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-   -   Let's Talk Pieced Backings... (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/lets-talk-pieced-backings-t93043.html)

grandmajuki 01-23-2011 01:39 PM

As a LRQ I can tell you what I have run into... Almost all quilts come with some sort of pieced backing... If one seam in the backing it should be horizonal... because the seam should lay on the roller ... evenly distributing the backing.. I know there are lots of ways to piece a back and one says to take the width of the fabric and run it lengthwize down the fabrid and take the 2nd and cut in half and place on both side of the 1st piece.. problem for LRQ is the 2 seams build up on the backing roller and you really have to watch the backing for a dip in the fabric. It would actually be better to make the bigger squares , I think you said 17" for all over the back at least the seams would be distributed all over and not in just 2 areas as said above. Sheets.... I haven't had a problem with them but if it were my quilt I'd want a very good quality... and wash them first to see if they really are straight.. that seem to be the biggest problem. I'd rather see my clients go to the fabric store and purchase the sale fabric at 50% off for backing than use a sheet but I also don't discourage them ... I want them to do what they want.... I'm always looking in the sale fabric for backing....
My 2 cents.
judy

cjr 01-23-2011 01:55 PM

My backings vary. Have not purchased extra wide fabric for backing. mine are always pieced. I usually do not purchase specific fabric for backs, try to use my stash.

MamaHen 01-23-2011 02:10 PM

After piecing my top, I for one do not want to have to piece the back. I try to find good deals on 108" wide backing fabric and buy about 10 yards. I also don't have to worry about lining up the backing seams. I am not a muslin or sheet fan, so wide backing is for me.

adrianlee 01-23-2011 02:23 PM

1 Attachment(s)
One of the recent quilts I made I pieced the backing. The front of the quilt is Garfields and the back is fabric with cat related designs.

Back of Garfield quilt
[ATTACH=CONFIG]166516[/ATTACH]

1barron 01-23-2011 08:56 PM


Originally Posted by DogHouseMom
I have a large King top done that I need to send out to quilt. The blocks are 16" and too big to handle on a domestic and the pattern I want I need to work the whole block at one time. It's too big for wide fabric to cover all of it, let alone the extra width on the side for a longarm so I will need to piece it. It's a simple pattern of a rectangle in a square (Happy Hour I think it was called). I was thinking of the back just making one big rectangle in the square.

I neve thought of how easy/difficult it will be for the longarm quilter to make sure it's straight. I'll have to ask her.


Speaking as a long-armed quilter, the less seams on the back the better. Also, if you make a pattern for the back, it make be off because of how it goes in the frame. As a quilt top maker, I'd use as large as pieces as possible in a crazy kind of way. Word of caution about the back color, make sure that it doesn't show though to the front when layered.

Sue


1barron 01-23-2011 08:58 PM


Originally Posted by grandmajuki
As a LRQ I can tell you what I have run into... Almost all quilts come with some sort of pieced backing... If one seam in the backing it should be horizonal... because the seam should lay on the roller ... evenly distributing the backing.. I know there are lots of ways to piece a back and one says to take the width of the fabric and run it lengthwize down the fabrid and take the 2nd and cut in half and place on both side of the 1st piece.. problem for LRQ is the 2 seams build up on the backing roller and you really have to watch the backing for a dip in the fabric. It would actually be better to make the bigger squares , I think you said 17" for all over the back at least the seams would be distributed all over and not in just 2 areas as said above. Sheets.... I haven't had a problem with them but if it were my quilt I'd want a very good quality... and wash them first to see if they really are straight.. that seem to be the biggest problem. I'd rather see my clients go to the fabric store and purchase the sale fabric at 50% off for backing than use a sheet but I also don't discourage them ... I want them to do what they want.... I'm always looking in the sale fabric for backing....
My 2 cents.
judy

Ditto

quilterella 01-24-2011 02:45 AM

I piece most of my backs these days...trying to use up most of my stash. I did two large lap quilts 70 x 70, and ran three strips of flannel up the back of each one. On the baby quilt I did this winter, I did a 6 patch of flannel. I quilt on my Janome 6600 and never have any problems.

MerryQuilter 01-24-2011 05:04 AM

Neutrals also really show the quilting so nice.

alleyoop1 01-24-2011 05:06 AM

I've seen many quilts at my quilt club that have pieced backings - usually large pieces - as big as 1/4 of the back.

ginnie6 01-24-2011 05:15 AM

for the slightly bigger than queen size quilt I am making for dd I am using a flannel sheet. WM has them for $15 a set...any size. That means for $7.50ea I get two quilt backings! And we have a few extra big pillow cases. I buy the king size since we all like big pillows here and those are always in demand.


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