backing too short!!!
 

I am hand quilting a quilt that is approx 70 x 84. I am using a Grace EZ3 frame. I have now arrived at the end of the quilt and my backing is about 1/4" too short! I am not sure what happened, as I was sure I made my backing w/ extra room for shrinkage, but I have had many problems along the way w/this quilt and this frame, not happy w/the frame at all. But any way, what do I do about my shortage? Should I just trim the top when I take it out of the frame and not worry about it, or should I just make my binding a bit wider and cover the back w/that? If that makes sense.

BTW, I am so painfully slow at quilting that it has taken me 2 years to reach this point :shock:!!! But I am thrilled to pieces that I have made it to the end!!!

Thanks!

Yikes! I don't know the answer, just wanted to tell you I can sympathize with you. There are so many smart quilters on the board, I know one of them will have a solution.

You can make wider binding or sew on a small piece to extend the backing. I have had that happen to me. Next time be sure your backing is at least 4 inches bigger. Also you could put on a flange binding...think that is what it is called. I have not done it. Best wishes.

I am sorry that you are having a problem. Very frustrating.

You could do any of the things you suggested.

If the complete width of the border is not critical to the design of your quilt, I would probably just cut off 1/4 inch all the way around and not worry about it.

If the complete width of the border of the design is critical to the design, I would just put on a wider than average binding. My "normal" binding is almost 1/2 inch and looks quite respectable. (Start with a 3 inch wide binding and do some testing/practicing on similar sandwiches to get it a "perfect" width for your set up.)

Or you could trim 1/8 inch all the way around the quilt sandwich and make the border a teeny bit wider than usual.

I agree. For being only 1/4" just cut your binding that much wider. Great that you are getting near the end. When I machine quilt, I normally make sure I have an extra 2" on each side of the quilt backing.

I had that happen to me and I just added an extra inch or two the then finished with the binding Not a problem and no one will notice

I would prefer to stitch an extra few inches of fabric onto your backing and then finish quilting and use your regular binding.

I agree with the binding comments.

Thank you everyone for the replies. The borders are not at all critical tot eh over all design of the quilt so not a problem either way I go. I am sure I had at least 2 extra inches of backing, but things started going wrong when I got about mid way through the quilt and I guess that took up the extra.

I guess when I get it out of the frame and see exactly how much difference there is I can decide the best way to proceed.

Thanks for the help and suggestions!

I can't add any new suggestions to what has already been posted but just wanted to say congratulations on finishing the quilt and what a real bother to have this problem to contend with. I'm sure you'll end up just fine and I look forward to seeing pictures of the completed quilt! I'm like you, it takes me an age to get a quilt done, I feel quite like a tortoise when I read how much others seem to accomplish on this forum!

I came up short just a bit once, but when I put on the binding it nearly covered it. What did not get covered by the binding, I put the label over that section and "shhhhhh" nobody needs to know. It will be fine.

I don't have an EZ3 Grace frame, but do have the Z44. My instructions call for at least 4" extra backing rather than 2". I also run a basting stitch on both sides through the sandwich (an inch to 1/2 inch from the edge) as far as I can reach as I go each time I turn. I think this helps prevent slippage. I know this information comes too late for your current quilt. Whether you add more to the backing, use a wider binding, or trim 1/4", it will not matter. It will be a beautiful quilt you can be proud of. Congratulations on completing a hand quilted quilt. It takes patience and perseverance. I am sorry you are having problems with the EZ3. I love my Z44. I am just finishing up my third quilt on it with two more waiting their turn.

make your binding wider, and then cover it up when you bind it.

I would sew on another strip of the backing material to make it long enough, and then finish.

If it didn't matter that the quilt would be approximately 1/2 inch smaller and assuming you have a border around your quilt, I would just trim the quilt down. I would trim all borders to the same size.

Sorry about your backing problem, this happened to me the first time I used my Grace EZ3 frame. Since my shortage was a bit more than a 1/4 inch, I just added fabric to the back and then trimed, added the binding and no one was the wiser. I've had my Grace EZ3 frame for over 3 years now and have learned to make sure I have at least 4"- 5" extra all around the top.

If the border width not crucial I would trim 1/4" off all round. A wider border may not go far enough to overlap the shorter side.

[h=1]Extending a quilt back while on the Longarm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs5Dw2raqfQ[/h]This may help for future knowledge.

I agree with this.
Making the binding wider will not solve the problem. You need to get the backing as long as it needs to be. If you have any of the backing fabric left (how about a little cut off the sides?), sew that onto the back where you need it. If you have none, I would sew a strip of the binding fabric there as a place holder. You only need an inch. It will be on the back, and will look like the binding is wider at that end, but will not detract from the rest of the back.

You might need to undo a few quilting stitches, and redo them after the piece is sewn on, but you will feel better about it the rest of your life if you do it RIGHT.

When that happened to me, I just made my binding a little wider and everything turned out great.

Congratulations on finishing your quilt. I have one that has been hanging around longer than I want to admit. I's near the finish line but I have come to hate the color of the fabric so I continue to put off working on it.

Lots of good ideas here. I would take the easy way out and trim it and the opposite end the same amount. Good luck with the method you use.

For all of my quilts, the batting and backing is 6" larger than the top.

For future reference, that happened because as you roll up the quilted parts of the quilt onto the takeup bar, the backing gets used up/rolled up more than the top of the quilt. Not a lot, but enough to make a difference when you get to the end, especially if it's a long quilt. Think of rolling up a magazine with the spine in the center, and how the page edges don't line up---the page farthest from the center is the "shortest", when in reality they are all the same size. You just need to allow more length in your backing than you did in this case. This has happened to me once, too--one of those lessons you only need to learn ONCE, lol. Congratulations on fishing your quilt!

This would be my choice as well.