Squaring up 108" backing
#1
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Somewhere in the Heart of grain field
Posts: 1,826
Squaring up 108" backing
So I pressed all the creases out of my fabric (all 4 meters) then thought how in the world am I going to be able to square up this backing it's sooooo wide . So I went online and found this site where she uses her belly bar of her longarm. So off I go to do that...kinda slick really folded my material salvage to salvage....so I played and played until the fold laid straight. Folded again like she said, took it to my cutting table to trim and WHAT to make the ends square I will have to trim off 5"...... is this normal??????Here is the site I went to http://www.kimmyquilt.com/article/Backing/ you have to scroll down to the part where you are squaring up wide backing.
#3
I wouldn't be surprised to find that it's that far off square. Was the fabric ripped or cut from the bolt? Ripping assures that the edges are square with the grain. You might be able to straighten it some by having someone help you pull on opposite corners.
#7
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: kansas
Posts: 6,407
5" is probably not that unusual for 106" wide back. I like Kim Bruner's methods of squaring up the wideback on your LA belly bar, makes all that fabric manageable. If someone can help you pull it a bit into square (like I learned in 7th grade home ec) you might it it closer. I always ask for the wideback to be torn because its always off square. Hancocks always does it anyway, Joanne's doesn't unless I ask and even then you sometimes have to explain that one fold is cut and then carefully torn instead of just a yank.
#8
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Utah
Posts: 2,093
Yes, that 108" wide backing is usually off grain. If you can get someone to help you, you can pull the opposite corners and stretch it to make it more square. At work, we've been tearing it instead of cutting it because it isn't always folded smoothly. But even with tearing, the center can bulge.
#10
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Carroll, Iowa
Posts: 3,484
I can understand how difficult it is to square up backings. I have a large cutting table 4' x 8' but I think I'm going to try this technique the next time as it would surely be easier for me. Thanks for the site on this tip.
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