How do you get those lovely pieced backs to be so centered?

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  • grammaterry
    Senior Member
    Missouri Star
    • Dec 2015
    • 12104

    #16
    Re: How do you get those lovely pieced backs to be so centered?

    I pieced a back yesterday and I sandwiched it. We'll see if these ideas made it better. Now I'm nervous about it.
    success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiam
    Terry of NC

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    • Grey Lady
      Senior Member
      The Guild President
      • Jan 2015
      • 973

      #17
      Re: How do you get those lovely pieced backs to be so centered?

      I gotta say, I don't do any of that any more. I started with the chopsticks method mentioned here. Too much frustration for me. I quilt on a domestic machine, so I don't need the extra backing all around. I make the backing just three inches larger that the top. Trim the batting to the backing, and then center the top so that there's 1 1/2 inch all the way a round. Takes very little time and I'm very happy with the results. There are pics in my albums.
      Diana Grey

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      • jjkaiser
        Senior Member
        Missouri Star
        • Oct 2013
        • 9637

        #18
        Re: How do you get those lovely pieced backs to be so centered?

        FYI, I saw on another site that if you are using wide back fabric that you should tear it to square it up. That was news to me, I never thought of that.
        Jocelyn
        South Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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        • Old Newbie
          Senior Member
          The Guild President
          • Jan 2015
          • 751

          #19
          Re: How do you get those lovely pieced backs to be so centered?

          Originally posted by Rhonda K View Post
          Even if you offset the backing you still want the seam lines to run straight. Here is how I do them.

          Mark the center points on each side of backing. You can use a marking pen or simply fold and iron about an inch. A straight pin can also be used. You just need to know the point of reference.

          Do the same markings for your quilt. Line up those center point markings with the backing and quilt. It will be centered. The goal is to line those two up the same. You may have to peek under the batting or you can mark the batting lines too.

          Hope that helps!
          Thanks so Much Rhonda. This does help.

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          • Old Newbie
            Senior Member
            The Guild President
            • Jan 2015
            • 751

            #20
            Re: How do you get those lovely pieced backs to be so centered?

            Originally posted by Grey Lady View Post
            I gotta say, I don't do any of that any more. I started with the chopsticks method mentioned here. Too much frustration for me. I quilt on a domestic machine, so I don't need the extra backing all around. I make the backing just three inches larger that the top. Trim the batting to the backing, and then center the top so that there's 1 1/2 inch all the way a round. Takes very little time and I'm very happy with the results. There are pics in my albums.
            Sounds sensible!

            Comment

            • Old Newbie
              Senior Member
              The Guild President
              • Jan 2015
              • 751

              #21
              Re: How do you get those lovely pieced backs to be so centered?

              Originally posted by Deegles View Post
              I take my quilt back and fold it once lengthwise and once in half. I mark that point by ironing the fabric at that junction which is the true center of the back. On the right side of the back I pin a safety pin. I then layout my batting ontop of the unfolded backing. I also fold my front the same way, marking with a safety pin. When I lay it ontop of the quilt sandwhich, I keep the top folded and place the center over the center and then unfold the quilt. when you have it all sandwhiched your sides and bottoms should be equadistant to their opposite.
              Very good ideas here. Thanks

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              • GrammaBabs
                Senior Member
                Missouri Star
                • Aug 2010
                • 6693

                #22
                Re: How do you get those lovely pieced backs to be so centered?

                I'm with PC... center was never my aim... I just find what i have a "large/small" amount that will fit the length.. then more that will go with that.. of the same length.. If i have a lot of front fabrics left,, I will strip/piano key style blocks or pieces... As long as i have the length i need.. i just keep adding until there is the width i need... i then sew into a tube.. and cut a snip at the center of the last full piece... Rip that straight down and the scrapped piece (or first piece) becomes the middle...pin that on the quilt frame... center your quilt top on it with batting.. and "off you go"..) GB
                "Each day well-lived and Happy;
                that's all there is to Life!"

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                • Deegles
                  Senior Member
                  Missouri Star
                  • Oct 2014
                  • 2285

                  #23
                  Re: How do you get those lovely pieced backs to be so centered?

                  Originally posted by Old Newbie View Post
                  Very good ideas here. Thanks
                  You're welcome!
                  Blogging ahead.....research in quilting and sewing with a dab of cooking/recipes too.

                  https://myquiltprojects.wordpress.com/

                  https://thecookbookproject.wordpress.com/

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                  • Murphy224
                    Senior Member
                    Applique Angel
                    • Feb 2016
                    • 333

                    #24
                    Re: How do you get those lovely pieced backs to be so centered?

                    This has always been a problem for me as well.
                    The last quilt I finished, I backed it with flannel. The flannel was long enough, but not wide enough. I don't remember my exact measurements this is just what I did: I calculate how much I need vs how much I have: ie 44 inches width of flannel. I needed 60 inches to cover the pieced quilt top allowing for the extra 3 to 4 inches, I then subtracted what I had from what I needed and determined that I needed 16 inches more. I had some left over blocks from the top, that happened to be 8.5 inches wide, and sewed them together in a long row to make a strip 16 inches wide and as long as I need to cover the length of the top. I then marked the center of the flannel piece between the selvedges (22 inches) and to make it simple, I ripped it in half. Then sewed the center strip of blocks to each side of the two flannel pieces and had the 60 inches width I needed. Pressed well, sandwiched with the top, did not use batting in this quilt. Quilted with free motion practice, bound, and voila a new quilt for me. I don't know how to post a picture to this forum or I could show you the back of this quilt.

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                    • sydneybean
                      Senior Member
                      The Guild President
                      • Feb 2010
                      • 655

                      #25
                      Re: How do you get those lovely pieced backs to be so centered?

                      Originally posted by Claire Hallman View Post
                      I saw a video once, perhaps on Craftsy where they put crossed chopsticks at the center of their work surface then laid the backing, batting and top centering by feeling the chopsticks below.
                      This is what I do. I use the small dowel rods tho. I tape them to my counter island and then drape the quilt over the counter. I do it mostly to keep it straight but not centered. I don't purposely piece right down the center.
                      Last edited by sydneybean; June 24, 2018, 07:08 AM.
                      So. Illinois just south of St Louis County

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