More people than ever are learning how to make their very own quilts at home. Making your quilt sandwich is arguably the single most important step for success when backing a quilt with minky fabric. It's easy to make quilt backing, and the backing layer can be created from either regular quilting cotton or wide panels of fabric made especially for the task. When loaded properly there should be 4" of batting extending on either side of the quilt top. So I had to bring out my little home sewing machine, place it on my Dad's old rolling typewriter stand ( squeaky wheels and chipped ivory paint ) and sew on the additional backing fabric. Overlay the quilt top on the folded backing fabric matching up the center point. They can be made from large cuts of coordinating fabric (such as 44″-wide quilting cotton ) that are stitched together to fit your quilt, or they can be cut down from 90″ or 108″ cuts of quilting cotton that are specially designed for backing large projects. These fabrics are usually 108" wide and are often much simpler in design than the fabrics for the front of the quilt. To make the 44″ up wide fabric up to the standard size of a queen quilt width (about 54-60″) then you’ll need to add 10-16″ to … Cut the selvages off if you have left them on. As long as your quilt is 100″ in length, using a 108″ piece for backing should work for you! There should be 1" of batting extending beyond the top of the quilt top and 7" extending at the bottom as the quilt is loaded on the machine quilting frame for longarm machine quilting. Click any of the images or links below for more info ... Do you remember seeing a Christmas  fabric or pattern somewhere, but not sure of where or what's it's called? (Of course, when in doubt, talk to your longarm quilter!) When ordering on our website we sell fabric by the YARD or HALF YARD. That means add 8" to the width and 8" to the length and cut your backing and batting fabric to those dimensions. Help! When the backing fabric is washed and dried then the piece(s) you are adding should be washed and dried also so they shrink the same when washed and dried. Terry Twist is a Registered Trademark of Sally Terry Brand Products. l Piecing it together often takes up a lot of time and effort. Otherwise it's just a quilt top. Quilt Backing Fabric. If you are short on fabric and need to piece it together to make it big enough Measure the short side of your quilt to determine how much … BE SURE TO USE A THREAD COLOR MATCHING THE BATTING COLOR. Not enough backing fabric! Often, 44” wide quilting cotton fabrics are stitched together to fit the quilt top. Using Extra Wide Fabric. I recommend if you have zippers, unzip the quilt and sew the pinned backing pieces together. Seam allowances are 1/2" instead of 1/4". That means if your quilt top is 60" x 70" then the backing is 68" x 78". That means add 8" to the width and 8" to the length and cut your backing and batting fabric to those dimensions. I press them open and use a shorter—1.5mm—stitch length to piece them. Shop Quilt Backing and Extra Wide fabric at Fabric.com! You all know the rule. Quilters use extra wide fabrics for beautiful, seamless quilt backing. The backing and batting is simply too short. Lengthwise might be okay since if you have 2.5 yards of fabric, then you’ll have about 90″. Home / Quilt Backing Fabric. 01 of 05. Now you have plenty of room at the top, bottom and sides for machine quilting without the worry of the backing being too short and hitting the pins that are connecting your backing fabric to the roller. Personally, I add even more—usually about 6" to each side. I have always favored overlapping about 4 to 5 inches of the new batting you are adding on top of the bottom 5 inches of old batting. This post contains affiliate links for which I receive compensation. 43 cms + 43 cms = 86 cms + 115 cms = 201 cms. We sell only the best brands including Timeless Treasures Fabrics, Robert Kaufman Fabrics, & Wilmington Prints. You can simply shop around for quilt backs. Fold both the quilt top and quilt back in quarters. In this method, coordinating fabric is purchased in a sufficient amount to create a quilt backing large enough to fit the bed size. I admit it. Quilt Backing Fabrics. Quilting has always been a prevalent pastime, but as of late, its popularity has soared. For quilts that hang the lengthwise grain running from top to bottom stabilizes the quilt so it doesn't stretch overtime. Or I have even rolled everything back put right sides together with pins, put on my channel locks and used my longarm to stitch. Measure the width of the backing fabric that is too short. Because there is not enough yardage to cut three lengths, I won't take the time to subtract the seam allowances for this example. While it seems to be obvious to purchase enough fabric to begin with, it is not always easy to decide how much you need. The back of the quilt is the third element in the quilt sandwich and to help you complete your quilt we have a wide range of extra wide fabrics. Easy to follow instructions for piecing together fabric to be used on the back of a quilt. Especially when the quilt is meant to hang on a wall, it's a good thing to have the