QuiltnNan

To get the url for a specific post, click on the post # in the top right of it [#92 for your post]. This changes the url to that specific post... so just copy and paste as usual.

costumegirl

Thanks so much for the info QuiltnNan!! Your the best!

Here is the link to my post to go with my above comment
Barbara Brackman's "Stars in Her Crown"

Iceblossom

When I use stripes in a quilt back I prefer to have them going down the length of the quilt. I am pretty fussy about joining the fabric together precisely and with a wide stripe I will definitely fussy cut. I have other quilts where I have fussy cut and carefully seamed the back so the large print would not be affected. Keep in mind that we don't want a seam going down the middle of a quilt if we can help it. Having said that, here's a back I've made in the past year. It's a poly blend fabric with a border print and stripes...

Picture 2 is my "Seahawk Pink" top. I thought I could randomize the squiggly stripe by twisting and turning the pieces but I couldn't, so I made sure to keep the sneaky stripe going one way in the large squares and the other way in the small squares.

Picture 3 is another border print, this time I did the borders on the outer edges, unfortunately the picture doesn't show the top repeat well. That requires a lot more measuring and fussing and planning than the down the middle version.

QuiltnNan

thanks, glad I could help

joe'smom

Those are beautiful quilt backs, Iceblossom. Thanks for posting the photos!

janjanq

Iceblossom, your remark "Keep in mind that we don't want a seam going down the middle of a quilt if we can help it"....I've heard that before but never heard the reason why not. Can you or anyone else explain that to me?

Iceblossom

It's the stress placed on folding that is the issue. Creases the fabrics, moves the batting. Typically what you want to do if you have to seam two lengths of fabric is you first cut them into two equal pieces. Then you cut one in half the long way and seam it with two seams. So you have 1/4 - 1/2 - 1/4.

You don't have to be far off from center, couple of inches is all you need. Happens for mine with the border print I'll pretty much be dead on. But it's a use quilt and not really a treasure and the print made me happy when I found it. Back in the early 80s I had a number of dresses made of the same sort of material with the border print along a full shirt waist dress, typically it would have the print on half the top too but not always. You can see the huge selvedge still attached, I'll be trimming it down but I used the registration marks in the selvedge to keep the design consistent in addition to pinning every two inches or so.

In the second border print top, the one with the daisies, the seam is a couple inches off of center but within the same "scatter" of the daisies.

Ideally I like the extra wide fabrics but I've been quilting a long time and they weren't always readily available, plus I'm cheap! Most of my backs are large wild prints I get at thrift stores, happens I like large wild prints so that's good. Also marked-down fabric on sale. I've used sheets but they can be heavier than I want, so I've been seaming backs for a long time. Typically they hold up just fine.

Keep in mind that rules are meant to be broken and quilting can be sort of a thrifty hobby, or at least we can make due with what we have when that is all we have. In this case for this quilt I will use the center seam and the less-than-ideal cotton poly blend because it still makes me smile

costumegirl

Iceblossom - Good job getting things all lined up for your backings - It makes the backs so much more interesting! The floral one looks like it may have required a lot of adjusting - very pretty!
I also like how you alternated the direction of your squiggly stripe for your Seahawk Pink top - I think it adds more interest and movement to the design

Iceblossom

Thanks Costumegirl had a talk with the hubby with that top, he tries to be supportive but we both have to laugh about my level of quilt OCD sometimes. I was trying to explain about how there is a stripe in there and why I did what I did. He was having a hard time understanding what I was getting at and then I showed him on how "see how this block has three strips down the middle but this one has them down the sides".

He still looked at me blankly and said "oh, so it's one of those things is it?".

He's a good man, my husband. I'm sure I've been giving him the same look lately as he has been telling me the changes in league bowling over the last 20 years (when he last played) and how the oil on the boards and the types of balls have changed. I try to be a good wife, I think he does better than me in trying.

costumegirl

Iceblossom - LOL - definitely been there!! When DH's eyes glaze over and he just keeps nodding yes as I'm telling him about my sewing ideas that I know I've lost him - just like what happens to me when he starts explaining football plays to me during a game