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Help! I screwed up again with backing!!!

I always make a mistake when I measure, cut and piece my backing fabric, and end up having to tack on pieces often both for width and length. How do you figure the best way to lay the fabric out (lengthwise or widthwise) and then how to cut? There must be a better way!
Thanks!

I lay mine out on 3 banquet tables, sort of tape it down and measure carefully before cutting

Here are some graphics of ways I extend the width/length of 45" wide fabric when i'm doing backings.
I always allow enough fabric to match the top, then add at least 4-8" more (depends on how big it will finish) to that size to allow for "take up" during the quilting.

The inner gray lines represent the pieced top the pieced top. The outer lines are the edges of the pieced backing.

Jan in VA

I usually lay my finished quilt top on top of my backing fabric to measure the length. I put a pin in where my quilt top ends and bring it to my cutting table. I re- fold the backing fabric and I measure 6 inches past my pin and cut across the fabric. If I need it wider than 1 length of the fabric, I use the already cut piece of backing to cut more backing. The extra 6 inches gives me approx. 3 extra inches fudge room on both ends of the top in case it stretches or the quilting takes up more fabric. When my quilt is quilted, I square up my edges and the extra fudge fabric goes in my scrap bin.

Jan, I always really appreciate the graphics you include!!! Thanks.

Dina

Quote:

Originally Posted by Puttergeo (Post 6112705)

I don't take an actual measurement. I lay the top out on the floor. I lay the backing fabric on top and if I'm going lengthwise I give it a good four inches on one end and another four inches on the other end. Then snip and rip. Then I can fold the rest of my backing fabric to get however many lengths I need. Here lately I've been putting the seams side to side since that's the way most longarm quilters prefer the seams. I do the same thing basically though, lay out the top, lay the backing over the top giving it a good four inches above the top of the quilt, snip, rip and then measure off the rest of the pieces that I need making sure the total length is a good 8 inches longer than the top.

I make diagrams and figure mathematically whether lengthwise or crosswise will work best.

or another solution is purchase wide backing- there are a number of sites that sell backing fabrics in 90", 108" and 110-120" wide- it is cost effective- you only need 3 yards (108") for a queen sized quilt- often winds up being much less expensive and much easier- no piecing! fabric.com has a really large selection; backside quilting; many shops= just do a search...my local shop carries about a dozen, and joannes carries a number also. I order many of mine from fabric.com since they have free shipping at the $35 mark. instead of 9 yards of fabric @ $9 a yard,($81) you can buy 3 yards of backing fabric for $12-$14 a yard ($36-$42) and back a big quilt! there are lots of prints and batiks available in wide fabrics.

I have found this site to be a very helpful reference & I also want to thank Jan for her graphics they are always SO helpful. Here's the link http://www.multi-patch.com/html/diag...calculator.php