Help with envelope quilting please?
 

I want to try doing my latest quilt effort with - I believe it is called envelope style - in other words, no binding. I have the top pieced, and the backing basted to the batting. Before I go forward, I wanted to know whether others have done much of this and do you have problems after turning the quilt right side out and starting to quilt it, with bunching, wrinkling, etc. It takes me so long to piece a top so I don't want to ruin this one, but I want to do without the binding on this one. Any thoughts? Thanks so much!

P.S. - it is a lap size quilt.

I usually only do some things such as table runners and such using the birthing method. You will see the backing peek out. I usually try to trim my batting so only a tiny bit is in the stitching.

I have only done one and it was not successful. I believe that my backing wasn't square (it was in my early days) and the whole thing got totally skewed. I don't even remember what I did with it.

I haven' succeeded as well with the machine quilting on a quilt that has been done by birthing. I have done better with tying and machine tacking.

I like the birthing method for smaller projects - like table runners. I have done a twin size quilt this way though. The problem I had was getting everything smooth for quilting. But it is the best way I have found to put a ruffle edge on

My only tip would be after you turn it right side out.. pin, pin, pin. Smooth it out the best you can and then pin like crazy to keep it as smooth as possible[ATTACH=CONFIG]551207[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]551208[/ATTACH]

When I started quilting that was the only method I knew. And I tied most of those quilts. It was such a relief to learn the sandwich/binding method because the worst part of the birthing was sewing the layers together, the batting was looser and was forever getting caught in the presser foot, I would put a thin paper over it, to tear off later, then trim the batting back before birthing it. My guild would do it for Linus Project quilts and then after birthing them then would quilt around the outside borders and go in rather than out. That seemed to work very well. But it wasn't detailed quilting, just enough to keep the batting in place.

Eleanor Burns of Quilt In A Day does this all the time. on her show she starts machine quilting with no problems. i would have problems near the edges myself. But lots of us do this method with success.

I read read somewhere a tip on birthing without getting the backing peeking onto front. Cut the backing 1/4" shorter on all 4 sides, then when it's flipped it will be taut on the back, even pull a bit of top over....I've tried on small things like table runners, placemats, even quill owns, but not on bed size.....

interesting....I may have to try this

I always use the birthing method on the baby quilts when I use 1" poly batting. I lay my backing fabric face down, spray the backing with 505 basting spray, then layer the batting over the backing. Let it dry for an hour then pin the right side of the backing fabric to the right side of the quilt top & stitch all around the perimeter, leaving an opening for turning the quilt. Turn the quilt right side out, stitch the opening closed. Then I pin like crazy or use long hand sewn basting stitches (about 4" apart) to keep the top from moving while quilting. I do not have a problem using this method. The baby quilts I make are 45" x 60".

Would it help to press the quilt before stitching or is that a no-no in this process?

I had an odd shaped (12 sided) wall hanging that I definitely didn't want to bind. When I birth a quilt I always could see the edge I hand sewed so I did this one differently. I split my backing down the middle and sewed it together from one edge to about 8" from the center; then I sewed it from the other edge to about 8" from the center leaving an 8" opening. I pressed the seam open, also pressing the unsewn area as part of the seam (I used a 1" seam allowance). Then sew the backing on and turn as usual but when you go to birth it you have a larger area to reach into all the corners to get perfect points. I then use a blind stitch to sew the rest of the seam on the back and then quilt. All edges are smooth, points are pointy, and I had no shifting or lumps.

Rather than the birthing technique, how about bringing just a bit of the backing to the front after you have completed your quilting? You would sew down the edge from the front.

I worked with a Project Linus group that requested this type of finishing so have done many. Someone mentioned making the back a bit smaller than the top which is a good thing to do. I would not suggest a poly batt. It will allow the pieces to shift if you are machine quilting and you will get puckering of the back. If you are tying the quilt then the batt won't matter quite so much. There can never be enough basting on this type of quilt and if machine quilting you will need to keep a lot of tension all around the working area. If it's the look of a binding that you don't want the I would suggest a facing rather than a binding. That way it won't show.

I have done many the same as Gail B and the basting spray works just fine to keep it together when birthing and quilting. Good luck.

I found that if I do a combination of reaching in and gently pulling the corners in and turning down the open end, it relieves the stress that can result in twisting the quilt. You are sort of birthing it from both ends - if that makes any sense!!!

I have done several baby quilts, approx. 54 x70 or there about with the birthing method, as I don't especially like binding, although I do on larger quilts. I would suggest that after turning the quilt RSO, I would carefully PRESS the quilt top, then pin baste with safety pins, this should eliminate bunching, creeping, etc. After quilting the top, I would sew 1/2" away from the sides, as this gives the impression of binding without that process. I tend to drive my best friend when I do quilts this way, but I have never mastered her method of pulling the backing over the quilt to make a binding either. I say go for it as I have had good luck with this method, as long as it's no larger than a lap size quilt.

Can you press the daylights out of the turned quilt, maybe starching heavily before, and then stitching about 1/4" inside the edge?

There was a time when I did a lot of them with the envelope method for charity quilts. If you layer the batting on the bottom, the backing next with right side up, then the top on top, with right sides together. You don't need to square-up the backing, just center the quilt top, and pin in place around the outside edges. Sew 1/2" seam all the way around, leaving about 10" open for turning. With the batting sewn in, you don't have to worry about the batting shifting. Clip the corners and turn right side out. If you wanted to reduce the bulk in the seam, you could "grade the seam allowance." Close the opening by hand or by machine. Top-stitch about 5/8" all the way around the outside edge before you tie or quilt. Top-stitching this far away gives the quilt a softer edge.

Thank you everyone... I am going to give it a try.

Rennie, I used the birthing method on two EB Log Cabin in a Day quilts and tied them with DMC embroidery floss. Ten years later everything is great. Used most days while watching TV by my sister and her husband. They are lap size quilts.