DL Semmens Posted October 15, 2011 Report Share Posted October 15, 2011 I have searched for a thread or document that has instructions on squaring up. I haven't had much luck this morning finding one. Does anyone have a document that they share with their customers on this topic. I have had 10 backs in a row that have not been square, and I am thinking it is time to educate my customers. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolinequilts Posted October 15, 2011 Report Share Posted October 15, 2011 Deb - here is an article on how to do it: http://www.backsidefabrics.com/howtosqupyob.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted October 15, 2011 Report Share Posted October 15, 2011 i use wide backs and just rip the non-selvedge edge to make it square, and pin the selvedges to my leaders. i can't remember who showed me this, but has worked every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busy Quilting Posted October 15, 2011 Report Share Posted October 15, 2011 I try whenver possible to pin a slevedge to to the rear roller and wind it onto this first. Then when it is near the very end if it is crooked on the front backing roller, then I Red Snapper it on with an uneven line ( but the quilt top is straight). I Just mark where the sknniest part of the backing is with the quilt clips on the top roller and pins between. There have been some backing that have been really off. If I had tried to square them I would have ended up short. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted October 16, 2011 Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 I prefer to start with a backer (if it is one-piece) that is completely on straight-of-grain. This can be accomplished by tearing from selvedge to selvedge, as Meg advised above. Tearing is very necessary with wide backs, which are prone to being wound on the bolt crooked. If they are rotary-cut off the bolt they are invariably a parallelogram, never a square or rectangle. If you load without tearing or squaring somehow, your usable width of backer is reduced significantly--never try to skew the quilt to fit the backer--that way lies madness! When I purchase wide yardage I request that they tear the fabric--not cut it. Many bolt-ends will have a "tear only" sticker on wide yardage placed by the manufacturer to remind the clerk that the fabric may be on the bolt crooked and to protect them from having to replace a bolt. It is then the store's responsibility to give you a straight piece of fabric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ETownsend Posted October 16, 2011 Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 If I am reading the responses correctly, for the wide backs, you are pinning the selvedge to the rollers and not the end that you tear? So this would mean that the lengthwise grain is parallel to the rollers making the quilt back on the crosswise grain...right? Do you cut off the selvedge edge before you pin it to the leader? Just asking...I work like the devil to square up the back and inevitably I am always off some. Can never figure it out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyLake Posted October 16, 2011 Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 Could we have a pros and cons discussion about tearing or cutting backs? I was surprised to hear so many of you say that you tear the back. I was taught never to tear fabric, because it will stretch the edge out of shape. I recently experienced this very thing when loading a wall-hanging backing that had been torn on one side. The torn side swooped down between the rollers, while the cut side did not. I was able to take up the uneveness by rolling back and forth. I was taught to square up a back by cutting, load it, and then roll back and forth until the fabric is even. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DL Semmens Posted October 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 I guess my main problem comes when some one has pieced pieces together to make the back rather than using a wide back. I get them where one piece is an inch to 3 inches longer than the opposite side. So I don't start with a true straight line. And of course depending on their level of sewing there is some fullness in one side or the other. I just really don't want to be responsible for cutting their backing. Caroline thanks for the link! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted October 16, 2011 Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 @ linda - BRILLIANT idea to ask the shop to tear it...i ALWAYS learn something from you! thanks for being so generous with you time and knowledge. @ joan - tearing does stretch the side a little bit, kind of giving it a wavy edge. it doesn't stretch so far into the back that it gets into the actual fabric that goes onto the quilt. just the side parts that i use to test my new bobbin tension on. also, i am a very slow tearer....don't just RRRIPPPP it, carefully & slowly tear it. @deb - for pieced backs - which i have only done 3 of, i use the method described in caroline's link. of course, i do not quilt for anyone other than myself and some very easy going friends. linda will have a better answer for you guys who are professionals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted October 16, 2011 Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 Originally posted by ETownsend If I am reading the responses correctly, for the wide backs, you are pinning the selvedge to the rollers and not the end that you tear? So this would mean that the lengthwise grain is parallel to the rollers making the quilt back on the crosswise grain...right? Do you cut off the selvedge edge before you pin it to the leader? Just asking...I work like the devil to square up the back and inevitably I am always off some. Can never figure it out! I pin the selvedge to the leaders. I should say, I pin ABOVE the selvedge edge. I place the inside edge of the selvedge at the outside edge of the leader so my pins are on the regular weave of the fabric about a quarter inch. I have found that this works fine with no worry about that stiff selvedge distorting the regular weave. I have demo-ed loading a backer without squaring up. I think I will share this again on a new thread. It is quite a different loading technique and works so well for me I have gotten very quick at it. I will post later today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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