How to Back a Quilt

The first time I done a quilt I was terrified! I always thought they had to be so hard, but they really aren't. So, don't be scared of trying. You CAN do it!!! 

Okay... lets get started, shall we?! The quilt I'll be binding in the pictures is a different quilt than in the above picture, but it's the same process.

You Will Need:

* Your quilt top

* Batting of your choice

* Basting Spray and/or large safety pins

* Backing material

* Painter's tape

You will need to sew your back material together to make one large piece. This all depends on how large or how small your quilt is. Just measure your quilt top and figure it by remembering that most fabrics come in a width between 40-45". And one yard is 36" (If your doing a larger quilt, I would really go for the 44-45" width though) You can also buy backing fabric, which is one large piece of fabric already together for you. 

TIP: Always make you backing material about 4-5" wider than your top on all sides! This is important for the quilting part! 

Once you have your backing material ready to size,  lay it on a hard surface like hardwood/laminate flooring
(right side fabric down). If you have a table big enough, that would work too.

Tape the entire back piece every so far. I do one on every corner and two or three on the sides. Play around with it until it is nice and taunt.

Spray your basting spray on your backing in sections while laying down your batting. Now, do the same thing for the top piece. You should now have a 3 layer sandwich. You can choose to also pin all three layers together with large safety pins. You don't have to do the basting spray and pins, but I like to... just to keep things together a little more.

Now you're ready for quilting, either stitch in the ditch or do free motion quilting.