Brick Road Sew Along: Week 5

Sorry for not having this post ready this morning....long, fun sewing weekend=tired Jamie!

 Let's get started! This week is backing/basting!

 

 

Backing:

1. Get your 4 yards of backing fabric and cut in half so you have 2-2 yard cuts (44" X 72") and cut the selvedges off.

*NOTE: If you want a scrappier/pieced backing look, you could use 4 different 1 yard cuts!

 

2. Then, take the 2-2 yard cuts and sew them together along one 72" side.  You will have one long 72" seam sewn where the selvedges used to be and have an approximately 72" X 82" piece. Press seam.
*I pieced my backing to show you more colors of the RJR Crazy for Dots and Stripes fabrics, but as long as you have a backing piece at least 72" X 82" you'll be fine! Here is a photo of the RJR Crazy for Dots and Stripes fabrics I used: I LOVE THESE DOTS!

 

 

Basting:

1. Find a big open hard floor area to baste your quilt; you might need to move some furniture around.  I usually move my kitchen table to use the big hardwood floor space!

2. With your backing fabric wrong side up, spread out on hard floor and smooth out wrinkles. 

3. Using painter's tape, tape around the edges pulling the backing fabric tightly and making sure there are not any wrinkles or puckers.

(Sorry, it was hard for me to get an entire backing picture because it's large and I'm short)

(Ozzie wanted to show you where to tape to the floor)

 

4. Then, spread batting out on top of backing fabric, smooth out any wrinkles and tape around edges.

 

5. Next, spread quilt top on top of batting and smooth out any wrinkles.

I don't tape my quilt top, because then I can adjust it while pinning if needed.

 

 

Pinning your quilt:

*There are many different ways to in your quilt, this is my method!

What I use:

I like to use curved safety pins with Paula Jean Creations covers on them, these covers make gripping the safety pins so much easier.

 

 

I also like to use a Kwik Klip, this bad boy saves my finger tips from being sore while closing the safety pins and makes basting so much faster in my opinion. You can find more information about these products on Paula Jean Creations website!

 

1. Using curved safety pins, baste your quilt together every few inches making sure to catch all layers (backing, batting and top).
*I like to pin more rather than less to make sure I don't have any puckering while quilting. But it's your call on how much you pin.

 

 

Ok, that's it on backing and basting! Come back next Monday for a machine quilting tutorial!!  Any requests on designs? 

And make sure you add photos to the Flickr Group!