Question about pieced backings
 

When you piece a back, are you concerned about the assembly point creating mishaps?...
is there a preference to avoid mishaps?.....piecing horizontal? vertical? does it matter?

I am not really sure what kind of mishaps you are worried about. I piece most of my backs creatively using leftover fabrics and blocks from the front. Never had a problem with them holding together or causing problem in the quilting process---either when I quilt them myself on DSM or I have them quilted by a long armer.

i had heard from a longarmer who preferred the seams be vertical, as it was easier to sew over, as opposed to a horizontal one, where you had to sew over the seam from left to right [all in the same row], which could cause some issues

I am currently hand quilting a quilt w/a vertical pieced backing and one problem I am having is the middle is thicker than the rest of the quilt because the vertical seam has more layers as the quilt is rolled...figured that out w/the help of this board...so that is something to consider but only if you plan to hand quilt. I am using a floor frame (grace ez 3) I don't think you would have that problem w/a hoop.

It's equally true if you frame quilt. I quilt with a midarm on a frame. I prefer seams to be horizontal. If seams are vertical, they stack up when they are loaded on the frame, leaving areas where you can't get proper tension on the quilt sandwich. Horizontal seams don't affect anything.

Like my own quilt backs, I prefer customers' quilt backs to have 1/2" seams and with the seams pressed open. No 1/4" seams please...too big of a chance it'll pull apart if topper accidentally uses a 'scant' on the 1/4" seam. Pay attention to your stitch length (not too long...not too short) and stitch tension (not too tight...not too loose)!

Here's a back I made and longarm quilted without any problems. The front was a '1600 Quilt' (leftovers used on the back) - lots of seams - no problems at all with the multiple seams on the front AND back!

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Final thought...ask your longarmer what they can do or what they accept for backing material.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Nancy

I agree with Jeanne. Working with donated fabric, it seems I am always running short so I have to piece the backing. If I have the length, then I just usually insert the extra fabrics I have leftover. Just finishing up the binding on this quilt. Here is a photo of the backing.

I do my own long arming. I piece my backs with a 1/2" seam ironed open. That just seemed the right way to do it for me. I'm glad to see others take the same approach.

I loaded one quilt with the seam vertical and by half way down the quilt, I had a bigger mound in the middle and had to work to keep everything lined up after that. I will no longer load a single seam backing in any other way than horizontal. Sewing over it one time is not a problem, and horizontal causes the quilt to stay loaded with the same tension all the way across the quilt. Now, if the backing has several seams or has quilt blocks in it, then you don't have the same type problems. There's extra seams here and there to keep the back in balance.

I like pieced backings and I also hand quilt. I sew with at least a 1/3" seam, press the seam open and then run a row od stitches down each side of the seam, just as an extra insurance. Have not had any real problems. As I hand quilt, which way the seam goes depends of the look I want.
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Not sure what the problem is . I make all my quilts with two pieced tops sandwiched together and quilt on my longarm . I have never had a problem quilting them.