Reversible Quilting
11-30-2020, 01:27 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 3
Reversible Quilting
Hi everyone,
I'm fairly new to quilting and am about to make my first attempt at a reversible quilt. I made one side using the tailfeathers pattern and the other is paper piecing using a set of these LoRaeMe patterns.
At the moment the tailfeathers pattern is about 2.5 inches bigger than the combined pieced patterns - and I'm looking for advice on which side I should quilt as the top. I'm worried that the paper pieced side may be distorted if I put it as the underside in the machine (using a Janome M7 - which I just got and haven't yet quilted on this machine).
The other reason I'd like to make the paper pieced side the top is that there are lots of fabric join lines (I tried to use scraps) that I want to try to integrate into the quilting pattern - which I won't be able to do if I can't see that side as I quilt.
The flip side to that is that the tailfeathers pattern is based on aligned shapes. I'm not sure how much that design will be distorted if it becomes the bottom.
Is there any advice?
Thank you
Mel
I'm fairly new to quilting and am about to make my first attempt at a reversible quilt. I made one side using the tailfeathers pattern and the other is paper piecing using a set of these LoRaeMe patterns.
At the moment the tailfeathers pattern is about 2.5 inches bigger than the combined pieced patterns - and I'm looking for advice on which side I should quilt as the top. I'm worried that the paper pieced side may be distorted if I put it as the underside in the machine (using a Janome M7 - which I just got and haven't yet quilted on this machine).
The other reason I'd like to make the paper pieced side the top is that there are lots of fabric join lines (I tried to use scraps) that I want to try to integrate into the quilting pattern - which I won't be able to do if I can't see that side as I quilt.
The flip side to that is that the tailfeathers pattern is based on aligned shapes. I'm not sure how much that design will be distorted if it becomes the bottom.
Is there any advice?
Thank you
Mel
11-30-2020, 02:26 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 943
I would say that's extremely ambitious (trying to make a reversible quilt). Trying to keep everything aligned is going to take meticulous attention to detail when basting - constant checking front and back as you baste. I would suggest you do a web search to see if you can find any video tips on how to align and maintain alignment.
Also realize normally you want the backing 4 inches bigger on all sides than the quilt top, to allow for distortion that results from quilting. You would probably want to add sacrificial borders to the one you're using as the back, so you can trim it away after quilting.
Also realize normally you want the backing 4 inches bigger on all sides than the quilt top, to allow for distortion that results from quilting. You would probably want to add sacrificial borders to the one you're using as the back, so you can trim it away after quilting.
11-30-2020, 02:50 PM
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,660
I agree this sounds very ambitious.
I did a much simpler reversible quilt. I had 5. 12 “ squares down the middle of the back and matched them up with the squares on the front. The rest of the back was just two pieces of fabric. I use Superior mono poly invisible thread in the bobbin. I chose the quilting Design based on the top of the quilt and used thread to match the top. Unfortunately You can’t use the invisible thread in both the bottom and top. Or at least I can’t.
good luck.
I did a much simpler reversible quilt. I had 5. 12 “ squares down the middle of the back and matched them up with the squares on the front. The rest of the back was just two pieces of fabric. I use Superior mono poly invisible thread in the bobbin. I chose the quilting Design based on the top of the quilt and used thread to match the top. Unfortunately You can’t use the invisible thread in both the bottom and top. Or at least I can’t.
good luck.
11-30-2020, 08:48 PM
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: kansas
Posts: 6,407
as a long arm quilter I basically will not do a reversible quilt--not just talking pieced background here--because of the seams and hitting a bulky area where the needle would jump (or worse, break). You say you are going to be quilting on a new machine for the first time--I would highly recommend that you do some practicing as all machines are a bit different, even if you have quilting experience.
Your concern about the design---when you are doing a reversible and they are very different piecing patterns, you design, if not just a simple all-over--will definitely fit one side much better, no real way around that.
I would probably quilt with the paper pieced side up just because there are likely more seams that you need to be aware of.
Your concern about the design---when you are doing a reversible and they are very different piecing patterns, you design, if not just a simple all-over--will definitely fit one side much better, no real way around that.
I would probably quilt with the paper pieced side up just because there are likely more seams that you need to be aware of.
