DoryJM Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 At this point in my illustrious longarm career , I have made the decision to carry backing for my (fingers crossed) many clients. I know that Sew Batik has their program, which I am very interested in; however, until my millions of clients are banging down my door, I think I\'ll just go with muslin to start. The closest LQS to me is anything but "L." They are all over an hour away. For those of you that offer muslin backing, do you carry the 108" wide and what type and where do you buy it. Also, are you able to get it wholesale? I do have my business license, so that\'s an option as well. Final question--for those of you utilizing muslin backing, do you choose your bobbin thread to match the muslin or just go with the same thread that you have on top? Thanks, everyone!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hi Dory. Good luck with your new endeavor. It sounds like you will be the only game in town. As far as bobbin thread goes, I believe that most quilters use the same thread in the bobbin as in the quilt top. The quilt top is the star of the show, after all so that thread must match the front. With so many potential problems with tension with some threads or tight turns, pokies are just part of the deal. In order ot minimize that, I would use the same thread on the muslin backing that I have onthe front. I would hate to use a pale thread on the muslin and have it pull thru to the fron where I was quilting the top in a green or blue, for example. A friend of mine has Sew-Batik. She has placed a couple of orders and likes doing business with them. Their samples are just yummy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Since there is no "L"QS for you, carrying wide backers is a good idea--but make sure that you advertise that fact in all your business information. Otherwise you will hear "Oh, I wish I had known--it would have saved me so much time and gas money". Definitely buy wholesale and sell retail--don\'t undercut the LQS. You aren\'t competing with them, just offering it as a convenience to your customers. Do you offer batting? That is a big deal for me--At least half of my customers don\'t bring batting. I only offer two types and only on the roll. They pay by the inch and get all trimmings back. As far as matching the thread to the back, it depends on lots of things--tension, customer preference, your confidence, what\'s on the front. If you have no thread changes on top, my advice would be to match the top and bottom. The back will be a pretty wholecloth when you finish. I have good luck with King Tut or Signature on top and a neutral "close match" of BottomLine in the bobbin. The bobbin thread is so thin it will be less obvious but still show on the back. So if I use a green on top, I will use sage or taupe in the bobbin. It works pretty well and occasional pull-through on either side is very hard to see. A good thing! I hope this helped a little. What fun to be trying all these new things out! Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoryJM Posted June 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Unfortunately, its not a very big town;) Luckily, we do have quite a few quilters and make a number of "cuddle quilts" that I\'ll be quilting at no charge for awhile. And thanks to Nancy Jo\'s posts, I\'ve also signed up to do some American Hero Quilts. I love Sew Batik, but think I should wait til I have some income instead of all outgo with the cash flow!! I\'m still working full time, but hopefully not for long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seakitten Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I thought about the Sew-Batik program; they are very nice and the fabrics look great, but they have a minimum wholesale order. I brought it up to our guild & got a pretty lukewarm response (of course they had not seen the fabrics), so decided to wait to see whether there was a demand. So far (bear in mind I have only had my longarm a few months) there has not been any call for it. My LQS does not carry wide backs, there is a discount fabric store that carries the muslin. So far, I have had only one customer bring in the muslin (I did not like it very much), most prefer to piece their backs, & no one has asked me to supply a back for them. If you get it, keep us posted; it might be popular if more people knew about it. As for thread, I like to use the King Tut varigateds for the top; they are beautiful & people love them. I use So Fine in the bobbin, picking up one of the colors in the King Tut, hopefully one that goes well with the back. It usually works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizziesgirl Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Dory, I order from Checker Distributors and really like their service but you may find a source closer. I carry Roc-lon muslin 108 and 120 for those big king quilts. I have a small (12x24) quilt shop because our local shop was over an hour away and gas prices the way they are I thought it might go well and it does for the size. I don\'t have my longarm in there but I have good variety of fabric. Maybe you might want to start a shop. There are pictures of my shop on here under the Round Robin box link. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Dory, I don\'t carry wide backs, but wish I could. How about Christian Lane Quilts...isn\'t that the name?? Google it and see what you get. They have all kinds of wide backs, and I have read others say they like the price. My LQS is going out of business...I need to open a shop in my basement....just don\'t have the energy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasewsit Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 HI!! I too am wondering about the top and bobbin thread. I am going to be doing a quilt that has a muslin back. the front is cream , red, and navy blue. I want to use the 3 different colors on the top. is it ok to use the same thread color on the bottom as the top on each different place? I am afraid of white (cream colored pokies coming up to the top on the dark colors of the material? How should I do this? thanks! linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoryJM Posted June 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Thanks for all your help and input. Sheryl, I\'m looking at Checker Distributors now to see what they have. Some of the ladies in my guild and myself are looking at possibly opening a shop in 2010. In fact, if I\'m not making enough money (with my retirement factored in) to quit in 2010, I\'ll hopefully be able to quit anyway and with my LA, working at the new LQS and my retirement be able to make it. If not, the horses and dogs are just going to have to get paper routes!! I can\'t find your Round Robin link... Mary Beth, I looked at Christian Lane Quilts and unless they offer wholesale, they seem rather expensive. $35 for a queen sized "fatback." I did look at Hancocks of Paducah--they have muslin 108" wide at $3 for a half-yard. I\'m going to get some of that to see what quality it is. I don\'t plan on offering any type of printed back though...just muslin. If nothing else, I\'ll have practice pieces forever!! Linda, I\'ve been practicing on my Millennium using various prewounds and home-wound bobbins on the bottom with different colors/thread types on top. I have been able to adjust my tension and haven\'t had any "pokies," so it can be done!