HollyDay Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I've finished piecing my top. It is 41 wide and 45 long. How much material do I need for the backing? Is 2 yards enough?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudreyTN Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 It should be plenty as long as your piece of fabric (backing) is 45 inches wide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imprimis Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Well, your backing needs to be larger than the top. Six inches wider and six inches longer is ideal, so you have an extra three inches of fabric all the way around. Since your quilt is 41x45, I would make the backing 47 inches wide,and 51 inches long. Here's a link that teaches how to do that Quilt Backing Tips and Techniques Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConnieB Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 It should be plenty as long as your piece of fabric (backing) is 45 inches wide. Not exactly....... Keep in mind that 45" fabric is usually only 44"....and then there is usually a 1/4" to 1/2" selvedge edge on each side that you will want to cut off....that makes 45" fabric as small as 43". So, be sure to measure it before you buy and NOT include the selvedge edge. Your best idea is to press your pieced top well, fold it gently so you don't get creases and take it with you. Then lay it down on top of the backing fabirc you're considering. Your top may not be perfectly square either, and you want to resist the urge to just make your backing "out of square" to fit it.....it will never lay right if you do that. Taking your top with you means that the ladies at the quilt shop can help you see if your quilt is true/square and give you some pointers if it's not. This is a frustrating but important step if you want the backing to lay flat and the front to not bunch when quilted. If the backing you have your heart set on is 45" (and in reality 43") it's not the end of the world......I have a couple of suggestions for you to make it work..... 1. Very popular right now is NOT having a single fabric for the backing....but in cutting very large rectangles and squares and piecing several different fabrics to make it the width/length that you need. Typically this is done random/uneven, in other words you make them different sizes rather than uniform. Often people will use some of the fabric leftover from the back....but the idea is to give some the backing some character and interest instead of just one fabric plain. 2. Or, you could simply put a border around the single piece of fabric to make it wide enough. If your front has a border, duplicate it on the back for interest. 3, Or look into 54" or 60" fabric.....a good fabric or quilt shop should have a few that are specifically for backing (even as wide as 90" which is definite overkill for your quilt unless you'll be making another of course). This solves the problem as it's more than big enough.....the downside is that the selection tends to be limited. Whatever you do don't forget to put a label on your quilt....future generations will want to know who made it and when. Many quilt shops that fabric patches that you just use a fabric marker to fill out the information.....experienced quilters tend to make their own. But there are soooo many antique quilts with nothing on them, and it's sad to not know the story behind them, or even who put so much love into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConnieB Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Well, your backing needs to be larger than the top. Six inches wider and six inches longer is ideal, so you have an extra three inches of fabric all the way around. Since your quilt is 41x45, I would make the backing 47 inches wide,and 51 inches long. Here's a link that teaches how to do that Quilt Backing Tips and Techniques That's usually so that the backing can be brought around to the front eliminating the need for binding.....not the most attractive way of doing it, though popular with those not quite ready to tackle binding (which isn't nearly as hard as it sounds!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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