Saturday, August 28, 2021

Backing Fabric

It sometimes happens that what looks perfect online might not look exactly the same in person. Take, for example, this fabric.

Madison Square, by Paula Barnes for Marcus Fabrics

It is Madison Square, by Paula Barnes for Marcus Fabrics.  I bought it online at Whittle's.  (Gosh, they are a fast, efficient company.  I ordered it on a Saturday night and it was in my hands 3 or 4 days later.  No affiliation, just a happy customer.)
Madison Square, by Paula Barnes for Marcus Fabrics
In person this fabric's colors are somewhere between the two photos above.  I'm never sure what to expect when I buy fabric online so I remind myself that the fabric will probably work for its intended quilt but might not be perfect.  (But heck, who needs perfection, anyway?  And is there really ever perfection when human hands create something?  There's so much more character and interest with imperfection, right?)

I bought six yards of this fabric.  It will become the back for this quilt, Cheddarback.

Cheddarback

The original quilt and quilt pattern are called Cheddarback because the fabric on the back of the original is a solid cheddar color.  I never envisioned using that color for the back of this quilt.  It was simply the name given to the original by Gay Bomers of Sentimental Stitches who hosted a quilt-along almost two years ago.

When I saw the Madison Square fabric it almost shouted at me, "Use me for Cheddarback!  I belong on her."  (Does that ever happen to you, that a fabric tells you it wants to be used for a particular quilt?)  To me it has an old-fashioned look that seems to fit the quilt.  I think the fabric will be okay.  There's enough brown in the quilt that the brown in the backing fabric won't stand out as odd.  And the red flowers will work because of all the red in the quilt.

How to quilt it?  In the original it looks like the blocks are quilted on the diagonal at about 1½" apart and the sashing is quilted the same distance apart but in the opposite direction.  The quilter made sure the quilting lines met where a large block meets the sashing, but sometimes the sashing lines are not 45-degree angles.  The quilter adjusted the quilting so the lines could meet.  You can see detailed photos of the original here, and below is Gay giving a tour of the quilt and showing some of its features.  You'll see that the quilter must not have used masking tape to mark the quilting lines because some of them are slightly curved. 



I may change my mind about how to quilt it once it's in the hoop.  We'll see.

This will be my One Monthly Goal for September:
  • wash, cut, sew, and press the seam for backing 
  • layer the backing, batting, and quilt top, the pin baste, and 
  • begin quilting

I'm linking this post to the One Monthly Goal September Link-up at Elm Street Quilts.  Thank you for organizing and hosting, Patty.

--Nancy.


28 comments:

  1. oh i agree...the backing is perfect for the quilt...and yes it does occasionally happen to me as well..caveat: know thy stash...LOL

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    1. Thank you, Grace. Oh, I like that caveat. Sometimes I find hidden gems because I can't see all of my stash easily. (That's not to say that I have a ton of fabric, just that it's not all out in the open to see.)

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  2. I like your backing choice as well. I also started Cheddarback over 2 years ago, but it was put aside when other priorities and projects demanded my attention. I hope to dig it out again this fall. You did a great job with yours! I love comparing your fabric choices to mine and look forward to see your quilting progress. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Thank you, Pat. I'm sorry you weren't able to finish Cheddarback. It's sometimes hard to keep up with a quilt-along when we don't know what's coming in the future. I hope you can finish it. Are you on the Cheddarback Facebook page? (Or now I think she's switched over to a Sentimental Stitches page on FB.) Anyway, I'd love to see photos of your fabric choices. Do you have a blog?

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  3. It's a pretty backing fabric and will be perfect for your quilt.

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    1. Thank you, Pat. I hope I still think it was a good choice by the time I finish. In truth, though, we don't often see the back of a quilt.

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  4. The backing fabric is lovely. My Cheddarback quilt top is in the queue to be quilted next. But you will finish before me because I've got at least two more months on Sweet Land of Liberty before I can start. (I was just going to just quilt around the applique but all of a sudden it's getting more intricate hand quilting. I'm my worst enemy.) I have got some blue floral fabric picked out for the backing of mine. I know that sounds weird but it is a print that is faded-looking and appears old so I thought it would work. I'll look forward to your postings about your progress. Are you going to change the name of your quilt because is won't have a cheddar colored back. I've already changed the name on mine.

