This quilt started out so nice. The piecer is flawless. This is my first (and probably last) quilt from her. It is a lovely pattern and great fabrics; wide back. She told me to do whatever I wanted. The quilt top was 89 x 110. She wanted Warm & Natural. I have it on the roll so was worried that the 90" wide roll was true. I cut off a piece 120".
I went to put the backing on and noticed it had a pin in it. In my brochure, I tell customers to put a pin in the top if the quilt is directional. But this was the backing; I had used it before and never realized it was directional. Hmmm.
I loaded the backing (top up) on the take-up roller. I laid the batting and then floated the quilt top on the batting and pin basted. I was grateful for all the extra room on the sides. Don't get ahead of the story, now.
I decided to measure the quilt backing from side to side just to be sure. Remember the quilt is 110" long. I was relieved that it was 112 but with a 3.25" wide selvage. Since there was a little less than 109" of quilting space, I was certain now that this could not be the top and bottom. Otherwise, either the top or bottom would be quilted into the white selvage of this red backing. Shoot, wouldn't that be an awful mistake to make.
I was about a 18" from the bottom and wanted to get a photo of this cool ribbon cross in the 9-patch. The stencil is by Cory Pepper from StenSource; its called C.L Flowing Ribbons. Cool, huh?
As I was walking into the studio with my camera, something didn't seem right but I couldn't figure it out. So I took the photo of the ribbon 9-patch and backed up. That's when I saw it. OMG.
What's wrong with this picture???
The backing is about 14" shorter than the quilt top.
I left a message for the piecer to call me. I know that I can piece more backing on but what a bonehead move. The whole idea of a wide back is to avoid a seam.
I can hear Dawn Cavanaugh's words from class. "Measure the top and the backing".
I'm wondering how long it is going to take me to cross-out the word "Professional" from my business cards.....
I am packing a suitcase right now and leaving town. I'm going to go live in a cave somewhere.
Update 30 June:
Yes I ran out of backing. The quilt was 89 x 110 inches but the backing was 95 x 108. I was horrified. My quilt-buddies on the APQS forum were sympathetic and encouraging. I got lots of suggestions and ideas about how to improve my intake process so I don't make that mistake again. I was surprised at how many other quilters had this happen to them.
Well, the client was very understanding. I pieced another backing piece on the quilt carefully matching up the fabric printed on the pattern. That was more difficult than quilting the quilt. I put the quilt back on the machine and finished it.
The customer was thrilled with the job I did. These photos show some of the motifs I used. I loved the Pepper Cory Flowing Ribbons stencil for this quilt but the scale was not right for this quilt. I used the Pepper Cory designs as inspiration for the motifs I drew up and quilted into the quilt.
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