Stupid Beginner Question
Nicole
just three blocks. I've got the top completed and have my backing fabric
and batting. I'm wondering if I'm supposed to precisely cut the backing
fabric and batting with my rotary cutter or just with a pair of scissors.
For the life of me, I can't figure out how I'm supposed to cut something
that big with a rotary cutter and mat anyway. I remember the instructor
said to generally cut them 2" larger than my quilt top. I'm just wondering
if I cut them generally 2" larger than the top, then quilt it, what happens
when I go to bind it? How much of that 2" do I trim off if any? Please
help. This part of the process really has me stumped.
Nicole
Kathy Riley
>if I cut them generally 2" larger than the top, then quilt it, what happens
>when I go to bind it? How much of that 2" do I trim off if any?
Hi, Nicole:
The reason I leave about 2 inches of backing and batting all the way around is
to compensate for any "shrinking" the quilting may cause. I usually just
"eyeball" this excess and cut it with whatever is convenient, usually a
scissors.
After the quilting is complete, I will cut away the excess accurately with a
rotary cutter and apply the binding. Make sure there is enough seam allowance
and batting to completely fill the binding for a smooth, great looking finish.
Kathy
"Work like you don't need money, love like you've never been hurt....and dance
like no one's watching !"
Pat Winters
Hello Nicole, Welcome to the wonderful world of quilting nd
to this wacky NG!! <G> Here's what I do ... when you layer,
leave about 2 - 3" of backing and batting all around (no
need ot measure, just try to keep the grain of the backing
straight to the quilt top sides) ... next baste, then quilt
... add a basting stitch all around the edges, a bit less
than .5" form edge of quilt top .... then cut the edges of
the backing and batting .5" from the line you just basted
.... you can use the ruler to measure and draw a cutting
line OR you can just use the rotary method to measure and
cut. HTH. Got chocolate? Know about sending chocolate to the
first couple people to welcome you?? <G> TTFN, PAT in VA
R&M Vaughn
accurate lining everything up. If you were to cut them the same size, you would
have a terrible time getting them to match up perfectly and would probably find
that some corners of the front didn't have backing and/or batting behind them.
Not a pretty sight! When I made my first quilt, I did leave extra, but did a
really bad job lining things up correctly and had to actually attach an extra
piece of batting to the edge where I had none for about 3 inches. Not fun.
Midge
Roberta Zollner
But you can please yourself.
Roberta in DK
"Pat Winters" <pwin...@picusnet.com> wrote in message
news:3A016B22...@picusnet.com...
Chickenlady
than I need to allow for mistakes or inaccuracies (I leaned the hard way
when I misread the measurements when cutting the backing for an early quilt
and cut it 2" smaller than the top! - don't ask me how!) So now I play it
safe and give myself plenty of spare fabric just incase.
I just roughly measure the amount I need (the extra fabric I have allowed
means that I don't have to be too accurate) and snip it with a pair of
scissors and then tear. When the whole thing is quilted I can then trim off
that extra fabric.
Probably not the way you are supposed to do it, but it works for me.
chicken
Nicole <k...@devnull.nc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:wBcM5.19125$G95.5...@typhoon.southeast.rr.com...
Maggiestevens
or squares for future projects, Maggie
"Chickenlady" <Chick...@sutcliffe88.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:8tu58u$kc3$1...@news6.svr.pol.co.uk...
sarah curry
First, Nicole, there ARE no "stupid questions" (except the ones not
asked)! We've ALL been beginners!
Now, I'm not getting even close to all the posts, these days, so I don't
know what the others have said -- so I'll just jump in, anyway.
If you have enough fabric (and want to be VERY sure ... don't ask me how
I know this), cut your backing a good 3" LARGER than your top (6" is
even better, and you WILL find something to do with the scraps :-) ).
Yes, you can get away with 2", and even less than that in a pinch (don't
ask me how I know that, either :-) ).
Then, lay your backing out on a flat surface (for a small wal .. wuh ...
wuh (sorry -- I don't do those things, and can't even SAY the word :-)
-- just a personal preference of mine that's become rather a joke, here
:-) ), a table or the kitchen floor will work (I sometimes clean the
floor first :-) ). Tape the backing to the surface, right side down
(don't ask me how I know this, either :-) ) pulling it just a LITTLE
taut (but not stretching it) (I'm assuming you'll be pin-basting, here,
and machine-quilting).
