Lesson No. two -- the backing
So now you have a quilt top about the size of two yards of poly fleece. At least that is the plan. If you have not already -- go out to Hancock's or JoAnn Fabrics or your favorite fabric store and pick out your backing. I picked out four different designs and then found the one that I am actually going to use, which is pictured below.
The hearts on the fleece are the perfect colors for the front. In this particular type of quilt and back, the backing is not for show, in my house the backing is there for the cozy factor. So here is your next set of tools: SAFETY PINS
Put your fabrics together right side to right side -- because you are going to flip it inside out when you finish, but read on.
The above pictures are intended to show you the pins -- pin the quilt top to the poly fleece. To do this you must use the floor (and knee pads) or a great big table. I have a big conference table with a glass top at my office, the glass makes the pins easier to insert.
Your goal is get the fabrics lined up -- remember right side to right side -- so that you can sew all the way around the whole thing leaving only a small opening to pull the quilt through. Probably the hardest part about making this strip quilt is getting the fabrics to cooperate before you pin them together. Tape one side down and work the other piece around until you get them reasonably well matched up. I had to do this one twice. I pinned from the fleece side and then found a great big wrinkle on the other side -- hey it happens -- so I took the pins out of the upper half and turned it over and redid it on the cotton fabric side and then took the pins out of the bottom half and redid again on the cotton side. In this case it was easier the second time and I got a markedly better alignment because the fabrics were sort of lined up already.
So this is a time consuming exercise and takes patience but it is not hard, just tedious. The goal is get the two pieces connected together so you can sew all the way around the edge with a quarter inch seam. Pin liberally, you don't want a bunch of shifting around before you can tame this beast.
Now don't get confused but tuck this information in the back of your mind. This pinning exercise is called "pin basting" and you will do it when you make a quilt and actually "quilt" the quilt before you add the binding. But we are not doing that here, you are learning the basic concepts of making a quilt here not the nuances. Learning the basics makes the nuances so much easier to understand. This will just be a basic quilt with a poly fleece backing -- no binding -- but we will quilt it as the last lesson. Quilting kind of tacks things in place and keeps the fabrics from shifting around when you use it.
When you are finished with your pin basting -- trim the the edges -- remember you are going to sew a 1/4 inch seam around the whole thing -- except for a small opening to pull the outside through.
Before you start trimming-- take a good look at your quilt -- study the edges -- where you trim will be dictated by the strips -- find the place on the quilt where the width is the least -- how to say that?? -- smallest -- anyway the concept is you can't make it any wider than the least wide strips -- cut it to even it up.
all trimmed ready to sew
Sew your 1/4 inch around the entire thing -- but be sure to leave a small open spot - 6 to 8 inches to pull it through. Don't worry about it -- it really does come together quite well
When you finish sewing around the whole thing -- leaving the small opening -- remove the safety pins -- another tedious job -- do it while watching TV -- if you miss one, you will find it when you turn it rightside out. Now turn it rightside out -- pull it through the opening you left for this purpose.
push out your corners with a tool -- I use a wooden chop stick that is blunt -- I also have one that I sharpened with a pencil sharpener for other jobs -- but be very careful you don't poke a hole in the fabric.
That's it -- the lesson on quilting it -- or finishing the whole thing is next. Iron around the edges, this is kind of like a french seam -- you have to push the fabric out and even up edges as best a possible -- remember, no binding -- but use parchment paper or a pressing cloth or a towel or be very, very careful -- so you don't melt the fleece -- it is made of man made stuff that melts if you iron it.
ONLY IRON THE COTTON.
Be seeing you.
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