Iceblossom

Ok, so several options -- we can do this.

First off tolerances would be tight and it would be a lump along the edge but you have enough left on the one side to cut into a strip for the other side. I'd consider cutting the remaining strip into a long skinny triangle and off set it a bit to get the other length instead of cutting two super skinny strips.

Likewise, I don't think you have quite enough but you just might be able to cut your existing piece into triangles and slide them down just enough. That would leave a large undesirable seam in a large scale fabric so not your best choice maybe, but a possibility.
http://blog.ilovefabric.com/2009/03/...-flynn-method/

Next option -- any white flannel in the stash? Or a color that otherwise goes with either the top or the back? When adding fabric in cases like this, I like to make sure stuff fits easily, so I'd actually trim off a bit from the width and put two edges on, about 8" each, so there would still be a couple inches to quilt with. Normally on back seams you do cut at 1/2" and press open. In this case, I'd still have a 1/2" seam but I'd fold the flannel over so the fleece lies flat -- if that makes sense.

Here's a "more fabric" option. Add a border around your top and make it bigger! Then frame the fleece with same fabric, and bind with the same. If you aren't using batting, consider a layer of flannel or very thin batting in the cotton to cotton sections.

My first attempt at using fleece had a piece that turned out just a smidge too small, and I pieced in a bit of the coordinating binding fabric. Not ideal but you can see a triangle about 1/2" wide x 3 inches long and it made it possible to finish. Once done you really have to look for it. You can see the back side of the cotton pieced in fabric in the photo.

Edit: The final choice is to simply design and make a new top for the hedgehog fabric and use the existing top on a different back. I'm really rather notorious for changing my mind and making a different back for a project which then means I have to find a project for the rejected back. With some of my fabrics that can be more easily said than done!

joe'smom

Conchalea, I hadn't thought of using ribbon! What width of ribbon are you using? My son gave me permission to cut down some of his old T-shirts that he left here, so I am going to try making the 'T-shirt yarn' for ties. I haven't decided how I will try attaching them.

Iceblossom

Joe'smom, I had a couple of rolls of ribbons and trims that I got for when I finally make my kuspuks.
https://www.lapassionvoutee.com/what-is-a-kuspuk/

I'm concerned that silky ribbons won't hold a knot well, but one of the ones I had was a good color of red with like a hibiscus textured embossed design that provided some grip. I had already done a wash test with it, sewing both sides on to a white piece of fabric and watching for how well it held up, did it bleed, and did it shrink and it passed all tests. I have a limited amount of the textured grosgrain type ribbon, that works well for the knots. The thicker more embroidered trims are just too heavy to fold over, but if you had a spool of 1/4" woven that would be fine.

I'm making "walking around masks" despite Florida beaches being open, our parks in the Seattle/Washington area are still closed and we aren't supposed to be going to them. When we do go out just in our own neighborhood, "they" want us to wear masks. These are not meant for people with compromised systems, or for first line workers but for the rest of us. They are washable, just remember that "pleats go down" which makes sense, you want stuff to fall off you and not be stuck around your face.

Anyway, my masks are very simple and since Seattle is out of elastic and since I have yards and yards of strange fabrics that I've used for quilt bindings, I'm encasing the raw edges of the mask in double-fold bias binding. The ribbon I had was 7/8" and folded into a tie that worked nicely. I just zigzag up binding.

Somewhere between 1.5-2" is a good width for the raw fabric for the binding. In the picture below (which is my mask!) the yellow strings were 1.5" cut, folded in half, then the raw edges folded in again. Two bindings are cut at 36", centered on mask raw edges. It is much easier to work with yard long pieces than long lengths, and that way you know ahead of time if you have enough and not cut one exactly and have the next 4" short...

A good size for large adults, I start with a rectangle, 8.5x16". This has no pocket, so just sew the seam with right sides together, since no pocket I just use 1/4" seam. I press open, turn right side out, and slightly offset the seam, make my pleats, stay stitch. Then after I have some, I pin on the bindings and set to zig zag.

