Episode 105: Selecting and Piecing Quilt Backings and Dealing With Mistakes While Quilting

In this episode, Billy shares a new email for the podcast where listeners and viewers can send all of their listener quilt photos and listener questions to be answered on the podcast. The email is [e-mail]. Sherri and Chelsi then discuss all things quilt backings. They share some of the things they consider when selecting the fabric for their backings and what size fabrics they prefer to use. They also discuss how they deal with mistakes they make while quilting.
Show Notes Blog Post: www.aquiltinglife.com/?p=29227
Cozy Earth: cozyearth.com/
Cozy Earth 35% Off Sitewide with the code: AQUILTINGLIFE
New Podcast Email Address: [e-mail]
Magnolia (Quilt on the Wall): tidd.ly/3M0M5oN
Summer Slice (Quilt on the Table): tidd.ly/3OgtnxB
Flowers for Emma (Behind Billy): tidd.ly/48Z8tve
Garden Stars Sampler (On Far Wall Above Sewing Machine): tidd.ly/3qLszYh
Heart of the Home Quilt Video: • Heart of the Home: Ame...
The Sticky Roller: thestickyroller.com/
Heartfelt Quilt Pattern: shrsl.com/4fkm7
NOTE: Some of the links provided here are affiliate links.
Where to Find Us:
Facebook: A Quilting Life with Sherri & Chelsi: / 459389991531728
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Music:
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[@jackiearagon1268]

I have a simple 1/2 square triangle with my husbands favorite football team AND I gave to him for Christmas and I had the same sort of issue I did not realize one of the triangles is upside down and when he opened it and was loving it Christmas morning he noticed the block and told me, I did not fix - BUT the funniest part is my best friend wanted a quilt with same fabric and design SEW I was happy to do and AGAIN made it, had it quilted and sent off for his birthday and when he sent a picture of him with his quilt my husband says UMMMMMMM you did it again LOL same block was turned. My hubby says it’s my signature.

[@LikesQuilts]

Really enjoyed watching this morning! I had to laugh with Chelsi when she said she would have put the mistake in a box, That's exactly what I would have done! I'm off to play in my "Strawberry Lemonade" and will be eager to see your new collection. Thank you for all the inspiration!!

[@tamarahenggeler4491]

Donna Jordan did on a video demonstrated how to correct a quilt block on a fully completed quilt of hers. I believe a unit within a block was turned the wrong direction. She chalked on the backing the quilting lines so she could match it perfectly.

[@LakesideQuiltmakingArts]

Whoa!

[@helenpeddycord2241]

It was a video worth watching when you find such a mistake that stands out! Donna is a great piecer💕🧵

[@Carol_Sews]

My mother had a half-square triangle turned wrong in one of her wall hangings and in one of her quilts. She noticed when she was hand quilting. It was too late to make any corrections. Now that she’s gone, those tiny mistakes bring back memories of her. I have the wall hanging on my bedroom wall, and I look for that turned HST often.

[@terrieberly8109]

Always love your videos!! Billy could you maybe walk us who are technology challenged through the process of making a playlist that you talked about today. I look forward to watching more of your videos and reading your newsletters. Happy Quilting to you all!!

[@jillianbelan8946]

Funny you have hung up the Magnolia quilt. I have been hoarding my Strawberry Lemonade bundle and am trying to decide whether to do Magnolia or the SAL starting soon. Maybe it’s a sign 😅. I always try and take a picture of my quilt top when I finish it, and it’s amazing how any mistakes jump out before it’s too late to fix them.

[@debranorris4331]

Good morning Sherri, Chelsi, and Billy!! Thank you for another great podcast!! It's always a bright spot in my day!! I love the family dynamic and find myself laughing outloud many times!! Especially Chelsi with her seam ripper!! I wanted to share my latest quilting mistake with you. I am working on my UFO's this year and finally finished your TOGETHER pattern using Sincerely Yours Fabric just a few weeks ago. I was soooo happy and it was beautiful!! I took a picture of it to send to my daughter and when I looked at the picture, I noticed that at the bottom right corner I had turned the sashing for the last 2 rows the wrong way!!! The borders were on and everything!! :{ My old eyes didn't see it until I looked at the picture! I knew I had to fix it but I had to walk away for a day before tackling it. The quilt is beautiful now and I'm so happy !!! Thanks again!!!

