All about Quilting B's!

I bet the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “Quilting Bee” is a room full of middle aged or older women seated around the outside of a quilting frame.  All the furniture in the 1930’s parlour or farmhouse living area has been pushed into the corners, and each woman is bent over her area of the quilt, needle in hand busily quilting 8 stitches to the inch.

But we are in another century - almost 100 years later.  Quilting, except for guild meetings, has become quite a solitary thing so when I say quilting B’s - I am talking about Batting, Backing and Binding.  

For a seasoned quilter the three B's are quite often things we  briefly think of in the overall design of the quilt - and them put off until later.  Think of backing? Really?   I haven't even stated piecing yet!

It already costs a fortune in time, gas and fabric just to make the quilt top - so it’s too soon (or too painful)  to think about backing.  Instead, let's wait several weeks or at least until the top is finished and we have paid the visa bill.  Yes, quilting fabric has become very expensive - and don't even get me started on layer cakes or jelly rolls. (Did you know they work out to over $26 a meter?)

Once the quilt top is finished it may take several trips to find just the right backing - unless we decide to use some of the same fabric on the back - if there is any left at the quilt store.  Most of us cringe at that thought because after spending a couple of hundred dollars on the top - it’s hard to fathom putting out another $150 or more on the back.

Then of course we need the batting.  That’s easy!  We can head to the basement or storage cupboard where we have stashed several bags of batting we found on sale at the local craft store.  “I got it ½ price” we think as we look at the bright orange tag on the outside of the bag.  What we forget is that we got it ½ price because we paid the yearly store membership of $50 so we could benefit from the special member sales.  (Maybe it’s not quite as inexpensive as we thought.) And .... news flash... at half price it is still over priced.

Once it is quilted, it now sits, and sits, and sits…… for longer than it should.  Why?  Because we need to cut the binding.  Do we have anything that will work?  Do we have enough?  Do we really have the energy today to cut it, join it, iron it and sew it on?  Wait!  I have not looked at that new magazine I bought.  I can do that instead! 

Does any of this sound familiar?  Let’s take that another look to see if there might be some savings and even some motivation.

Backing:  When you are dreaming and scheming about that next quilt keep, your eyes open for nice widebacks.  Many quilters still piece plain quilter’s cotton together - sometimes in 3 strips depending on the size of your quilt.  It’s extra work - and it’s often much more expensive. For a Queen sized quilt of 90” x 96” you will need three lengths of fabric (at 45 inches wide) 96 inches long.  That is 7.2 meters or 8 yards.  A standard plain quilter’s cotton at $13 a meter brings your cost for backing to $93.60.  And let’s face it when we think we need 6.75 meters - we just buy 7 meters in case we make a mistake. 

Compare that cost to a nice wideback.  Good quality widebacks start at about $25.00 - $30.00 a meter.  All you need for that same sized queen quilt back is 2.4 meters - which comes to between $60.00 -  $72.00.  You just saved between $33.60 - $21.60 and the time it takes to piece your 3 pieces together!  And, if it is good wideback you can use whats left in the front of another quilt - or use it for the binding.  BONUS! (if you use it for the binding you only need to piece 5 pieces)

Batting:  You know those bags of batting…the ones that are all rolled up into a tight sleeping bag looking roll?  Let’s look at the ones that are on sale.  A queen sized batting roll that is 90 x 108 (which is actually too small) is $122.99 on sale for $61.50.  If you bought the same batting off the roll at a fabric store (96 inches wide) you would need 2.5 meters.  I know my pricing is $16.49 a meter - which brings the cost of batting to $41.22.  There’s another $20 you get to keep in your pocket.

Binding: Remember that extra ½ meter you bought for the quilt top? (or the extra leftover from the wide back?)  Once you have cut all your pieces for your top out - cut 9 strips 2 ¼ - 2 ½ inches wide and join and press them in between some of the monotonous piecing.  Keep the finished binding with your quilt top so that it is ready as soon as your quilt top is finished being quilted.

So far - I have saved you well over $40 and your binding is ready once the quilt has been quilted.  That savings is ⅓ the cost of a lap quilt top - your next project!  And when you start it - your last quilt has been bound and not sitting in closet waiting for you to "get around to it".

​So when thinking of your next quilting project - don’t forget about quilting B’s.  Thinking ahead and knowing where you can cut costs can make quilting more affordable again.

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NOTE: If you are having your quilt longarmed by me - you can also save a bundle if you are a PDQ member.  You save half a cent per square inch on all your quilting.  On a queen sized quilt that can add up to $50 savings. 

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