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.

I agree with Jan wide backing fabirc would be nice. Your quilt top is really nice!!! You did a wonderful job!

Yes, I was thinking of machine quilting. Straight half inch lines in the stripes and stitch in the ditch in the blocks with a "unique " stippling . I do have a can of fabric spray and will try to put the quilt layers together on top of my bed.

Is it helpful to fold each of the fabrics in quarters then find the center point and align the fabrics together ?

Or is it easier to lay the back , then lay the batting 5 inches away from the back, then lay the quilt cover 5 inches from the batting?

Thank- you so much for the compliment . Didn't know about wide backing fabric! I will learn more with everyone's help.

Thank-you for the information. I have not seen nor heard of wide quilting fabric and will learn more about this as well as availability for my next quilt. Thank-you again.

That's what we quilters do! Glad we could help. :)

I just want to say welcome and this is a very cool quilt. All the info you need from others!
peace

very nice quilt

I would suggest a hard surface. You need to be able to get your layers taut. A soft surface of a bed will not give you that ability. Keep your eyes out for a large table you might be able to use in a pinch. School, church, work, library. You will be happy you did when you have no tucks on the back! (ask me how I know!). Large bull dog clips work well if the table top is not too thick.

You'll love the Elmer's glue method! BTW, gorgeous quilt!

A quilt store that has a large working surface in its classroom is another good source for "borrowing" the space to prepare a large quilt sandwich. Just check with the owner or employee as to the best times to come in and use their surface.

If you have a church home, they often will have large tables and/or large floor space where you could sandwich your quilt, pin baste and then return home for the fun part, quilting!

Great find! at thrift shop found a heavy muslin duvet cover..for three dollars, it is queen size...alot of "backing fabric" for three dollars...I've found so much fabric at thrift..good place to look on a budget. I agree with Jan...wide fabric is a wonder. so much easier and neater.

For Christmas I made my ex-MIL a memory quilt and by the time I added all the pictures I wanted it ended up being HUGE. I had the same issue you're having.......where am I going to be able to lay this out to make my sandwich?

I ended up moving my couch temporarily into the kitchen and using my living room foor. It worked out great, I got the space I needed and it turned out, everyone LOVED sitting on the couch in the kitchen, chatting with whoever was cooking. Even after I was done with the quilt sandwich, I left it in there for a few days and my kids protested when I finally moved it back. They're still trying to convince me we "need" a couch for the kitchen now.

If you use a new sheet wash it a couple of time and don't put fabric softer on it ...........this will get the sizing out of the sheet........................a friend told me once not to use sheet because of the thread count but if that is all you can afford at the time ..........use this and see if you like it .......................on ulitarian quilts I have use old sheets that I wash and it done just find...........but i will say this if you are making a heirloom quilt do as the ladies says, get the best you can..........I have done this both ways and happy with the results ....................hope this helps and congrs on quilt and keep on quilting :D:thumbup:

you have received good advise on the quilting... I just want to say the quilt is beautiful

do you have a wall? I have learned to tape the layers to a wall. the weight keeps it tight. and sometimes I do really large quilts in sections. Leah day has a good utube video on how to attach the sections. It's beautifull!!!!!

I do not know if this help you. But I seen this and thought it would be good. We have been remoldling so I have some wood it work good. I us it all the time even on the one that are to big. check it out I us my table http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhwNy...feature=relmfu

I think you might do better using a king instead of a queen sheet for the backing.

If you have an ironing board and a piece of plywood or a hollow core door, you can lay the door or wood on the ironing board and lay your quilt sandwich across it. Clamp it to your wood or door (you can sometimes get a damaged door at Lowe's or Home Depot for $5.00) and baste the center section. Move the quilt sandwich to the left or right, clamp it down and baste that section, then move to the left or right and finish basting it. The ironing board means you don't have to bend over as it is adjustable in height. Or, if you have a table with straight legs, cut 4 sections of large PVC pipe and drill holes through it at the height you want your work surface to be. Screw a stove bolt through the holes. Lower the table legs onto the stove bolts and you will have elevated your table to a comfortable working height and the table legs have not been harmed.

That's a beautiful quilt and you did a good job on making it. I hope you will re-post when you finish quilting it.

This is exactly what I ended up doing. As I walked thru the rooms I realized that if I close the bedroom closet doors I would have a 10x 10 space. I used duck tape to square the perimeter of a king size sheet then used fabric adhesive for the batting then again for the cover. While still hanging, pinned the layers.
Had to show my husband his Valentine's gift early as I needed help to take the quilt down from the doors. LOL (he loved it and said he felt very special)

now onto the quilting.

Thank- you. I will repost it when completed. Everyone has been so helpful. Glad I found the forum.

The you tube video was very interesting. I will definitely try this method on my next quilt- which will be more of a lap size . Thanks!

I use boards like Sharon Schamber (You tube videos help to explain it), then baste all 3 layers together. The never shift and I don't have back strain. I am a hand quilter so I can carry this sandwich all around without a problem.

Your quilt is beautiful!! Check out marshalldrygoods.com - they have 108" quilt backing for $7.99. I've gotten some of it, and it is very nice. Can't wait to see pictures of your finished quilt.