Backing Fabric with Print not Straight

[kbaumbusch]

Hi, so if someone brings you backing fabric on which the print doesn't line up with the straight of grain, I've just been tearing it to get it straight for my leader zippers and let the print fall where it may.  Usually the print isn't very far off that you'd notice, but sometimes it is.  Does anyone here cut the leader edges to get a backing print straight, and just go ahead and put it on the longarm very carefully so as not to stretch it?  I'd be afraid it would end up stretching in the act of advancing the quilt and put a wrinkle or pleat in the back as I quilt it.  I tear the backing fabric as Angela Huffman advises in her longarm videos because that way I know the leader edges are straight and parallel.  Most quilt shops don't tear but cut the fabric so I end up asking people to get extra beyond what I need for the longarm, just in case I need to get it straight, but I find that most people either can't or don't want to pay for any extra.

If this doesn't make sense, let me know.  Thanks!

[HelenS]

The following video toward the end may help with your problem. 

 

[jimerickson]

I sew it the way they bring it to me.  That said, typically I pin the selvedge edges of the backing to the leaders so that I know the take-up leader, and the backing leader will be parallel.  That mostly avoids cutting flaws.  Jim