BLOG - Everything you need to know about Quilt Backings!

Quilt backings can be an often overlooked part of your finished product. I can't stress the importance of having the right backing to ensure the best results for longarming your quilt.

SIZE - No matter what they say, bigger is better! When it comes to backing fabric anyway...

It is really important to have an extra 4-5" of backing on ALL SIDES of your quilt. For example, if your quilt is 60" square, ideally you will have a piece of backing that is 70" square. For custom quilts ideally you will have around 10" extra of backing - so on that 60" quilt example we want 80" of backing. On the longarm machine we load the backing on first - it gets pinned to the canvas leaders top and bottom, then clamped on the sides. If there is not enough backing fabric there is the risk of damaging our (very expensive) quilting machines, not to mention a less than ideal outcome for your quilt.

SELVEDGES - Leave them on if possible! This gives us a perfectly straight, non stretchy edge to pin top and bottom.

FABRIC TYPE - My preference for fabric is 100% cotton, however I have worked with minky, sheets, velvet and a variety of other fabrics which while presenting a little more of a challenge due to the stretchy nature of them, can also work as backings.

PIECED BACKINGS - I know lots of you love to use up extra fabric by piecing a quilt backing. This is great for getting the most out of your fabrics, but can often be not so great for the longarm machine!

If you have to join fabric (for example, piecing together a normal width fabric to make it wider) then join with the selvedges intact using at least a half inch seam, then most importantly iron the seam open for a nice flat result.

If you want to make more of a pieced backing, then try your best to have seams only going in one direction! Seams loaded horizontally onto the machine are okay, but seams that are vertical do not stretch, which causes your backing to be loaded unevenly. It is then very difficult to avoid tucks in the backing as the machine is quilting, so try for horizontal seams only!

Finally - don't forget to support your smaller local quilt shops when purchasing your backings and other fabrics. They are a wealth of knowledge and service so please support our small businesses!

Happy quilting!

Lyndelle xx