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLM Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Here\'s a link to Marshall Dry Goods http://www.marshalldrygoods.com/store/ they carry several kinds of wide fabric. Janet Mohler Colorado Springs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoryJM Posted June 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Thanks, Janet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 About matching top and bobbin thread. I don\'t alway use the same thread in the bobbin as I do on top. I use prewounds and sometimes they are "close, but no banana!" Never mind....Anyway, the quilt I did today had So Fine #408 - Silver on top and White prewound bobbin on the bottom. You couldn\'t see the thread poking up and generally that is the way it goes. I might try a variagated on top and a thread that matched the back. This all being said....I don\'t like a solid back. So I really hate muslin, bleached or unbleached. But....maybe that\'s just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoryJM Posted June 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Mary Beth, How come you hate it? Just because its boring, or do you not like quilting it? My understanding with Sew Batik is that you can buy only what you need at wholesale as long as you carry all their samples (I think they cost $70). Until I get a few serious customers though, I won\'t be doing that. People from my guild are actually starting to call me--its very exciting!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lym95 Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I have purchased material regular and wide back from Marshalls and am pleased with the quality and don\'t believe you can beat their prices very many places, discount or other. I am with Mary Beth, I am not liking solid backs, I think the back of the quilt should look as pretty as the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 When the back is solid all your quilting imperfections show. Now, that being said, if you have no imperfections you are in great shape!! Also, When you have a pine tree green top and a muslin back, what color of thread would you use? That\'s the part I hate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmyhogan Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Dory. Bev and I buy lots of wiide muslin at Fabric Depot here in Portland. Here is a link to a page for muslin that is 108 inches wide. If you sign up for their email fliers they will let you know when they have special sales. Often have 40% off sales. https://www.fabricdepot.com/index.php?page=ProductPage&pageid=12488 The phone number is on the page. Don\'t hesitate to call them if you have questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katydids Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I use Checker Distributors too and like the Henry Glass Solids. I stock the tan, cream, navy and white. The quality is very nice, heavier than muslin and the stitches just sink into it. I LOVE solid backs as the quilting really shows and you have a nice wholecloth quilt on the back. The price is very reasonable and I believe it compares to the muslin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenMcManus Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I asked this on another thread, but since it is about backings, I\'ll ask it here too. Does anyone use Kona Cotton for backings or is it too stiff? Jen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoryJM Posted June 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Thanks, Jim. That\'s one of the places I\'ve been dying to go to. I understand their store is HUGE! I\'ve e-mailed them and they\'re sending me samples of their two 108" wide collections. Nice people. Patty, who makes Henry Glass Fabric? I tried a search for Henry Glass on their website, but got a zillion pages with all sorts of things made from...you guessed it...glass!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katydids Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Dory, Henry Glass and Co. are the manufacturers. Here is the link to it on the checker site. http://www1.checkerdist.com/ax_commerce/shp_browse_L4.cfm?categoryPath=34138.34203.34468 If that didn\'t work go to www.checkerdist.com then click on the fabric link, then wide backings, then Henry Glass. You might try EEschenk too since you are on the west coast and I think they are in LA. Checkers price is 4.30/yd wholesale. I don\'t know what www.eeschenk.com charges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoryJM Posted June 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Thank, Patty. I\'ll follow your links!! I love the quilts on your website. They\'re beautiful!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasewsit Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Thanks Dory and Mary Beth! I guess I will put a dark practice piece on and try the cream bobbin to match the muslin and the darker threads on top.... see if I can get my tension......JUST RIGHT:P linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocoholic Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 EESchenk is actually in Portland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnHenry Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 DoryJM To narrow down your Google search, use double quotation marks [align=center]"Henry Glass" fabric[/align] That way you will keep the two important words together and will only get \'glass\' when it comes after \'henry\'. Without the double quotation marks, you will get every web site in the world that contains the words \'henry\' and \'glass\' and \'fabric\'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsbishwit Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 When I first started I carried muslin for backings of customer quilts, bleached and unbleached and didn\'t have any problems with thread pokies. Then it was brought up on this website and guess what, I started having some, LOL some how I think that if you don\'t think it would be a problem then there\'s a good chance that you won\'t and if you are in fear of a problem being there then that is usually when it is confirmed. Any ways this past year I have stopped stocking backings and batting because the shipping on them was too costly for the amount that I was keeping in stock and if I would have raised my prices then I would have been more expensive then the local shops. Wasn\'t worth the hassel for me. With 5 kids, a husband and 2 dogs in the house there is not much room left over to house a lot of extra stuff. As is my business already consumes my living room and dining room. If you can justify the cost (to carry it) and have room to store it then try it and see the customers reactions to it. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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