Hey everyone. Today you're going to learn how to finish a cozy lap quilt with one seamless, extra-wide backing.
Here we go.
The fabric first
This is the Black Earth Cotton Wideback Fabric per yard from Timeless Treasures.
Let's start with the numbers.
It is 108 inches wide.
It is 100% cotton.
And it is sold per yard. You order the length you need.
The color story is in the name, folks. Black comes first. Earth tones sit right alongside it. The tags also call it multi, so it plays well with a lot.
That deep ground does a kind thing. It grounds bright quilt tops. It also calms busy piecing.
Here's why the width matters most. A lap quilt backing usually needs piecing. You sew two panels together. You get a seam down the back. At 108 inches wide, this fabric skips all that. One panel. No center seam. Just like that.
The project: a lap quilt
A lap quilt is the quilt you actually use daily.
It is smaller than a bed quilt. Mine finish at about 50 by 60 inches. That size covers your lap and legs. It folds small on a chair arm. It travels easy to a porch or a game.
This fabric suits a lap quilt as the backing. First, one cut covers the whole back. Second, cotton feels soft and breathes well. Third, that dark, earthy back hides everyday use. Movie night crumbs. Pet hair. Real life, y'all.
You can build the top any way you like. Big squares. Simple strips. A panel you love. Completely up to you. The backing job stays the same either way.
Let's do the math together.
Your finished quilt is 50 by 60 inches. Cut your backing 58 by 68 inches. That gives you 4 extra inches on every side for basting and quilting.
From 108 inch wide fabric, that is easy. The width gives you the 68 inch direction. The length comes off your yardage. Plan on 2 yards. You will have extra width left for binding experiments or a matching pillow.
If I can do this, y'all can do it.
What you need
- 2 yards of this wideback fabric for the backing described above
- A finished or ready-to-quilt lap quilt top, about 50 by 60 inches
- Batting cut about 54 by 64 inches
- Binding fabric: about 1/2 yard, cut into 2 1/2 inch strips
- Thread to match, safety pins or basting spray, ruler, and rotary cutter
- Your sewing machine with a walking foot, if you have one
Brief steps
One. Press your quilt top well. Press the wideback well too. Square up your edges before you cut.
Two. Cut the backing to 58 by 68 inches. Lay it right side down. Smooth it flat on a big table or clean floor.
Three. Center the batting on the backing. Center the top on the batting, right side up. Check that backing sticks out all around.
Four. Baste the three layers together. Pin every 4 to 6 inches. Start in the center. Work your way out.
Five. Quilt it your way. Stitch in the ditch is a great start. Echo your main shapes if you want more. Or do a simple meander, freehand. I quilt these at a relaxed pace, about 8 to 10 stitches per inch on my machine setting.
Six. Go slow at thick intersections. Slow down or the needle snaps. Ask me how I know. Shorten your stitch a touch there if it helps you travel cleanly.
Seven. Trim the extra backing and batting even with the top. Join your 2 1/2 inch binding strips. Sew binding on with a 1/4 inch seam. Fold it over and finish it by machine or by hand.
Tips from my table to yours
Measure twice before that first cut. Wide fabric is forgiving, but only if you start square.
Test your thread on a scrap sandwich first. Dark backing can show every tension wobble. A tiny test saves a lot of seam ripping later.
Trim a little at a time at the end. You can always take more off. You cannot put it back on.
Here's your permission beat, and I mean it. Your quilting lines do not have to be perfect. A wobble in a meander still holds a quilt together. You're your own worst critic. Take your time. It's not a race.
We're not reinventing the wheel here. One wide backing, no pieced seam, a quilt made to be used. Super duper cozy when you pull it over your knees.
Alrighty. Thanks for sewing along with me today, folks. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Black Earth Cotton Wideback Fabric per yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
