mamagrande

I just finished a quilt with a pieced backing. The center of the backing was a large piece and 2 different strips were attached to each side. The backing was not squared, so the customer said that I should just do the best I could. When I rolled the backing on the belly pole it veered to the right and since I float the top as much as I wanted to keep it centered it would not yield. So when I finished the backing was a little angled and the attached strips were very angled.

My question?? how do you center pieced backings when they are pieced vertically? Should I have refused to quilt it if it was not squared? Maybe I should have pinned it horizontally?

Peckish

Probably your last sentence is what I would have done - pinned it horizontally. Here's why it's better than vertically:

petthefabric

the first thing I would have done is square up the backing. Then remeasure to be sure it's going to be big enough. Second, I wouldn't float the top. Then I'd baste it every 6-8 inches. Finally I'd charge for the extra time to do all this.

Next time, I might offer to help her quilt on my machine. Then she could learn the hard way why it's important to be accurate.

Or just refuse it, with instructions on how to fix it and then bring it back.

quiltingshorttimer

I've gotten a couple of those. I almost always load so the seams are horizontal to avoid that weird "ridge" and puckers. But definitely let the customer know that there may be problems with puckers, keeping those seams straight etc and explain what is needed to make this work well. My "rule" is that if it's the first time I just work with them and get it to work without an extra charge. If I've had that conversation with them before, and there are still problems, then I charge for the extra work. that usually either sends them to another quilter (unless they've encountered this before and run out of quilters!) or they don't make the same mistakes a 3rd time.


I had a customer that piece a back with large chunks (I think regular blocks work ok usually)of both 42" wide fabric and pieces of wideback she'd cut and stuck together. Problem was that she had grain of fabric going all different directions. I simple could not avoid puckers as it was stretching in about 5 different directions as I worked. I offered to take off the backing and re-do with wideback and only charge for the wideback, but she was good with it.

dunster

Having a squared back is really important, yet I seldom hear anyone mentioning it when giving directions on what to provide for the longarmer. I've done quilts with a lot of seams in the back, and if possible I place them horizontally. I usually float my tops, but I just did two quilts for friends and found that their tops were not square. (One had particularly wavy borders.) I couldn't float those tops because I needed more control over the shape of the finished quilt.

cathyvv

Refuse to quilt it if the back is not squared. You could have wound up with a situation where part of the top was not backed because the back was not squared.

meanmom

When I piece my backs I always make sure it doesn't have to be centered. My longarmer suggested this. I almost always piece my backs. It uses up a lot of my stash. I try to make them asymmetrical so even if it is off center and crooked it looks fine.

DDuMouchel

I agree with meanmom. I am not a longarmer but almost always piece my backs. I have one longarm lady who says, every time I bring her a pieced back, "Oh, you should have made two quilts!" I have offered to pay extra but she refuses. I tell her to do the best she can (as far as centering) and she does pretty well! But if I have a design that is asymmetrical it doesn't show as much if she is off a little.

madamekelly

[QUOTE=Peckish;7855652]Probably your last sentence is what I would have done - pinned it horizontally. Here's why it's better than vertically? [\QUOTE]

I just noticed that the backing on your machine is pieced with the selvedges still on. To me, I would not take the time to quilt something with that seam. It is just about guaranteed to shrink weirdly the first time it was washed, and guess who would get the blame? Just my thoughts...

Peckish

You are absolutely right!