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    1. Thanks, Robin.  I'm not so sure I'll finish quilting mine first.  I'm a really slow quilter and don't spend a whole lot of time at it each day.  (Sore fingers, etc.)  I can imagine blue on the back of Cheddarback.  I thought of pink but didn't see any I liked.  I think I'll probably change the name since there's no cheddar on the back, but no name has yet come to mind.  It's such a busy sampler quilt.  Ideas?

      I'm looking forward to seeing more of your Sweet Land of Liberty and the quilting you're doing on it.  It sounds like you're willing to decide as you go.  I'm sure it will be wonderful!

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  5. Love Whittle’s. And the prices are amazing. Great fabric.!

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    1. I know, right, Jennie?! Sometimes they get great collections in which they seem to announce early in the morning, before I'm awake, and I see them late morning or early afternoon when there is only a yard or two left. But they have great buys on great fabric!

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  6. It's a really sweet print and will be perfect as your backing (and you will have long strips left over). I really like the Cheddarback quilt! Good luck with the quilting!

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    1. Thank you, Cynthia.  I think I will need lots of patience quilting Cheddarback because of all the seams!

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  7. Perfect choice! I think I suggested another print from that group when you were mulling over using a PINK backing. This one however is perfect.

    I like the rather naturalistic curves and oddities of the original quilting, which no doubt long predates the modern use of masking tap. Baptist Fans would be nice too?

    love

    lizzy

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    1. Thank you, Lizzy. Maybe not perfect but it will do. I remember you sent me a link for the pink fabric. I realized I couldn't do an all pink fabric when I saw it (though it was beautiful and I'm grateful you took the time to send it).

      I like the natural lines of quilting, too. They might have used pencil at the time she quilted but I can't imagine using a pencil to mark Cheddarback just because of all the seams. I'll have to find 1½" making tape!

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  8. Your cheddar back quilt is beautifull and the backing fabric is lovely.

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  9. Lovely fabric choice and good luck on achieving your goal.

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    1. Thank you, Karen.  I think it's doable barring any unforeseen challenges, emergencies, etc.

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  10. Yes the backing looks good with that. I agree buying things online can be tricky but backings seem to have a little more flexibility at least--but, of course, you have to buy them in large amounts and could get "burned"...aye, there's the rub! Good luck on your goal.

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    1. Thanks so much, Cheree. I'm trying to get used to online shopping.... I love seeing and touching the fabric in person before I buy, but when there are only two quilt shops with slim offerings, it's hard.

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  11. Yes, I have had fabric that yelled to be in a quilt or on the back. Perfect choice. Happy quilting.

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    1. Thank you, Deb. I think this is the first time a fabric claimed a quilt. Usually it's the quilt that makes the claims. Haha.

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  12. That is the perfect fabric for your backing. I'm glad you listened. I have a friend who also was impressed with how quickly her orders have arrived from Whittles.

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    1. Thank you, Terry. I'm glad I listened, too. It's hard (for me) to find quality fabric at a good price for backing. It takes so much! So Whittle's prices are perfect and they usually have a good selection.

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  13. I think you have made a good backing choice. I like my backings to be in the general area of "matching", the quilt top, but not necessarily exact. So many of the old quilts had a backing of whatever was available. So I feel a bit more free to go a little out of the "perfect match" realm.
    Your Cheddarback quilt is a beauty, for sure!

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    1. Thank you, Janet. I'm like you and don't feel the need for exact matches for backing fabrics but I do like to keep the style similar. I think the maker of Cheddarback used whatever was available. I really can't imagine choosing cheddar as a first choice for that quilt.

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  14. I never worry about what's on the back of a quilt matching the front. You don't often see them at the same time anyway.

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    1. That's so true, that we usually see the front or the back but rarely both together, Susan.  As I told someone else, I don't feel the need for them to match but I like them to look like they belong together. 

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I appreciate your comments and look forward to reading what you have to say. Thanks for stopping by.

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