I would not choose to do it this way again because of the stiffness. Step 4: Lots of Pinning. First, youll cut the backing 4 to 6 longer and wider than the quilt top. By visiting our site, you agree to our privacy policy regarding cookies, tracking statistics, etc. To pin baste the quilt layers: 1. I do my best to enhance your quilt but the real magic begins at home with you the sewer. The sides should be trimmed evenly and square (no jagged edges or sections that are longer than other sections). It should be 6" larger overall  than your quilt top. Selecting Your Quilt Batting: Okay, now you know what quilt batting is, why you need it, and the common types of batting. And lets. ake sure your back fabric is facing out. Ask your quilter -- she might want more. I've had the back fold under and get quilted in with the top, if that makes sense to you. Make sure your backing and batting are larger than your quilt top. I can always trim the batting if it is too large but harder to make it bigger if too small, although I have pieced batting together as needed with satisfactory results it is always best to do that before sending it to the longarm quilter. Example, your quilt top measures 60" x 80" therefore your backing and batting should each measure 66" x 86". One of the big things that people always hear from the longarm quilter – I must have the backing 3 to 4 inches bigger than the quilt top on all 4 sides. As you sew on multiple borders your quilt will need to be remeasured before starting a new set. **We use Warm and Natural Batting. To complete the sandwich, youll quilt 80/20 cotton/poly is lightweight and will allow some shrinkage when washed. I receive a small monetary compensation for any purchases you might make thru links on my site. For this project you will need 1 ¼ yards of fabric for the back. I piece my backing larger than my batting so that I can see it while quilting. Advertisement – I receive a small commission from purchases  made thru this link. The reason I tried it was that I wanted the quilt to be much warmer than a single layer of warm and natural would have been. The batting should be larger than the top to account for any shrinking of the top due to quilting. Add Tip Ask Question Comment Download. (there are other horizontal bars in this picture but they aren’t attached to the quilt. To determine how much backing fabric you need, keep in mind that all sides of a quilt back should be at least 4″ longer than your quilt top. In other words the backing should be the biggest of the three layers. 1. For example, the lap-size top is 45″ x 66″. The backing needs to be at least 3” bigger than the quilt top on all four sides because of these leaders and clamps. You can learn more about batting in this article I wrote here. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! I found minky at the thrift store for a couple dollars that is a perfect match. If the quilt top and the backing start out the same size it simply is not possible. For example:  your 3 measurements equal 70 down the middle and 70 1/2 on each side of that, cut your border strip 70 1/4. Now let’s talk backs. You don't want to add fabric in a way that will look awkward. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window). fold back the top and batting and smooth the back into place. Example, your quilt top measures 60" x 80" therefore your backing and batting should each measure 66" x 86". This does’t cost you anything extra, but it does help me greatly. Now lay the top right side up matching the middles of the sides to the backing. If I get a quilt in and see the backing is not big enough I can add muslin to the edges so that I can load it into the machine, I will charge extra for that obviously and I will not guarantee that none of the muslin shows on the edges of the quilt after trimming. Seams should be pressed open and lie flat. This is one of the single most important things you can do when constructing your quilt to ensure a finished product that you'll be happy with. Measure your quilt top vertically and horizontally. Your backing and batting should be at least 3" larger on each side than your quilt top. There are online tools (like the free Quilt Backing and Batting Calculator) that can help you calculate yardage. For example if your quilt measures 60" wide by 72" long then it would be equal to 4320 square inches. You can get away with minimal quilting while still having a quilt that won’t fall apart after the first wash. And this last image shows what it looks like if you have plenty of backing fabric at the bottom also. One of the big things that people always hear from the longarm quilter – I must have the backing 3 to 4 inches bigger than the quilt top on all 4 sides. 100% Polyester is lightweight and will keep that smooth polished look even after it's washed (particularly if you pre-wash your fabrics). Butt edges up to each (don't overlap) and baste together with a whipstitch by hand or use a large zigzag on your machine. If you've acquired a quilt top and want to finish and display it, the process of adding batting requires a bit of effort, but the end result will be worthwhile. After you have your size and materials mapped out, it’s time to start thinking about your design. Your batting will be 2” longer and wider on each side, so adding 4” to each measure makes your batting size 44” x 64”. As for your batting and backing, they should be both cut 6-8 inches larger than the quilt top. You want your batting to be larger than your quilt top (front) by about 4″ bigger than the length and height and slightly smaller than your quilt back. Then, if youre planning to quilt the project yourself, youll baste the layers together, using thread if youll be hand quilting or safety pins if youll be machine quilting. The batting is cut and placed on top of the backing, smoothed out and the bottom end is tucked under the roller bar. As you quilt the presser foot actually pushes the quilt top out a bit further. Your backing was all ready to go for home quilting. I cannot stress this enough! Secure the backing fabric to the surface at regular intervals. If the package states the quilting distance is 10 inches, then that batting is pretty stable. Definitely, it is actually best if you press as you sew on your quilt top and then give it a final pressing when finished. I know if you are quilting by hand or on a domestic sewing machine you don’t have to have the backing and the batting larger because you’re pinning the layers together, you don’t have it attached to the machine itself like we do with the longarm. Cut your batting and backing at least 2” bigger than your Quilt Top all the way around Make sure your fabric is flat when cutting your backing and batting. If your quilt is larger than the table, be sure the top and one side are aligned with the edges, clamp around and baste what is on the surface. Be sure to place it within the boundaries of the quilt top not the backing or it may end up half on and half off the quilt when finished. Did you know that the thickness of your batting determines how much larger than your quilt top, the length of your batting should be cut? Especially if you are loading it lengthwise. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. 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