Lay your batting (also at least 2" LARGER than your Wuh ..) atop the
taped-down backing, as square as you can get it. Smooth it out (I use
the infamous "quilter's trowel ... the skinny side of a yardstick, but
you might not need one with a Wuh ...). Lay your STARCHED and PRESSED
top (yes, this, too, makes a difference) atop the batting, and pin the
stuffin' (in a manner of speaking) outta that puppy!
When you're finished pinning, trim the surplus backing and batting off
with scissors ... to within about an inch of the top.
When you're finished with the quilting, you then trim the entire
"sandwich" with your rotary cutter and ruler (MUCH better for nice
straight edges to which to attach your binding).
Good luck, and let us know how it goes (we LOVE pictures!)
Grins, and
Happy Trails,
Sairey
Pat Winters
Hello Sarah!
As you said, there are *no* stupid questions. So here's my
question: *Why* do you STARCH and press the top before
pinning? I always just press and have been happy with that
but, hey, I'm more than willing to improve!!
TIA, PAT in Virginia who would not cut that excess Batting
fabric off until AFTER the quilting is finished and who
sometimes pins the excess cloth over the batting to keep
batt clean whilst quilting and dragging and bragging ....
but who respects Miss Sarah's right to do it her way! <G>
sarah curry wrote:
>
> Nicole wrote:
>
> First, Nicole, there ARE no "stupid questions" (except the ones not
> asked)! We've ALL been beginners!
>
> If you have enough fabric (and want to be VERY sure ... don't ask me how
> I know this), cut your backing a good 3" LARGER than your top (6" is
> even better, and you WILL find something to do with the scraps :-) ).
> Yes, you can get away with 2", and even less than that in a pinch (don't
> ask me how I know that, either :-) ).
....CUT....
> Lay your batting (also at least 2" LARGER than your Wuh ..) atop the
> taped-down backing, as square as you can get it. Smooth it out (I use
> the infamous "quilter's trowel ... the skinny side of a yardstick, but
> you might not need one with a Wuh ...). Lay your STARCHED and PRESSED
> top (yes, this, too, makes a difference) atop the batting, and pin the
> stuffin' (in a manner of speaking) outta that puppy!
> When you're finished pinning, trim the surplus backing and batting off
> with scissors ... to within about an inch of the top.
> When you're finished with the quilting, you then trim the entire
> "sandwich" with your rotary cutter and ruler (MUCH better for nice
> straight edges to which to attach your binding).
....CUT!
nom...@spam.com
sew on the binding, use fusible thread in the bobbin. When you go to
either hand sew the back down or machine sew it down you press it back
first, and the fusible thread holds it so you do not need binding clips
or pins. Rita I think has good binding instructions on her web site.
Christina
sarah curry wrote:
>
> Nicole wrote:
>
> First, Nicole, there ARE no "stupid questions" (except the ones not
> asked)! We've ALL been beginners!
>
> Now, I'm not getting even close to all the posts, these days, so I don't
> know what the others have said -- so I'll just jump in, anyway.
>
> If you have enough fabric (and want to be VERY sure ... don't ask me how
> I know this), cut your backing a good 3" LARGER than your top (6" is
> even better, and you WILL find something to do with the scraps :-) ).
> Yes, you can get away with 2", and even less than that in a pinch (don't
> ask me how I know that, either :-) ).
>
> Then, lay your backing out on a flat surface (for a small wal .. wuh ...
> wuh (sorry -- I don't do those things, and can't even SAY the word :-)
> -- just a personal preference of mine that's become rather a joke, here
> :-) ), a table or the kitchen floor will work (I sometimes clean the
> floor first :-) ). Tape the backing to the surface, right side down
> (don't ask me how I know this, either :-) ) pulling it just a LITTLE
> taut (but not stretching it) (I'm assuming you'll be pin-basting, here,
> and machine-quilting).
> Lay your batting (also at least 2" LARGER than your Wuh ..) atop the
> taped-down backing, as square as you can get it. Smooth it out (I use
> the infamous "quilter's trowel ... the skinny side of a yardstick, but
> you might not need one with a Wuh ...). Lay your STARCHED and PRESSED
> top (yes, this, too, makes a difference) atop the batting, and pin the
> stuffin' (in a manner of speaking) outta that puppy!
> When you're finished pinning, trim the surplus backing and batting off
> with scissors ... to within about an inch of the top.
> When you're finished with the quilting, you then trim the entire
> "sandwich" with your rotary cutter and ruler (MUCH better for nice
> straight edges to which to attach your binding).
> Good luck, and let us know how it goes (we LOVE pictures!)
