The backing for a quilt needs to be at least 2-3" inches bigger than the quilt top on all sides. I say this with love. I understand that sometimes you buy the end of the bolt at a shop, or you were planning on quilting the quilt yourself and things just didn't pan out. Please contact me prior to dropping off your quilt if you are under the 2-3" requirement on all sides.
This is ESPECIALLY crucial for any quilt over 60" x 60".
*If you are under the 2-3" requirement - it would be extremely helpful if your backing seam is horizontal. Additionally, if your quilt top borders are pieced correctly on your quilt - aka not wavy, that will help tremendously.
**If your quilt is right around 40-41" wide, please contact me, because sometimes I am able to squeeze what I need to out of the backing if you do not trim the selvages - and sometimes I would prefer having less than 2-3" if it means no seam in the backing.
When your backing is not big enough, that leads me to do one of two things. #1. Calling you and asking for more backing or #2. To hand hold your quilt at the edge of each row I quilt to make sure the quilt is flat, and that the machine doesn't catch something it shouldn't. Holding the side of a quilt, waiting for the machine to stitch on and off the borders/edge of the quilt, when first starting a row can be very stressful. Both costs me quilting time during the holidays, which may sound rude ... but if I spent an extra hour on even 5 quilts during the week, that could lead to not quilting another quilt, which is not fair to other quilters that have properly prepared their backing.
Below are images of why I need to hand hold the sides of your quilt ... typically I use the black clamps. But if there is not enough fabric, the clamps will be in the way of the foot. You can see that is also raises up the quilt because the clamp is hitting the throat of the machine below when it gets too close to the clamp from the lack of backing as well.
Part 2 will be released in the next few days - that will include topics on selvages, pressing and how to piece your backing.
~Ashley