Layering the quilt sandwich
 

Over the web in different tutorials, I've seen pics of the process of layering the quilt. Many of them show the batting to be much larger than the back & top. It seems a waste of batting to me. Why would the batting need to be more than an inch or two larger than the back and top? TIA!!

I think the usual layering has the backing the largest, the batting second largest, and the top the smallest. Excess batting can be cut off later. Maybe the tutorial makers simply want to wait until the quilting is done before cutting the batting?

I've always seen (and done) that, too. I think it's on the idea that some shrinkage can occur in the quilting process, and what a disaster it would be to have a beautiful top but a too-short backing or not enough batting!

batting and back should be the same at least a couple inches larger than the quilt top on all around

Cutting the backing and batting 3" bigger all the way around is 'Just In Case'. If all are cut to the same size and you need to add more backing and batting you will see what I mean.





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If you are figuring for long arm quilting, you will need at least 4" batting and backing on all four sides. I used to cut it a bit closer than that when I hand quilted, but not much less due to shrinkage and quilting take-up. Hope that makes sense??

My batting and backing are similar in size - both bigger than the quilt top. The reasons are 2-fold. a) If i don't baste the quilt sandwich as good as I should, there is plenty of added width & length incase the top shifts as I hand quilt the top. b) The extra is needed to attach to the frame and still allow me to quilt the top to the edges while still being attached to the quilt frame. I didn't allow plenty of extra and had to piece extra backing and batting to the back. Kinda bummed me out.

On my last queen size quilt I did on my frame my batting was only about 1-2inches bigger then my top(due to the top ending up bigger then I anticipated and my batting was bought onsale) sooo I tried it, through the quilting process my batting crawled a little bit each time I moved my quilt up on my frame...needless to say by the time I got to the end I was 3 inches to short on my batting :'( agh, soo from now on if its going to be a close call I'll always buy a bigger prepackaged batting size haha...live n learn I guess...

When I send a quilt to the LAQ, I cut the backing about 6" larger on each size. After I apply the binding, I end up with enough backing and batting to cut into sections to which I add a piece of muslin or large scrap fabric. These sections make great practice pieces for FMQ. If I quilt the quilt myself, I only add 3" on each side for both the backing and the binding.