fabric, then a straight line from top to bottom) and press again to make sure you don't end up with that little tab or divet where the folds are. Then cut to get your straight edge & measure/cut from there. Tearing is definitely easier if you have decent fabric.

They tear the fabric at my LQS.