MY SUDOKU LAP QUILT (PART 2)

I hope you saw part one of my sudoku lap throw.  If you didn't, you can link HERE .  I was really pleased with the quilt top but had no idea what to use for the backing.  I wasn't sure how I was going to machine quilt it, but I felt that I really didn't want a seam in the backing.  The problem with that was the quilt top was 49-1/2 inches square and most material is only 42 - 44 inches wide. Even though I am anxious to get it made, I didn't want to just settle for something. 

Last Saturday my husband and I went to Leavenworth to the Leavenworth Wild West BBQ Contest.  Leavenworth has a quilt shop called The Quilters Quarters that I have shopped in many times with my quilting friends.  After we checked out some antique shops, I told my husband I wanted to see if the quilt shop had anything that was 52 inches wide that I could use for the backing. Turns out they had several prints that were 105 inches wide....half being batiks.

I really only needed a "fat half" but was so pleased with one of the prints, that I decided I would splurge and get it.  (Since I only needed half of it, I have enough to use for another project.)

After washing it, I gathered my materials together and went to the church to use the tables in the room that Blankets of Hope uses.  It is so much easier when you have a surface area big enough for the entire work.

I pressed just the half I would be using and then spread it out on the two tables that I pushed together.  I held the backing down with strips of masking tape so that I would be sure the material stayed taut. Important:  Since I was using a batik and it has no right or wrong side, it didn't matter how I laid the material on the table.  If you are using a print that has a right and wrong side, remember you will lay the material down on the table right side down.)

I have to share this tip I learned when I moved here and joined the Hope Circle Quilters (part of the United Methodist Women's group).  Use bed risers to raise your work table so that it is a more comfortable height for you to work.  Trust me your back will really appreciate it.

Once I had the backing taped down on three sides (the other half was hanging off the side of the tables), I laid my quilt top down over it to see where I needed to cut off the excess.

Then I cut if off leaving a little extra

Then I taped the fourth side down.

Removing the quilt top, I laid the piece of batting that I was going to use down smoothly on top of the backing matching two edges...

I cut away the excess batting to match the edges of the backing. Since this batting stays in place with the fabric, I didn't tape it down.

Now I carefully laid the quilt top down smoothing it out with my hand centering it on the other two layers.

Now I was ready to pin the three layers together using large safety pins making sure I went through all layers.

Since I didn't know for sure how I was going to machine quilt the lap throw, I just pinned the safety pin in the center of each square.

Removing the tape I had holding down the backing....I folded it all up to take home to eventually machine quilt it and bind it.









I hope you are finding this tutorial informative.  It has been written for the beginner, but I always appreciate any feedback I receive.  

I am finished with the machine quilting and binding.  You can continue with the tutorial in part 3 HERE.