stronger, lengthwise grain run from top to bottom to reduce stretching or sagging over time. Ask your local quilt shop to stock wide back fabrics or shop online. That’s probably large enough for the longest side of your quilt. If you ever have to do this be sure to mark the right and left sides of the backing where it is located on the leader. For every seam subtract 1". Selection is limited. The backing should be 8" larger in each direction for longarm machine quilting. If you pin to your leaders and do not want to unpin them from the leaders then take itty-bitty stitches by hand from one end to the other. - but I knew enough to make relatively informed decisions about which Quilting Board Quilting Tools Quilting Tutorials Machine Quilting Quilting Projects Quilting Designs Quilting Ideas Crazy Quilting Longarm Quilting. How long is the quilt because each wrap creates more thickness as it rolls the backing to the outside. How much piecing is in the body of the quilt which adds additional thickness from the seam margins. I didn't know everything - not even close! If the quilt is wider than the normal 45” fabric (it is also a good idea to measure the exact width of the fabric you are purchasing as widths vary from 40-45”), then you will need two lengths, i.e if your quilt top is 70x85, add 8” each way making it 78x93, then you will need 93” times two, or 186”. The back of my “Bedouin Desert Blanket” quilt. What you’d do, is have the 115 cm piece of fabric in the centre, then you’d cut 2 strips of fabric 43 cms wide and join onto each side of the centre 115cm piece. Fingers crossed, deep breath...it worked. Next cut both layers at the same time in a shallow serpentine wave, discarding the outer edges. As the quilt is rolled around the take up roller during the machine quilting process, it rolls the backing to the outside making is a larger dimension that the inside dimension of the top fabric. Here is the thing that happens to batting when you load it. First seam is overlapped toghter and zigzagged, second is larger zigzag with edges butted together, third is tailor tacking by hand with pulled schredded edges to reduce bulk. That way you are guaranteed to have enough backing and batting for your machine quilting project. Shop flannel, quilting cotton, and batik quilt backing. It comes in widths from 108″ to 120″, and that means you don’t usually need to seam it. This backing is 108" wide; 100% cotton quilting fabric; Perfect for one piece quilt backs; Sort By Newest Items. Quilting Fabric; Extra Wide Backing Fabric; Extra Wide Backing Fabric. Plus there was very little fabric to hold on to since I was nearly at the bottom. In most cases, you should assume that the fabric requirements on the back of a quilt pattern will not be enough to pattern match your backing. Remember the 8" of width would be centered with 4" showing on each side. Thanks. Notice how the serpentine seams would be less noticeable under a the quilt top fabric. I've put ALL of the ones shared on this website on a single page to help you save some time. Brand New Extra Wide Prints (16) Extra Wide Prints (83) Extra Wide Batiks (14) Queen Size Quilt Backings (43) Extra Wide Remnants (3) Kaffe Fassett/ Tula Pink Backing Fabrics (18) Calico & Sheeting, Extra Wide (21) Fleece 60" (150cm) Wide (35) You may have enough fabric to use several pieces for the additional backing piece, be sure to square it up as your are piecing everything together. To determine the minimum size needed, add 4" to each side of your quilt top measurements. They are an integral, necessary element to our quilts. We start off this video with examples of good and bad backing choices.Go to your fabric stash and make a selection. If you feel you cannot cut the fabric you are adding straight, rip it WOF (Width Of Fabric). 3 Things will effect how much batting and backing is taken up as it rolls around the take-up roller. Here is the link to our video, be sure to share :), We are participants in Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to, (C)1999-2020  All Text and Sally Terry(R)  LLC Brand Products and Images (we've been in business 21 years). To illustrate how the backing and batting fabric need to be longer than the quilt top by about 7 inches is shown here as I rolled a magazine up and you can clearly see that the back cover page is much shorter than the front cover page. Now it is time to sew the two pieces together. Wide back fabrics are usually 108” wide. It can also be way more cost effective than piecing backings when your quilt is large enough. When was the last time you showed a friend how great your quilt back looked? As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Use the same measurements for your batting. I did this by stitching as I rolled the cart about 6 inches at a time down the length of the rollers...LOL . This is way easier than trying to trim to the same length later. Find Quilt Backing and Extra Wide fabric at Fabric.com! And if you want to hide the knots on the back, use backing fabric that blends with the bobbin thread. I enjoyed writing this article. Joann Fabric and Crafts is a popular brick and mortar store, but if you don’t live near one or yours