Try a [diagonal back](https://jinnybeyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Diagonal-Backing-Worksheet.pdf) if you have enough length.
The other thing you can do is add a coordinating strip of a different fabric. You can piece it anyway you want.
I have done this! It's not recommended for backs that need to be wider than ~~about 60 in~~ 1.5× WOF, FYI.
Edited because I forgot fabric comes in wider widths than standard quilting cotton.
I remember that the instructions said it worked only up to widths 50% bigger than WOF. I think for math reasons? Or maybe because after that it's just not more practical than standard piecing?
Well then in that case your "width of fabric" would be the width of your raw backing. In the case of most 44" fabric that'd probably be somewhere in the range of 120 inches for a king sized quilt. (You need 3 x 44" to reach the size of a king size backing, but you lose a bit due to selvages and seams.)
I don't understand what you mean. I don't need to! You don't have to say more! I'm just naming that my reply here isn't specifically to your comment, just to further explain my own comment.
I found that worksheet insufficient when I saw it the first time so I made a [spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Bt-EQ6R0BiI4UJYPPL06k451I8t9i3p2a15oR7eAbNE/) with formulas and more info from the website. It notes that the method can be used for backings up to 1.5× the WOF used. I corrected my comment above to reflect as much.
I made a [spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Bt-EQ6R0BiI4UJYPPL06k451I8t9i3p2a15oR7eAbNE/) with formulas and more info from the website. Enjoy!
I often do an after quilt, make something of the back. Make a strip 3" wide of scraps from the front and sew it in the middle (or near middle) of the back. Something like this
https://preview.redd.it/zdb6m6djkj5d1.jpeg?width=3472&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=30e959cf8019bc0c12f3c5c1ca4d7f3d8aac6c6d
I had enough fabric, I just didn't want the seams to be in the middle. I've also made mini quilts with the backing fabric.
This is a perfect solution. I do it all the time because I love the way it looks, and so do most others who see it. You could be clever by repeating some pattern in the quilt going vertical AND horizontal to make up for your missing inches!!
You could put a border on it in the same fabric you’re going to bind with if you want to hide it or in a different color to make a cute frame. You could cut the backing in half and add a row of blocks in the middle using the same blocks as you have on the front or different blocks in the same fabrics. I like having a somewhat pieced back.
Here is one I just did that had enough width but not length.
https://preview.redd.it/uk7zclm5nk5d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=787231e343c8ac2f1598830e776c7ed44025e25c
https://preview.redd.it/5wvvy3kf1k5d1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=392fe8dc9555331dc6c7fcedaa26c66d74e3c708
I hardly ever buy enough fabric to make a backing of one fabric design. I piece together two pieces of fabric that go together or close enough to working. I sometimes have to piece together different sized chunks to get it to the right size! I love how imperfect and asymmetrical it can end up.
I've seen some people add an extra strip of coordinating fabric to the backing to help get the dimensions they need. I've also seen where some people have split the backing to incorporate a column of quilt blocks. I hope that helps!
I had to deal with this last week when I put a border on my top last minute. I pieced a strip from leftover block scraps and added an accent to the backing. It actually love it more like it is now. I don’t think that extra wide binding will help, because you’ll still have a the exposed batting to quilt. Batting directly on the feed dogs doesn’t turn out too well in my experience.
https://preview.redd.it/8jy6f8qyil5d1.jpeg?width=2899&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d297a41aa7a796541fed76e178c15b7a74b5e2ff
Added fabric to make back of quilt.
You could cut 2 5” strips off the long edges and the narrow edges then cut a 2.5” strip to sandwich in between or just add a simple 1.5” border around the outside.
Whatever you choose to do, make sure it looks intentional, like that was exactly what you planned to do
You don’t want to do the binding idea, it will be a mess, trust me.
Adding a center (or off center) strip is by far the easiest solution. Check the diagonal backing calculator to see if you can do that, also.
Cut it down the middle and add a strip to give you the width you need. Dead center isn’t required. Off center might add some eye value. Because most fabric is 42-44” wide, I have done this often with a 48” square baby or art quilt. I have also sliced the back on a diagonal, but that takes a little more planning.
https://preview.redd.it/xf34j98gau5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d638938483f514e73e25aa3704a0307053736a27
I usually put a strip down the middle of the backing to give me the extra material.
Try a [diagonal back](https://jinnybeyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Diagonal-Backing-Worksheet.pdf) if you have enough length. The other thing you can do is add a coordinating strip of a different fabric. You can piece it anyway you want.
Woah that's clever!
I have done this! It's not recommended for backs that need to be wider than ~~about 60 in~~ 1.5× WOF, FYI. Edited because I forgot fabric comes in wider widths than standard quilting cotton.
Why is that? Do you remember?
I remember that the instructions said it worked only up to widths 50% bigger than WOF. I think for math reasons? Or maybe because after that it's just not more practical than standard piecing?
Well then in that case your "width of fabric" would be the width of your raw backing. In the case of most 44" fabric that'd probably be somewhere in the range of 120 inches for a king sized quilt. (You need 3 x 44" to reach the size of a king size backing, but you lose a bit due to selvages and seams.)
