Squaring up backing.

[Loriejean61]

I was talking to my daughter the other day, she does my long arming, and she asked me if I squared up my backing. I said "You are supposed to square up your backing?" I have never been taught this so I am not sure how to do it. Can anyone tell me?

[Caroline T.]

Re: Squaring up backing.

Here's a good video that explains how to square up the backing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgrMWLmrimc

[toggpine]

Re: Squaring up backing.

I use a batch of "junk" straight pins to stake and stretch the backing fabric on my living room carpet. Then I lightly spray baste down my batting, followed by the quilt top. Then I pin the whole sandwich using safety pins about a hand width apart before un-staking it from the floor.
It seems to work.
I am also not sending my quilts out for long arming though.

[Vonnie]

Re: Squaring up backing.

I was taught (by Kay Capps Cross) to tear off all four sides. Tearing gets straight of grain.

[ldnanny3]

Re: Squaring up backing.

Here's a good video that explains how to square up the backing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgrMWLmrimc

That's a great video and how I have always done 45" fabric but its a whole other ball game when its 108" wide and 3 yds. long, not near as easy. I learned the hard way not to rip the fabric if its wide backing,, you still have to basically do the same thing as in the video just on a much bigger scale.

[Caroline T.]

Re: Squaring up backing.

That's a great video and how I have always done 45" fabric but its a whole other ball game when its 108" wide and 3 yds. long, not near as easy. I learned the hard way not to rip the fabric if its wide backing,, you still have to basically do the same thing as in the video just on a much bigger scale.

True enough! Last time I used 108" wide, I had to enlist DH's help with folding & holding it up, and shifting the selvedge. Poor guy had a hard time understanding what I was trying to do.

[Jean Sewing Machine]

Re: Squaring up backing.

Tearing makes me crazy if the cross threads are warped! I cut my backing to square it up for the long arm. I fold it in half width wise matching the selvedges very carefully, then fold it in half again lengthwise, matching the ends then I trim my ends, squaring that cross cut with the selvedge side. It usually works close to perfect every time to get it on the longarm frame all squared up!

I won't buy wide backing from a store if they tear the fabric. I can't pull it to straighten it, and if I have to trim it, I can lose up to a foot in length. Not paying for fabrics if I am just going to trim it off and throw it away.

[kjohnson]

Re: Squaring up backing.

I'm a newbie to LAQ and rent a LAQM to do mine on. The lady that own the shop has a really easy way of getting the sandwich together, so I don't square anything except the quilt top. She gives me a long Zipper to sew my backing with the selvage sewn to the zipper. Then when I get to her shop, we just zip the backing on - wrong side up, attach a couple of straps to the ends and the lay the batting and quilt top on top of it. Then secure with basting as we roll it up on the machine, then I'm all set to go with the first row. Really cool way to do it.