Help! My brain isn't working tonight . . .
#1
Help! My brain isn't working tonight . . .
I'm getting ready to do my quilt sandwich. I'm using a pieced back with the pieced blocks on the outer edges so I don't want to risk the front and back not coming out the same size after quilting on my Featherweight. They are really close to equal now (less than 1/2" difference).
Is there an easy way to compensate for the possibility of things not ending up even that does not require trimming after quilting?
Is there an easy way to compensate for the possibility of things not ending up even that does not require trimming after quilting?
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Piedmont Virginia in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mtns.
Posts: 8,562
This risk is the reason I always used pieced blocks in the MIDDLE of the backing rather than on the edges.
It is very hard to keep a got-to-fit-perfectly backing fabric where it needs to be after quilting the sandwich. Allowing extra fabric at fall extensively along the edges of the back of your quilt will also give you room to trim and square up your quilt after it is quilted. It's pretty hard to tell if a backing does not perfectly "fit" or match the front of the quilt because you really can't see both at the same time.
Jan in VA
It is very hard to keep a got-to-fit-perfectly backing fabric where it needs to be after quilting the sandwich. Allowing extra fabric at fall extensively along the edges of the back of your quilt will also give you room to trim and square up your quilt after it is quilted. It's pretty hard to tell if a backing does not perfectly "fit" or match the front of the quilt because you really can't see both at the same time.
Jan in VA
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Snellville, Ga & Hiawassee
Posts: 1,994
With it being such a tight fit I thick I would take a minute & add a 2-3" border around the backing. That way you have plenty of wiggle room. I've done this before on some small quilts where I had a special fabric but not quite enough. I pressed the seams open & then after quilting just trimmed the backing.
You could even just add a strip to 2 sides (1 in each direction) and then it would look like part of the design for the back.
You could even just add a strip to 2 sides (1 in each direction) and then it would look like part of the design for the back.
#5
What if you put a small border on both sides of the quilt? I think you would find it easier if you made the back a few inches larger than the front. You could put marks on the inside of the overhanging backing to help you line up the blocks on the front. It's nearly impossible to align perfectly, but if you are careful, you might be able to come close enough. How are you basting? I think spray baste would hold it more where you want it than pin basting.
#6
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,659
Sometimes being a quarter inch off can be more annoying than having something totally off-set on purpose.
Can you rethink your backing so you have more wiggle room?
It is really hard to get both sides lined up perfectly.
Can you rethink your backing so you have more wiggle room?
It is really hard to get both sides lined up perfectly.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
dreamer2009
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
82
08-05-2011 04:56 AM
AtHomeSewing
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
59
05-15-2009 08:10 PM