> Grins, and
> Happy Trails,
> Sairey
>
> >
Tricia Rodgers
feeling obnoxious this morning, on my one and only day off of teaching (except the
t-giving holiday),
Tricia
Pat Winters wrote:
> ng & email
>
> Hello Sarah!
> As you said, there are *no* stupid questions. So here's my
> question: *Why* do you STARCH and press the top before
> pinning? I always just press and have been happy with that
> but, hey, I'm more than willing to improve!!
>
> TIA, PAT in Virginia who would not cut that excess Batting
> fabric off until AFTER the quilting is finished and who
> sometimes pins the excess cloth over the batting to keep
> batt clean whilst quilting and dragging and bragging ....
> but who respects Miss Sarah's right to do it her way! <G>
>
> sarah curry wrote:
> >
> > Nicole wrote:
> >
> > First, Nicole, there ARE no "stupid questions" (except the ones not
> > asked)! We've ALL been beginners!
> >
> > If you have enough fabric (and want to be VERY sure ... don't ask me how
> > I know this), cut your backing a good 3" LARGER than your top (6" is
> > even better, and you WILL find something to do with the scraps :-) ).
> > Yes, you can get away with 2", and even less than that in a pinch (don't
> > ask me how I know that, either :-) ).
> ....CUT....
> > Lay your batting (also at least 2" LARGER than your Wuh ..) atop the
> > taped-down backing, as square as you can get it. Smooth it out (I use
> > the infamous "quilter's trowel ... the skinny side of a yardstick, but
> > you might not need one with a Wuh ...). Lay your STARCHED and PRESSED
> > top (yes, this, too, makes a difference) atop the batting, and pin the
> > stuffin' (in a manner of speaking) outta that puppy!
> > When you're finished pinning, trim the surplus backing and batting off
> > with scissors ... to within about an inch of the top.
> > When you're finished with the quilting, you then trim the entire
> > "sandwich" with your rotary cutter and ruler (MUCH better for nice
> > straight edges to which to attach your binding).
> ....CUT!
--
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Ellison
Yep, just like ol' Kooky Sarah says.
That leftover backing, when wide enough, is
good for binding.
Yep, ol' Kooky has some purty good tips.
<g>
--
Ragmop---I ain't a'skeert!!!
"sarah curry" <scu...@zianet.com> wrote in message
news:3A0638...@zianet.com...
> Nicole wrote:
>
> First, Nicole, there ARE no "stupid questions" (except the ones not
> asked)! We've ALL been beginners!
>
> Now, I'm not getting even close to all the posts, these days, so I don't
> know what the others have said -- so I'll just jump in, anyway.
>
> If you have enough fabric (and want to be VERY sure ... don't ask me how
> I know this), cut your backing a good 3" LARGER than your top (6" is
> even better, and you WILL find something to do with the scraps :-) ).
> Yes, you can get away with 2", and even less than that in a pinch (don't
> ask me how I know that, either :-) ).
>
> Then, lay your backing out on a flat surface (for a small wal .. wuh ...
> wuh (sorry -- I don't do those things, and can't even SAY the word :-)
> -- just a personal preference of mine that's become rather a joke, here
> :-) ), a table or the kitchen floor will work (I sometimes clean the
> floor first :-) ). Tape the backing to the surface, right side down
> (don't ask me how I know this, either :-) ) pulling it just a LITTLE
> taut (but not stretching it) (I'm assuming you'll be pin-basting, here,
> and machine-quilting).
> Lay your batting (also at least 2" LARGER than your Wuh ..) atop the
> taped-down backing, as square as you can get it. Smooth it out (I use
> the infamous "quilter's trowel ... the skinny side of a yardstick, but
> you might not need one with a Wuh ...). Lay your STARCHED and PRESSED
> top (yes, this, too, makes a difference) atop the batting, and pin the
> stuffin' (in a manner of speaking) outta that puppy!
> When you're finished pinning, trim the surplus backing and batting off
> with scissors ... to within about an inch of the top.
> When you're finished with the quilting, you then trim the entire
> "sandwich" with your rotary cutter and ruler (MUCH better for nice
> straight edges to which to attach your binding).
> Good luck, and let us know how it goes (we LOVE pictures!)
> Grins, and
> Happy Trails,
> Sairey
>
>
> >
sarah curry
>
> Can I just add one thing to Sarah's excellent instructions? When you
> sew on the binding, use fusible thread in the bobbin. When you go to
> either hand sew the back down or machine sew it down you press it back
> first, and the fusible thread holds it so you do not need binding clips
> or pins. Rita I think has good binding instructions on her web site.
