margecam52

I do longarm quilting...and I accept sheets for backing...here is what I tell customers:
Don't buy the best/highest thread count, buy the medium range cotton or cotton/poly blends (like you bought). The higher the thread count, the more broken threads you will get. If it's a dark color, they will look lighter than the original color.

Take out all stitching/hems on the sheet & wash it at least twice, prefer three times, no fabric softner. I tell them not to worry about ironing it..fold out of the dryer and send with the quilt (which I do have them press the seems on).

I check the backing for square...I fold the backing into quarters (fold in half, matching corners...making sure the fold is smooth, then fold in half again). The important thing is to make sure the folds are even and smooth. The corners/ends may not match...that's the amount out of square the backing is. I lay the folded sheet/backing onto my cutting table and using a square ruler, I check the folded edges (where there is no cut edge) for square...I then use a yardstick to mark the cut edges to make them square and cut with scissors or rotary cutter.

When I roll a backing onto the takeup bar of the frame, I spritz with plain water and roll, smoothing the fabric as I roll. Yes, I said roll onto the takeup bar first. If the backing is still not perfectly square, I spritz, roll onto the belly bar a little..push on the tight area, spritz and roll back. Once rolled onto the takeup, I roll onto the belly bar, repeating the pushing, spritzing and rolling until it's all onto the belly bar. By then the backing should be even on the frame (no sags)...you will not believe how "ironed" the backing looks!

I don't over tighten the quilt sandwich on the frame and I have not had any problems using sheeting as the back of the quilt.