doesn’t carry what you need, the online store has no shortage of great extra wide fabric options. So let's talk about backings, 108" wide backings in particular. If you have little to no spare time on your hands or if you want to get the quilt done as soon as possible, then you won’t have to create one yourself. Or a backside. That gives you plenty of area at the bottom for the backing fabric to roll around the take-up roller. You can piece it for many reasons and here are just a few: If you don’t wish to purchase wide backing fabric. Fat Quarter Shop has one of the largest selections I’ve seen. 108 inch Quilt Backing Advantages. If you are using wide quilt backing then purchase enough so that you can orient the backing correctly for this scenario. Please leave your suggestions in the comments You can also share this article with a quilty friend :), Here is the link to our video, be sure to share :) https://youtu.be/2kofpUl91h0. Shop our selection of extra wide fabric for quilt backings, bedding, draperies and more. If your backing is too short, your batting may be too short as well if cut the same size. Check out our backing tips for design ideas, longarm tutorials, and more! Pin the two outside corners and then pin the centers together and pin in between as needed. The quilt backs are then pieced as follows: BASIC PIECING USING 45 INCH WIDE FABRIC. They are often not quite the right size, making the task something of a hassle as you join and stitch fabrics together in order to complete the final stage of your quilting project. The only downside? Pinterest. I thought I could machine quilt to the bottom of the quilt backing even though it was only a few inches larger than the top...OR I may have loaded the backing the wrong direction. How To Hide Knots On The Backing Fabric... There are also special wide backing fabrics that most quilt shops carry. That way you are guaranteed to have enough backing and batting for your machine quilting project. Cut the folded end off and you’re done! What other topics would you be interested in? The one thing you can do, to make sure the backing fabric is not too short, is measure the quilt top and add 8" to each dimension. Use our quilt backing fabric calculator to determine the perfect amount of fabric for backing your quilt. Stay Safe ~Sally, Quilt Backing Fabric Is Too Short and How I Fixed It. Quilt backing is the bottom layer of the quilt sandwich, a three-layer packet made up of the quilt top, batting, and backing.The backing is the layer we see when we flip a quilt over to take a peek at its reverse side. Please note, we will cut the fabric as ONE continuous piece unless otherwise specified in the comments at checkout.) Many also carry home decorating fabric for curtains, drapes, and bedding, as well as extra-wide backing fabric used for making quilts. Saved by Jeanne Sharretts. Quilts are only considered a quilt if it has three layers, the bottom layer being the back. Not enough backing fabric! Then there is the matter of how to piece batting together when it is cut too short? The fabrics are cut into wide, lengthwise grain strips. That is for both fabrics, the original backing and the fabric you are adding. Click here if you want to compare backing pricing and sizes on Amazon. However, if you must piece 44-inch wide lengths of fabric together to make your backing large enough, use the hints below to reduce stress on the quilt (and if you’re using a longarm machine for the project, to reduce stress on the quilter!) Joann Fabric and Crafts . Thank you so very very much for taking the time to learn about batting and backing dimensions so this does not happen to you. What do you do when the quilt backing is cut too short? Free Shipping on domestic orders $49+ and free returns. Create Something to Last Forever: How to Select Timeless Quilting Fabric. . Since you will be purchasing many different fabrics for your quilt, you can easily get confused and mix up which fabric you intended for which location. When I baste the quilt, I am careful to gently stretch the minky just a tiny bit and tape it in place on my floor (or you can use tables for easier accessibility if you have one large enough). More information... People also love these ideas. If it uses up extra fabric and/or blocks left over from the front of quilt. I try to find backing fabric that is in the same color family and style of the quilt top. You'll quilt this on your own home sewing machine. If you have 4" of backing fabric extending beyond the side and bottom of the quilt top then you have a total of 8" additional fabric for the length and the width of the backing fabric. ...and here for Christmas quilt patterns. Lovely and charming quilt backs can make a difference in your quilt sandwich. Sally Terry Designs began in 1999, instructing machine quilting, quilting for others, authoring books, and helping all piecers and quilters with creative patterns, techniques and classes they love. My hand filling in space on the back of a quilt with minky fabric Registered of. This method, coordinating fabric is not okay as the right side of your intended quilt and indicate where would! 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