Conchalea

Joe'smom, I'm using ribbon from my stash & my daughter's. I think it's 3/8-1/2 inch strips. My first ones I cut too short, so I'm now using pretty long pieces. Both of my daughters said the ribbon feels better than elastic. I made the strips long enough to tie them, not to just go around the ears. I thought tiring would be more comfortable for long times of wearing the mask.

joe'smom

Thanks for that info, Conchalea and Iceblossom! I'll try starting with 1.5" strips for the sewn ties.

petthefabric

Rff 1010
Another idea, make the top smaller to match the back.

ckcowl

I used another 9 3/4 yards of stash fabric making my second showering stars quilt, all scraps except the blue background fabric which was 5 yards. I will use another 3 yards of a wide backing when I get to quilting it.

My oldest son (41 yrs) lives in Kentucky, last year in November I sent him a new sewing machine and some supplies for his birthday. Life was busy and although he was excited to receive it he hadn’t taken any time to use it- although he read the manual a few times. When he lost his job a month ago due to our pandemic he decided he had time to try it out. He started just trying out every stitch, playing around- then he started making face masks, trying to find the one that fit best- then he expressed a desire to maybe make a quilt. He was sending me texts and pictures. Knowing he and his wife have had a rough stressful winter and have been struggling due to large, unexpected financial hits I asked him what supplies he had. I packed up a box with a cutting mat, rotary cutter, couple rulers, pins and clover clips and some fabric, then I parked a second box with about 20 yards of fabric ranging from 1/2 yard to 2 yard pieces . So, that’s about 23 more yards out of my stash. Between the 2 boxes. He was so excited when he received that big box. Today he was sending me pictures of star blocks he’s making- they are so good!
inhad sent him a note with the box saying to visit ( quilters cache) for block patterns.

there is actually some room on my shelves! Pretty soon I will spend a day organizing, straightening up the shelves- seems like I’ve been just cramming for so long. I am working on another scrap quilt too. I’ve been able to stay motivated and productive through this isolation so far.

retiredteacher09

Way to go, ckcowl! I'm happy your son is enjoying learning to sew and create.

joe'smom: I made tshirt ties and was planning on wrapping the bottom around my neck and then tying the loose ends behind my head. Then my son said something about cutting elastic and tying it behind the ears so I tried that with the tshirt ties and it works. I'm going to untie the knots, however, and overlap the ends and try to run a few stitches back and forth over the knit so it won't be so bulky behind/under my ears. I used the same method for making a place for the elastic to go through for my tshirt ties. I added a 2" binding type of edge for them.

Cattitude

Teen....the BOM you posted on another thread is wonderful. Makes me smile and think that spring may finally arrive in my corner of the world. I guess it’s good keeping people indoors but enough already....I need some sunshine!

Ice blossom, you are a treat! The boats are adorable.

For the last couple of years there hasn’t been too many clearance FQ bundles I haven’t jumped for and I finally dove into the pile a couple of weeks ago.

I separated into three groups. Bright ‘solids’ for a jewel box, greens, aquas and muted blues for a SAS and what was left over for a 60o triangle strip.

The SAS has a long way to go.....need over 300 more blocks. My goal is to do 10-20 blocks per week whilst working on other projects. This is the one I have wanted to do for a very long time.

I love how the strip turned out, I only wish I had been able to make it bed size.

The jewel box is OK...I had higher hopes for it and think I will add a small black border once I am able to get more of the solid black batik.

Iceblossom

Lovely projects all, Cattitude!

I've really gotten distracted by making bias bindings. I've used up my leftover bias bindings by this point and am now taking yardage and turning it into bias the standard way (take a square, cut along diagonal, make "fangs", draw lines, stitch). And now I'm turning it into double fold. Already mentioned here I think that 2.5" jelly roll strips are too wide and you want to be 1.5-2" wide. I'm using 1 yard (each side) for my masks, think it would be fine to be full width of fabric if you are going straight grain.

Don't know how many of you know this method of using paper.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR7sWFwo48g

I'm using something similar to help me with ironing my binding since I want to to have it all raw ends encased. Helps my eyesight issues and from getting my fingers burned! I've tried various combinations of things, there is a lot to be said for that smaller 3-4" width, mine is longer but I do press down the end part when I'm pulling the next segment through, and the end is more of a funnel prompting the fabric into the right turns.

Don't know if any of these show it, but in case you wonder why I wear my wedding ring on my left index finger -- it's because that's where it fits now as opposed to where it fit 100 pounds ago