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Quilt back shrinking up
Posted: March 2, 2008, 12:31 PM
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| Hello, maybe you have had this problem too and can help. My last two quits didn't match up at the top. When I un-rolled my quilt to do the last section there was about 2" of the quilt that no longer matched up to the backing. After this happened the 1st time I was extra careful to smooth out and tried to made sure everything was straight. I just don't get it. These are not my 1st quilts, they can out just fine. Please help!! |
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Quilt back shrinking up
Posted: March 3, 2008, 7:25 AM
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| Did you square up the quilt backing before you loaded it onto the frame? Also, how much larger is the backing to the quilt top? |
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Quilt back shrinking up
Posted: March 4, 2008, 11:07 AM
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| No I didn't square up the backing but I didn't for any of my other completed quilts. I will say that the ends were cut straight though. The backing was about 8-10 longer but at the end of the quilt but not the top. Should I be pinning the backing at the top with extra fabric? I thought that all three layers matched at the top of leaders evenly. I haven't basted the sides either so that could also be my problem. I need to put a quilt on today so I'll make sure the backing is squared up, and baste the sides and keep my fingers crossed for luck. |
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Quilt back shrinking up
Posted: March 4, 2008, 3:15 PM
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Not sure if this will help but I lay my back on a flat surface (usually the bed) and then put the quilt top over it just to make sure I've got enough backing. I do this extra step because I ended up mis-loading a quilt once and it was such a mess to figure out how to get more background! Also, when I load a quilt I put the top of the quilt about 1 inch from the top of the backing. I'd rather have leftover backing at the end than not enough. Hope this helps. |
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Quilt back shrinking up
Posted: March 4, 2008, 4:20 PM
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| Echo 8 thanks!! That's what I plan to do, I'm still wanting to try and figure what went wrong though. I think I received different loading instructions when I purchased the stitch regulator and that is the culprit. I have yet to compair the two loading instructions to see where they might differ. |
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Quilt back shrinking up
Posted: March 5, 2008, 4:51 AM
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| I know in the video you're told to make the quilt back 1 inch bigger all around than the top. I always add at least 4 inches on all sides, especially if it is a bigger quilt. Echo8's suggestion about starting 1 inch from the top gives you extra room for a growing quilt. I also can try my bobbins and check for too much oil in the extra backing and batting. Throw a piece of scrap fabric(does anyone have extra fabric?) on top and test away. Good luck. |
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Quilt back shrinking up
Posted: March 5, 2008, 9:13 AM
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I started out with a Handiquilter frame and a BabyLock Quilter's Professional machine in 2004. I watched the Handiquilter video and did just as it said, BUT quickly discovered that just an inch or so extra on backing and uneven batting made me have lots of problems. (I now have a HQ16 with Professional frame.) I purchased Donita Reeve's CD on quilting and discovered that to be successful I should -- have all three parts of the quilt sandwich square. The backing should be at least 4 inches larger than quilt top on ALL sides, the batting 2 -3 inches larger than the top. This allows you to clamp into the backing only and also to have control with smoothing and keeping even your top. This extra 4 inches of backing also allows you to have room to test your quilt tension without sewing on your actual quilt. I pin my squared backing on the rollers as shown in Handiquilter video. I then place my batting on top of the backing. I "lock" my wheels with a soft tip clamp and do a horizontal seam across the batting and backing, about 1 inch from edge of top. This seam line gives me a straight line to pin my quilt top to. I take clamp off, then I pin and sew the quilt top to the batting and backing with a l/4 inch seam. I smooth the batting down over the backing, and smooth the quilt top over batting and backing. I then pin the top to the middle roller and tighten all three layers. (Sometimes I just 'float" the top and eliminate using the middle roller). BEFORE attaching any quilt I have made sure my leaders are square and the center is marked with a permanent marker. I always pin-mark the center of my top, backing and batting, and place that center mark pin on the center mark of the leader. I pin from the middle out in BOTH directions. I also use a tape measure to decided where the ends of each side of quilt should be, and check that measurement with each roll. For example: If my quilt top measures 60 inches -- then 30 inches is the middle and I should have 30 inches on each side of the middle mark. I check that I have the 30 inches from CENTER on each side with each roll. IF I am off, I smooth out the top from the center each side, before I sew down the sides. The smoothing technique is shown in the HandiQuilter video. I quilt a line "down" the left side of the quilt sandwich, and then "down" the right side -- about l/4 inch in from the sides. Then I quilt that part of the quilt. I roll, then quilt l/4 down both sides, and quilt the middle, then roll, etc. This allows me to keep the quilt square as I go. If I am going to use the groovy boards, etc. in each square/section, I will stitch in the ditch around the area to secure it before doing the actual stitching. This may not be the "correct" way, but it works for me. LOL Carolyn Collette and Miss Rose carolyn_c77@yahoo.com |
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Quilt back shrinking up
Posted: March 5, 2008, 11:15 AM
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| Thank You Carolyn!!!!! I will try loading as you suggested, that sounds very practical and if works well for me will be my new way of loading. Printing instructions as we speek. |
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Quilt back shrinking up
Posted: March 5, 2008, 11:59 AM
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Hope it works for you hbquiltergaal. If not, (oops) write me at carolyn_c77@yahoo.com and I will try to make clear what is muddy? LOL I have had to learn the hard way, that if it aint' straight it will not be great!! I also, press very carefully and trim each of my blocks when making a quilt. It does take more time, but not as much ripping. If at all possible, I try to tear my borders on the length of the fabric, press with spray starch, then cut to correct width. This does take more fabric, but the left-over fabric can always be used in another "scrappy" quilt. I only use 2 pieces of fabric when piecing a backing. I put the seam horizontally in the middle of the quilt backing. This too takes more fabric, but makes a more stable backing. I usually have large enough left-over pieces of fabric to make a set of quilt blocks. Happy Quilting Carolyn Collette and Miss Rose Colorful Colorado |
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Quilt back shrinking up
Posted: March 21, 2008, 10:20 PM
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Carolyn Collette, I also use painters tape to mark the left and right edge of my quilt using the center roller. I float my top, so I can use that roller. If I have more than one border, I also use the tape to mark the different Borders. So as I advance my Quilt to Quilt I can see if it is still square and not going to one side or the orther. If you have any questions you can call me. Faye Stone (408) 729-3754. fayestone@comcast.net |
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Quilt back shrinking up
Posted: March 23, 2008, 5:32 PM
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| what great ideas! |
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