Batting, backing, and oversized enthusiasm oh my! Help!
 

After losing my job, I decided to learn how to piece and quilt. As a newbie, i felll in love with the Three Tours quilt and decided to try my hand at it using available free block patterns. This is my second quilt I have made without a pattern except looking at various websites and free videos. To my surprise this top measures 86 inches by 86 inches. I thought i was making a lap quilt! Boy, have I learned a lot of lessons making this! LOL
Now I have a challenge of trying to get it placed on the batting when floor space is a premium .
I was thinking of using a queen size sheet for the back. What is a good way of putting this size quilt together? All suggestions greatly appreciated.

your quilt top is great. if you don't have a large table, think about 'borrowing' one at the library or community center. lay the backing down and tape it... if it overhangs the edges of the table, try to clamp it to the edges. then lay the batting, smoothing it out, tape or clamp that as well. then lay the top and smooth it out. pin all over about a hands width between each pin. hope that helps. welcome to the board and happy quilting :)

I use a wide kitchen island, or you could use a large table, tho the counter is a better height to prevent back strain. I mark the centers of the top and bottom edge of all three layers. I tape the backing to my counter/table with the top edge against the edge of the counter and hold it in position with painter's tape around as much of the edge as possible, keeping it taut. match the center of the batting with the center of the backing and lay it in place - if there's too much for the space, roll or fold u the excess to you can work on one section at a time. don't need to pin or tape the batting. Do the same with the top - matching the center of the top edge, smooth it all out and pin or baste the layers together. If I'm working in sections on a large quilt, I baste/pin a little more closely along the center edge so that when I move to the next section I've got a firm sandwich. un tape, move the sandwich to the next section, fold back the top, then fold back the batting, and smooth out and tape the next section as much as possible. then do the batting/top/basting and move on.

This system takes some maneuvering, but it's been working for me - tho I've never done anything larger than an almost-queen sized quilt this way.

There is also a technique for wall sandwiching using basting spray and several have commented that it works for them.

Also, when you use a sheet for backing, make sure it isn't too tight of a weave or it COULD be difficult to quilt through.

You could lay it out and spraybaste one half of batting to backing on each half, then spray baste the top to the batting one half at a time. Or use your bed to lay it out, but if pinning, be careful not to pin it to you bed. :)

I appreciate everyone's suggestions. Thank-you!

No one mentioned that you can buy wide quilting fabric for backing quilts; that way the backing fabric will be more like the fabrics in the front of your quilt, same weave, thread count, etc. Just google "wide quilt backing fabric" and you'll be able to color shop as well as compare prices.

Your patriot quilt is lovely!

Jan in VA

Love the quilt, it would be great for the Quilts of Valor project - quilts for veterans. KEEP QUILTING

Jan is 110% correct. A fat back would be much better to use. It is usually cheaper to buy fat back than yardage that you have to piece. I do fat backs about 80% of the time and yardage the other 20% of the time.

So, IF you can afford a to buy a fat back, usually starts around $15/per 108inch wide yard, DEFINITELY use that.