Help I did something stupid
 

OK, I did something really stupid today.

I finished handquilting a baby quilt. (Good so far)

I need to start another one and only had the binding to do. (Good)

I was going to even it off by tearing it on bias....(only the backing thank God)

It wasn't straight.

How can I fix it?

Is it even possible to tear on the bias? I don't think so. You can tear on the straight-grain or cross-grain, but not on the bias. So I'm not sure exactly what you did. Is it just one edge of the fabric that is not straight?

I don't understand either. Calm down, take a deep breath, and explain the problem again. Someone will be able to help, quilting disasters are almost always fixable.

I was tearing on the grain....sorry...just upset now. Shouldn't have torn...have scissor and cutters. one side is now not wide enough...

I have never tried and don't think you can tear anything on the bias. when you tear any fabric it goes to the grain. If I'm wrong, someone tell me.

The fabric is probably just that far out of square. Try pulling the opposite corners and see if it will relax itself into better alignment.

I agree with Cheryl. But...if that doesn't work, I would cut the piece in half and use a strip of one or more of your other fabrics from the front, sewn into the middle to enlarge your piece. Then square it up and cut to size. They will think you did it on purpose to make it more interesting! Good luck!

It sounds like you will need to add a border to make it big enough. Perhaps you can stretch it by gently pulling it corner to corner and it may relax enough to be square. Sorry this happened to you, but I think it is fixable. Let us know how it turns out.
Sue

Not only fixable, but a way to add more creativity to your backing. Piece it as someone else suggested. I rarely use a whole piece of fabric for my backing and I never use just one fabric! I like to piece together coordinating fabrics or fabrics from the top. I will even incorporate left over blocks from the front.

One of my favorite ways to piece a backing is to make a diagonal cut through the main fabric (not necessarily from corner to corner, just diagonal) and piece a strip of contrasting fabric in-between the cut edges. Creates a slash across the back that is quite attractive!

Is it already quilted? If so, carefully add a narrow strip of matching fabric to patch what disappeared. Otherwise, follow the other suggestions.

Putting a border on the back is very acceptable. Breathe. It will turn out OK -- maybe better.

Yeah just add a strip to that one side..it'll still look good:)

Sorry, I read the original post again and missed the fact that you were tearing a backing fabric on a quilt that had already been hand quilted!!! Can you post a photo of the backing?

We've got a language problem here. It is impossible to tear on the bias. yYou can tear lenghtwise or across the grain, but tearing on the bias is not happening!

I would straighten the backing out then try to match the other side or end. and sew a contrasting piece on both ends.. have been where you are before. It worked out great. Let us know how it turns out.

If you have the other part of the fabric, try sewing it back together but add a little insert of other coloured material or such like. You can say it was put there to denote where the top of the quilt is, if it is on the short end. Do two inserts (one on each side) if it is on the long end.

Since the fabric is already quilted and now you're just missing what appears to be a diagonal piece along one side, I would definitely cut that side to make a definite angle and attach a piece of the fabric that you used on the front. That will make it look like a design feature. Now breathe.

I haven't had enough coffee this morning, perhaps, but did you handquilt the quilt without the backing? All the answers I see imply that you can piece the backing, which you CAN do, when preparing a backing, but how is this possible once the quilt is quilted?

Good advice from everyone, but I especially like the idea of slashing the back and inserting a second color/design to make it big enough for the backing. Show us when you finish.

OH< OH< OH, the cutest border I've ever done was pieced in blocks. I on;u did the top and bottom with solid down the sides, it was sooooo cute!!!

You got it exactly, The backing is on, the quilt is quilted and I NEVER should have tried to take a short cut.

Now I have a side that is too short. can I piece the other side with a strip too so that they will match and bind?

The bias does not tear! However you can tear length of fabric or width of fabric for very accurate results. I always tear my borders. When tearing fabric you check to see that the grain is straight by folding a diagonal if the grain is crooked your triangle is wonky take the short corner and pull on the bias then check again. Once squared you can add as required.

I'm with those who are kind of confused. We're you going to bring the fabric around from the back as a finishing edge? Or are you planning to actually add a separate binding? If you just tore off what you were going to wrap around, not a problem - just use a traditional binding. I guess I don't know how you were trying to tear through quilting.

OK, Vicki W, you didn't do anything stupid. For reasons not readily apparent to me, fabric will not tear straight any more. When I was a kid, we could pull a thread from one side to the other and get a straight line. I don't know what happened, but that doesn't work any more. It doesn't matter what you pay for fabric or whether it comes from LQS orWal Mart, you may not be able to tear it straight.

Now, get out your rotary cutter, your ruler and your mat and cut the offending fabric into four squares as large as you can get them and between each piece, put some bright and wonderful or some pastel and wonderful pieces--whatever will complement the front--sew it all together and the back will become a design element. And the baby may like it better than the front, just like kids like boxes better than the toys that came in them. froggyintexas

Yes, you can add a matching strip on the other side if you are using contrasting fabric. If you are using matching like I did, then just press the seam and go on with finishing the quilt. Doing both sides will look like an intended design.

BTW, I've had no trouble tearing fabric as long as I'm a few inches from the edge.

any time a fabric isn't square after tearing it to get the straight of grain.1) dampen the fabric with hot/warm water, 2) grasp opposite corners and tug, this straightens the off kelter fabrics. focus on the corners where it isn't the same length.
3) if this doesn't bring it back to a usable size, then once it is straight, cut it in two pieces and run another contrasting piece down the middle that brings it to a size that is large enough for the top. or put a border around the outside edges. Note the middle piece is easier.

Best way to fix it is just to splice it by sewing another piece of fabric to the main body. Yes, it will look odd at first but by the time you get the quilt squared up and the binding on, it will be barely noticeable. "Trust me" - it will be fine. I've had similar dilemmas with my own quilts and have added on the the back in this way and it works out fine.

Now, glass of water, deep breath and say "Thank you" to the beautiful folks on the QB who gave you the ideas to fix this and make it even better. Then "git 'er done" NOW. It's going to be even more beautiful than you planned!

Whoever cut this piece of fabric for you when you bought it really screwed up--and also cheated you out of usable fabric. This is one reason I always make sure I have or buy at least 1/2 yard more of large pieces of fabric.

Sure!!! Creative solutions are the best!

I love Prism99's suggestion. Going to try that on my next quilt!

I was going to pull the fabric over from the back as a finishing edge. And I really don't know know why at this point I thought I could/should tear...probably my scissors were in the other room. I did not tear into the quilted areas. I think I will try to piece a strip on both sides of the back so that it matches...Wish me luck...Won't ever do that again.

You are doing fine. In a few days, you'll smile at your 'design'.

That is an excellent idea. I put it to you that the pieced insert would be a good label spot--large enough to put in all relevant info, and can never be removed.

Can you put a label in the area that is now too short? I would use the entire area that is too short to create a label , that way you don't need it to match the other side. Besides, matchy-matchy is over-rated!!! Please post pictures with your solution.

I am absolutely confused with what has happened and how others have answered. What was being torn and why?

I'm sure by now you've figured something out but you know this is going to be going round and round in my head tonight while my subconscious tries to understand!!! LOL!

I hope it has all worked out for you.

I agree. When I'vehad a backing too small, I just added other strips to the middle of it & called it good! You can act like you meant to do that all along... LOL!

She can't add in the center because it's already quilted. While trimming the quit for binding, she trimmed too much (by tearing and the grain was a little crooked), so the additions have to be on the sides. It will be fine. I'm waiting for a picture.