Quilt Backing Question
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 77
Quilt Backing Question
Hi. I am making a memory quilt and have finished the top with various sized blocks in the block pattern. My question is: Can I make the quilt backing the same size as the front if I am going to hand quilt? I want the back to be identical with the front in the various size blocks. With machine fmq I've done, I've always had the backing at least 4" bigger than the top. I just can't remember what I've done on quilts I've quilted by hand. I'm thinking the 'shrinkage' wouldn't be as it is when machine quilting. I plan on doing a diagonal cross stitch quilting. Thank you!
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: northern minnesota
Posts: 2,350
ummm, if you are very careful, you could but would need to baste everything carefully I would think to maintain it straight and square. To be honest, I would not attempt it but I don't have much patience.
#4
I always leave at least 2” all around when hand quilting. If you chose to “envelope” the quilt you wouldn’t need the extra fabric, but I imagine it would be next to impossible to get the squares to line up, front to back.
#5
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: The Deep South near Cajun Country, USA
Posts: 5,385
Probably the only way you could truly get the blocks to match up would be to do a quilt as you go with each block as a separate entity, then sew them all together. I tried hand quilting one time. 3 weeks later I was still trying to get a 24x36 section done. It proved to me that I had to find another way. You've got some good advice here. Good luck, whichever way you choose to do it.
#7
I am not a hand quilter, but one thing comes to mind--even if you manage to get every block aligned the way you want, doing a crosshatch will mean crossing spots where there are seams on both sides plus batting. Would that not be very thick to hand quilt through?
#8
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Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ballwin, MO
Posts: 4,211
I would definitely not want to do without some extra fabric on the back, even when hand quilting..
#10
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC
Posts: 8,095
I don't hand quilt, so here's an uneducated opinion. Make the back blocks as you want them. Then sew 2 or 3 inch strips on the perimeter of the backing. Then baste the backing, batting and the top together as desired, and hand quilt. ;I think you'll be doing a lot of checking the alignment, though.
Have fun!
Have fun!