Hope this little story helps someone else from making the same mistake!
 

Okay, so I'm going to quilt my DH's quilt he made for a wonderful friend of ours who has cancer. Well, I decided to put the quilt top on the frame of our mid-arm and I thought there was a enough left on a roll of muslin left on the roll on the frame. I decide to roll the top and the muslin on the frame to make sure it was enough. Yep and with a few inches left. I unroll them and put my batting on and off I go. Well, you guessed it, I had a moment, I didn't THINK, surprise! I ran out of backing, someone "ME" forgot that the batting added into the roll would now make the backing to short! My DH says it's okay just add some more muslin to it. He is so sweet!... The worst of it for me is this is his 1st quilt top, and I know he is so proud of it. He made this beautiful nine patch on a 1934 singer hand crank machine. He worked on it for hours and it is absolutely beautiful or at least until I got a hold of it. I guess we all make mistakes and at least I don't think I'll make this mistake again! I hope anyway, I just need to quilt and stop thinking so much!...

Oh. I'm sorry to hear about your mishap. We all learn from our mistakes. In all honesty it's the emotion and thoughtfulness that go into a quilt. Congratulate your dh from me on making his first quilt. Picture of the top, please!

I don't have a quilting machine, so I am trying to visualize the situation...but I certainly know all about the backing mysteriously "shrinking"! Had the same thing happen to me yesterday.

I'd like to see the quilt too, please.

Alison

Would also like to see a picture.....and I don't think it is that big of a mishap, because after the quilting, no one will probably notice (unless you are like me and point mishaps out?). I wish I could get my husband more into quilting. He enjoys picking out fabric with me, so that is a step in the right direction.

Does he have enough fabric to do a piano key row with all the fabrics he used on the front to add to the back? The row could be the length you need to finish the quilt. The continue the theme with the binding as mixed fabrics from the front. He could even incorporate a label into the piano key row.

Don't sweat it, piecing is really OK. I've had to piece on the front when I ran out of fabric and guess what. No one ever notices. How about a picture of his first quilt?

Backs are normally pieced so I wouldn't worry about it. If you had realized before starting it was too small you would have had to add to it.

yep. this is really no big deal to the final outcome, but definitely a good lesson.

I almost always piece the backs! If you didn't like plain piecing in the muslin, you could add just a narrow stripe of color across the quilt, and then the muslin strip. I've done that a time or two and people think it was meant to be (and of course it was LOL). Congrats to your DH on completing a quilt, and best thoughts for his friend.

I have had this happen several times. Just a over a bit would usally fix mine. I didn't pay enough attention when I was putting it together. Always a pain to add more to the end or side but, I did it. I never mind piecing the batting or batting. As long as the top is nice and even, it will be okay.

oh sorry about this but youre heart is in the right place which all that matters

Sigh - experience is the best teacher - thanks for sharing!

Would love to see the quilt.

Can your DH make some blocks to add to the back where the missing fabric should be?
Can you add a contrasting piece of fabric?
Can you get some more of the fabric that you are going to bind the quilt with and add that?
Can you make some scrappy blocks to fill the gap?
This is an accident but I do appreciate how much more upsetting it is when it is your DH first quilt. Sorry for your distress.

I did that once too. I had JUST enough backing and miscalculated how much I rolled at the beginning. A sure enough, I ad several inches to go and no backing! Had to take it off the machine, sew on more backing, put it back on the machine - never fun- and finish up. I called it a " design decision" as I always do when I screw up!

Oh, heavens! I piece my backs all the time. It's really not a big deal, and I can almost guarantee no one will notice.

things like that happen. Add more muslin or finish up with a scrappy piece from the fabric used on the front

Would love to see a photo and I'm sure the recipient will just be so pleased!

It will look fine with more muslin added on.

But what about taking the opportunity to put the friend's name on it, and maybe a date, a wish for fast recovery, etc?

I think this happens to everyone at least once, I know it did to me! I have also had to add batting at the last moment...thank goodness for the batting tape! One thing I know, once the quilt is finished, it will barely be noticeable to anyone but YOU...just stitch a strip on the end of that puppy and keep on quilting!

been there, done that.....I have a long arm and had to take the quilt out of the frame and add to the back and then pin it back in so I could finishe, it can be done but I don't recommend this...a pain in the you know what

That's too bad that happened. How wonderful that your husband made a quilt!! You'll have to post a picture.

Sounds like a "mistake" has been turned into a creative challenge.

Ouch! Don't fret yourself into a snit. It is just the back, and hardly noticeable. Perhaps you could sew in a strip or 2 from fabrics on the front?

I'm sure we have all done that a time or two - just drop back, punt and make adjustments. Besides, I'm sure the quilt is so lovely that your DH's friend won't want to look at the back. Just saying.

I did that with the first quilt I put on my new long arm. I just sewed a piece that matched the backing onto the bottom. I named the quilt, "A Comedy of Errors". lol

Been there, done that. Except my backing was a print and I had no more. I trimmed the quilt down, it was mine. Actually I liked it better with the smaller boarders. Now I quarter my quilt top, quarter my backing and move it several different ways making sure both fit before I pin the center.

For crying out loud! It's the quilt BACK and backs are pieced in all sorts of ways. No one will care about it one way or the other. Find something worthwhile to fret over! froggyintexas

I'm sure it will work out great!! Plus it will give the quilt even more character

Country1 your husband knows you treasure him and his first creation; I'm sure the two of you will come up with a Super addition to the quilt back.

I'm sure that the quilt will be okay if you have to add to the backing a bit. Try placing your quilt label in the same area. Can't wait to see the pictures.

He has been really sweet and says I am making to much of it. I know I am blessed to have such a wonderful husband. I thank God everyday for making him just for me!.... Okay, I know not just for me, but he makes me feel that way. We have 2 girls and 1 boy all grown and we are enjoying every single day together. We don't have the best health, but boy are we lucky. We are together almost 24/7, rarely tiff, and truly enjoy doing so many things together. I know some of our friends don't understand how we do it, but we do!
Country1