> Christina
Uh ... Chrtistina, WHY? Mebbe I'm just not getting it.
When I sew on a binding, I just use THREAD. Thread-thread. On top, and
in the bobbin (now, granted, I haven't the foggiest what the heck
fusible thread is supposed to do, except stick to something -- and if I
use fusible thread in the bobbin and then basically MELT it, what keeps
the binding sewed to the top?). I then flip the binding over to the
other side and blind-stitch it down. It just flops right over there,
and frankly, it never occurred to me to PIN the dang thing.
Grins,
Sairey (who's never even HEARD of a "binding clip" ... whazzup with
that? ... but is willing to consider ...)
nom...@spam.com
stupid.. watching CNN tonight... anyway... if you use fuseable thread
in the bobbin, and press your binding around you can sew it down without
pins or clips. I will admit this helps alot more if you are machine
quilting the border down, but I like to do it for hand sewing also.
But, maybe you like pinning <g> get it? Christina I am heading
for bed, I really am.....
LN
then, I hand whipstitch.
I'm just as tired as you. Glad I finally decided to go to bed and check the
results this morning or I'd have NEVER gotten to sleep!
--
LN - queen of the RCTQ directory
Deadline is FRIDAY 11/10 to let me know via email (Lnsobs...@prodigy.net)
that you want to be in the directory and if you want it TEXT ONLY.
<nom...@spam.com> wrote in message news:3A0928D1...@spam.com...
Tricia Rodgers
fusible in the bobbin the first time around and somethign else in the "top" (for
lack of a better word to explain it), what keeps the thread on the top there or
is it supposed to fall off and that's why you stitch again?
Confused,
Tricia
nom...@spam.com wrote:
--
Tricia Rodgers
>
> Sairey (who's never even HEARD of a "binding clip" ... whazzup with
> that? ... but is willing to consider ...)
Binding clips I think are things that resemble those wanna be barrettes a lot
of young gals are wearing these days...
I've seen them at TSWLTH with the quilting stuff so that's why I think that's
what they are...
Basically they are things that resemble wide pieced paper clips, you "bend"
them one way, they open, put it where you want, and then "bend" it the other
way to snap it shut......they are typically metal (a silvery type metal from
what I've seen), although I've seen them painted in girls hair..
I call them wanna be barrettes becuase there is no thing to latch and get your
hair tangled in so they can't be considered real barrettes ;P
They also don't hold much hair back....
HTH,
Tricia
R&M Vaughn
clippies that I bought at the drug store to hold pincurls.
I also use them during construction. Sometimes when I've done my layout, and
want to do some chain assembly, I will stack up the components in the correct
order and use the clippies to hold them together.
Midge
LN wrote:
> I don't bother pinning either. I just hold it with my fingers as I go, but
> then, I hand whipstitch.
>
> I'm just as tired as you. Glad I finally decided to go to bed and check the
> results this morning or I'd have NEVER gotten to sleep!
> --
> LN - queen of the RCTQ directory
>
> Deadline is FRIDAY 11/10 to let me know via email (Lnsobs...@prodigy.net)
> that you want to be in the directory and if you want it TEXT ONLY.
>
> <nom...@spam.com> wrote in message news:3A0928D1...@spam.com...
nom...@spam.com
folded over the raw edge. you use the fuseable thread in the bobbin the
first time. Does that muddy it up any more for you? Christina
Tricia Rodgers wrote:
>
> So what you are really saying is you wind up titching it twice?? If you use
> fusible in the bobbin the first time around and somethign else in the "top" (for
> lack of a better word to explain it), what keeps the thread on the top there or
> is it supposed to fall off and that's why you stitch again?
>
> Confused,
> Tricia
>
> nom...@spam.com wrote:
>
Tricia Rodgers
I'll save this though and try reading it when I've not got painmeds in mysystem, maybe
it will make more sense then
Tricia
nom...@spam.com wrote:
> Tricia, you always stitch binding twice, once to the raw edge once
> folded over the raw edge. you use the fuseable thread in the bobbin the
> first time. Does that muddy it up any more for you? Christina
>
>
--
Tricia Rodgers
nom...@spam.com wrote:
> Tricia, you always stitch binding twice, once to the raw edge once
> folded over the raw edge. you use the fuseable thread in the bobbin the
> first time. Does that muddy it up any more for you? Christina
Christina, I understand better now. I got a video out of the library on quilting and
they went through the whole thing --- deciding on color and pattern to finishing...
I saw the double time stitching....
Thanks,
Tricia
--