Tips for keeping a pieced backing straight?
 

I'm planning a pieced backing for a queen sized quilt. I've only used flat sheets before (no piecing needed) and I'm wondering if there are any tips to keep the pieced back straight-ish? I plan to glue baste. Thanks.

Have you tried the pool noodle method of rolling up each layer of the quilt individually before basting? I do this with baby quilts, and it helps keep the backing straight because you can see exactly how it's rolling up on the noodle. Then, as you unroll and glue baste, you can be confident that the backing is pretty much in the correct orientation. If your quilt is larger than the length of one pool noodle, you can join two or three of them end to end with a piece of dowel or PVC pipe from the hardware store. There are a lot of good videos on YouTube about this method.

As long as the pieces are cut straight I wouldn't think there'd be much of a problem.

I often piece my backs although my quilts are generally smaller than Queen sized. I will use painter's tape to tape my backing down and I line the tape up with the seams and have it extend out so that I can still see it when all of the layers are in place. This lets me align it with either seams or measured distances on my quilt top.

Mark and match all center points on each layer. I use a straight pin at Top, Bottom and Side centers. Line up the center points.

How To here for you. This works for pieced or non pieced layers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnke_KzeTI8

I can only baste on my dining room table, as I am no longer able to do this on the floor. I’ve never tried glue basting, as I’ve been fearful that it would be too stiff for hand quilting. I have tried the method where one tapes skewers to the table, the put the center of the layers together with that. However I’ve found it doesn’t help with making sure they stay lined up properly.

I just used my noodles yesterday to sandwich and spray baste a queen sized quilt. The extra on both ends were merely rolled up at each end--I only have 3 noodles. Worked fine. My tip would be to position the back on the table even with the top edge, and do the same with the main quilt.

I use a wash away marker to draw a center line down the batting, back side of backing, and quilt top. I keep all three lines straight while I baste.

I like that idea! So simple! Minimal equipment, easy to see, easy to wash out. I'm going to use that one, thanks.

You could use the random straight pin through all layers here and there. Similar to lining up 8 layers for stack n whack.