Sunday, August 19, 2012

Green Batik Jelly Roll Backing


Since I finished the green batik quilt top for the August FNSI...


... so I spent a little time yesterday piecing the back.


The backing came into being because I have discovered a couple of things about jelly roll quilts using batiks.

1)  Batik jelly roll strips are at least 2" longer than regular quilting cotton jelly roll strips.  {2" x 40 strips = 80" more in length of initial strip... 1600" + 80" = 1680" to sew}

2)  This added length of the JR strips leads to a wider quilt top... not a longer quilt top.

3)  If you add 2" inserts between the JR strips, the quilt top ends up even wider.

In this example, my quilt top was 61" x 64"... almost square.


So, after a little math....  I cut an 11" strip off one side of the quilt top, making the quilt top 50" x 64"... and more rectangular.  I added a strip of the backing fabric to the top and the bottom of the 11" strip... 


...and then sewed the 10" strip to a 68" length of the backing fabric.... thus making it wide enough for to be the backing!  {42" + 11" = 53" wide}


I need to get back to the never-ending hourglass project so this top and back will be tucked away to age a bit and will be quilted when the completed, super huge hourglass quilt goes off the the LAQ.




17 comments:

  1. Pff...math in the early morning... Love the little squares between the stripes and I'm sure this will have a happy end sometimes.
    Warm greetings Roos

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  2. Great thinking 99 !
    I love your quilt too....

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  3. Dr Who fan? “Your life could depend on this. Don’t blink. Don’t even blink. Blink and you’re dead. They are fast. Faster than you can believe. Don’t turn your back, don’t look away, and don’t blink! Good luck.” Clearly that has nothing to do with your beautiful quilt but is clearly one of the scariest episodes.

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  4. Awesome sauce! and then I see Dr. Who and say "RUN!"

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  5. Great idea, Freda! Love the backing and the spacers matching. COOL looking quilt.

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  6. Good to know. A while back, I cut my own strip for a jelly roll quilt but mistakenly used 42 strips. It ended up square also. Haven't done anything about it but trimming one side would be a good solution and saving the strip for the backing is genius. Thank you.

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  7. Lol! I'm glad I waited until after lunch before reading this post. I don't think I would have made it through the math any earlier in the day. Good job, though, and thanks for talking us through the process!

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  8. I love the fabrics of your jelly roll quilt. I've never purchased a jelly roll (or Bali Pop, or whatever), but those colors have really tempted me sorely!
    Very clever fix for your discovery, Freda.

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  9. I love your coordinating the front to the back! A wonderful waste not idea.

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  10. you are so-o cool to do the math, and then SHARE it! I feel like I have cheater notes, lol!
    :-}pokey

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  11. What a great idea! Now I know what I can do with all my strips! Thanks so for the tip and the math.

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  12. Thank you for sharing.
    Lillian
    lillianscupboard.wordpress.com

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  13. I love it Freda! Do you have any suggestions on the amount of time a quilt top should age? I am afraid I have several that have been aging for years. Is it like wine? They get sweeter with time?!!

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  14. Thanks for the tip on extras in Batik JRs! Very clever in making the backing work too.

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  15. Great idea!! Love those Batiks too - so very pretty!!

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  16. I was fascinated and excited reading your post until the "So, after a little math...." part. All due respect, Empress.

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  17. As usual....its LOVELY!
    www.blossombatik.com
    www.blossombatik.blogspot.com

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