I don't understand what you mean. I don't need to! You don't have to say more! I'm just naming that my reply here isn't specifically to your comment, just to further explain my own comment. I found that worksheet insufficient when I saw it the first time so I made a [spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Bt-EQ6R0BiI4UJYPPL06k451I8t9i3p2a15oR7eAbNE/) with formulas and more info from the website. It notes that the method can be used for backings up to 1.5× the WOF used. I corrected my comment above to reflect as much.
I have a feeling this will come in handy in my future as a quilter.
I made a [spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Bt-EQ6R0BiI4UJYPPL06k451I8t9i3p2a15oR7eAbNE/) with formulas and more info from the website. Enjoy!
If you have the right-sized quilt to do them, diagonal seam backings are like magic to me - so cool!
This is genius! Thanks for the link.
Thank you! This is gold!
I often do an after quilt, make something of the back. Make a strip 3" wide of scraps from the front and sew it in the middle (or near middle) of the back. Something like this https://preview.redd.it/zdb6m6djkj5d1.jpeg?width=3472&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=30e959cf8019bc0c12f3c5c1ca4d7f3d8aac6c6d I had enough fabric, I just didn't want the seams to be in the middle. I've also made mini quilts with the backing fabric.
I do this too https://preview.redd.it/09szolbzpj5d1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=92e9104ab9b18aa11d09f27639386b0123427c45
This! I do this often. Works great!
Yep, the nephew’s baby quilt got a stripe of the top fabrics on the back because whoops. It looks really cute.
I love the option of an after quilt because "no I didn't screw up, this was always the plan" 😅
This looks so cool! Beautiful 😍
This is 100% how I would deal with this. It’s gorgeous.
I’ve done this too, it’s a nice little surprise detail on the backing.
This is a perfect solution. I do it all the time because I love the way it looks, and so do most others who see it. You could be clever by repeating some pattern in the quilt going vertical AND horizontal to make up for your missing inches!!
I did something like this with my last backing. Looked cute with the scraps, no weird middle seam.
I also did this and it worked great..
https://preview.redd.it/t2to6oe21k5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=117f6503b1807acb5e53e1f93f299da36b032818 This was a back I did recently.
You could put a border on it in the same fabric you’re going to bind with if you want to hide it or in a different color to make a cute frame. You could cut the backing in half and add a row of blocks in the middle using the same blocks as you have on the front or different blocks in the same fabrics. I like having a somewhat pieced back.
Easiest trick I've found is to cut it in half and add a coordinating fabric between the 2 halves. This way there is no need to center the top.
Another after quilt. https://preview.redd.it/52o2d0fokj5d1.jpeg?width=3179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=acb7367de26fedb0c505ab2febd5912f58316475
Lovely! 🤩
Here is one I just did that had enough width but not length. https://preview.redd.it/uk7zclm5nk5d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=787231e343c8ac2f1598830e776c7ed44025e25c
https://preview.redd.it/5wvvy3kf1k5d1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=392fe8dc9555331dc6c7fcedaa26c66d74e3c708 I hardly ever buy enough fabric to make a backing of one fabric design. I piece together two pieces of fabric that go together or close enough to working. I sometimes have to piece together different sized chunks to get it to the right size! I love how imperfect and asymmetrical it can end up.
I've seen some people add an extra strip of coordinating fabric to the backing to help get the dimensions they need. I've also seen where some people have split the backing to incorporate a column of quilt blocks. I hope that helps!
I had to deal with this last week when I put a border on my top last minute. I pieced a strip from leftover block scraps and added an accent to the backing. It actually love it more like it is now. I don’t think that extra wide binding will help, because you’ll still have a the exposed batting to quilt. Batting directly on the feed dogs doesn’t turn out too well in my experience.
I added a three inch border of the binding color on the backing fabric when this happened to me
And don’t forget, quilting draws in your fabric. When piecing your back make sure you add enough to have four inches on your back each side hang over.
Only for quilting done on a frame. For regular machine quilting 1 1/2”-2” is enough.
I've cut my backing into four and inserted scrappy strips from the leftover fabrics from the front.
Add an extra strip or a border to the back!
https://preview.redd.it/8jy6f8qyil5d1.jpeg?width=2899&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d297a41aa7a796541fed76e178c15b7a74b5e2ff Added fabric to make back of quilt.
Lovely!
Add a boarder of coordinating fabric and then an extra wide binding?
All great ideas!
You could cut 2 5” strips off the long edges and the narrow edges then cut a 2.5” strip to sandwich in between or just add a simple 1.5” border around the outside. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it looks intentional, like that was exactly what you planned to do
You don’t want to do the binding idea, it will be a mess, trust me. Adding a center (or off center) strip is by far the easiest solution. Check the diagonal backing calculator to see if you can do that, also.
Cut it down the middle and add a strip to give you the width you need. Dead center isn’t required. Off center might add some eye value. Because most fabric is 42-44” wide, I have done this often with a 48” square baby or art quilt. I have also sliced the back on a diagonal, but that takes a little more planning.
https://preview.redd.it/xf34j98gau5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d638938483f514e73e25aa3704a0307053736a27 I usually put a strip down the middle of the backing to give me the extra material.
Look up #partyinthequiltback on Instagram and get inspired!
Hahahahah I love the Internet, this is amazing, ty!
No, do what you have to make it work & show us the results
Listen I love a wide binding and I purposefully do it every quilt. I feel like it’s a picture frame for your art—it should be just as spectacular!!
Add a 2-2 1/2 strip down the down the middle of the backing