Posts Tagged by piecing

There a couple of options for quilt backs, you can piece one from patchwork fabrics which are generally 1.12m or use quilt backs that are generally 2.54m wide. Using quilt backs is great if your quilt has at least one of the dimensions over 2 metres. If your quilt is smaller, perhaps a cot quilt or throw quilt you might find that the fabric required for the quilt back is just wider than the 1.12m. To piece a back you could buy 2 lengths of the same fabric and join them. Your back will be wider than you need but it will be uniform in colour and texture. I have another option which I love. It is easy and gives a back that is also a feature.

I like to piece my back using fabrics from the project and/or fabrics from my stash that fit with the theme. I collect fabric cuts on special and fabrics that are tone on tone or have small patterns. (left overs from generous pattern requirements are also good). I like pieces that are between 20cm – 50cm wide. When piecing a back I arrange as many widths of these fabrics as I need to achieve one dimension of the quilt plus 4” for quilting. For the project that I have photographed I needed 2 wide pieces and 1 narrower one. I lay them on the floor. To those fabrics I add a collection of fabrics that match the theme. Usually off cuts from the project or stray fat 1/8s and fat ¼ are good.

I calculate the distance that I need to gain. I started with a fabric width (1.12m) and needed to gain another 8 inches. For comfort sake I will round to 10 inches, you can be more precise and calculate all seam allowances if you wish. I work with one width at a time. I slice this piece across using a ruler but at a random interval. I then insert a strip the same length as the width of my large piece from the smaller pieces of fabric that I collected. On occasion I have pieced them from the project off cuts. Keeping in mind that I need to gain 10 inches, I add another strip. You can see from the photo that sometimes I add this strip to the one I have just sewn and other times I cut across and insert it elsewhere in the width. When you have gained the 10 inches on each strip sew the lengths together and press flat. You now have a colourful pieced back. It will be a talking point and has used some of your stash or projects off cuts with ease.

Quick pieced quilt back

Edit: I found this recent tutorial on the Robert Kaufman blog on the same topic. There are some great photos and a hint for labels…