Tartan

If I am understanding your question.....You have the quilt handiquilted, the backing fabric is now short? I would find a piece of contrasting fabric the same width of the back. I would draw an nice gentle curved scallop edge on the back. I would use whatever method you like to iron the edges over (freezer paper would be my choice) After the edge was all pressed, I would carefully remove the freezer paper and hand appliqué the nice waved edge side to the backing. If needed I would continue the hand quilting over the new backing edge and bind. Relax your little quilt will be saved and you will have added a pretty touch to the back.

AZ Jane

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!!!

Vicki W

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?

roserips

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.

quiltmom04

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.

FroggyinTexas

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

irishrose

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.

riutzelj

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.

brenwalt

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.

mhollifiel

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!