[@user-cr1mm1ys8e]

Glad to see the three of you back together. Chelsie Billy did you well. While you were out

[@irisuhde7635]

Thanks for showing my quilt! Sometimes it is easyer to let somebody else open it up.Older Kits,your mom or a quilting friend.😊

[@carmenbailey1560]

Love the scalloped edges on your quilt behind Billy, definitely a very feminine look. A course all quilts are beautiful, and always look forward to your videos. Thanks for sharing with us. 👍❤️🙂

[@patriciamartin5026]

Hello. I am also fairly new (about two months) to A Quilting Life and love the Podcasts and Saturday Seven which I have pinned. Have made some of the free patterns and also purchased a mini quilt. I live in South Africa, the tropics and quilts are too hot so I sew small projects related to sewing, quilting and embroidery. Enjoy your journey and see where it takes you. Take Care.

[@pampeterson3092]

I liked your conversation about making a mistake. I look at my quilts as handmade, and I am human, so they are not “Perfect”. Most the quilts I make nobody will ever know if there is a mistake in it. That being said, if I make a mistake and I catch it, I will try and correct it. Like many people, a quilt I made my husband has a HST turned the wrong way. I call it my humility block and that quilt has been well used.

[@sandikae7682]

Ooooo, a large floral wide back, what a great idea. I really like Sherri's idea. Hope that dream is fulfilled in a future collection. I loved the wide back in Favorite Things.

[@BrendaH289]

I’ve been watching since your first podcast and I have to say it’s so refreshing to see how you have opened up and are so comfortable doing this! I love everyone of your patterns and Chelsi just keeps getting better with her color selection and design, they are all so beautiful!♥️ Thank you so much for all you do.

[@susanott1264]

I'm a newbie and learn so much from these video/podcasts. I love your collections so much and was only able to find a fat eight bundle of Strawberry Lemonade. Looking forward to your next collection.

[@creativecats4682]

Fingers crossed for some navy and blues in the new collection. 😊

[@kellyholtz8830]

I made pillow cases out of the cheater print. Love them!!

[@dalairem]

Wonderful episode, as always! Thank you! And oh my gosh, I am SO with you on the sashing mistake! I feel you so much! In my case, I was, yes, multi-tasking, and I was tired, and not in the best mood, and so I forgot the cardinal rule of "pinning is winning" and grumpily ploughed into the sashing full throttle. Halfway through, I saw that my columns were off--by an inch! 😳 I literally had to put it down and walk away, I was so upset with it and myself. Thankfully, I recover from myself quickly and well, and I have an excellent seam ripper (seriously, it's worth the extra dollars to get a good, well-balanced ergonomic ripper #carpaltunnelisathing ), so together, we had an delightful afternoon of picking and ripping, re-securing that half of 82" square inches and, finally PINNING before sewing the sashing and rows. I'm just about to send the FO to the quilter, nice and even and with me much happier, but this otherwise easy quilt turned out to be a chore. LOL! I'm eager to see Friday's installment and to get a sneak peek at the new collection. I have no doubt I'll be in love all over again. I am just now plotting out my Strawberry Lemonade medallion quilt, but I'll have a good amount of my half-yard bundle left over.

[@helencowen135]

I generally do a pieced backing using leftovers from the top & will piece a label into it as well. I find it great to help control scraps

[@LakesideQuiltmakingArts]

Billy! I so appreciate your drill-down line of questions!! As a newbie it really helps! Chelsi! I LOL’ed with you about the seam ripper relationship. I have to say though that it’s improved a bit since getting the white clover one. It’s finer along the shank and at the tip than anything I’ve used before. Love watching you guys! Keep on keeping on! You’re all so inspiring 🤍🎉🙏🏻

[@tenawolfe6863]

I did a Brighton Star Foundation paper pieced quilt by Jacqueline de Jonge. Which is a crazy detailed quilt. All put together (finished piecing), and found a mistake, so I decided to aqqliqued the correction over top of the piece. I even had it judged and no one noticed or didn’t comment at least. It was a secret till now!

[@kimhensley4543]

Wonderful show! I have some of the hexagon cheater on order, but I wish I ordered more. 😀. Pretty please, do more 108” wide backs. 💕

[@kathycantu4050]

Omg😂😂 “mom would have been like oh I’m fixing this🤣 Chelsea-- I’m putting it in a box🤣🤣🤣. I’m like mom I’m fixin’ it but I need a break first. You guys had me crack up🤣🤣

[@lynnetteodonnell5557]

Hello I first have to say I never miss your podcast! It’s full of information to apply everyday into our Sew life plus a bonus of many smiles and laughs! I wanted to comment on the Sticky Roller thanks to my daughter for letting me know about this product. I have a Long arm business I absolutely recommend this to all quilter’s. This roller is the key to getting your quilt clean. It picks up every fiber, along with hair. Easy cleaning just with dawn and water and ready to reuse in seconds. Quilters check it out you’ll become a fan too!

[@veraroyce6678]

I made a quilt that was supposed to be a Carpenter's Star with flying geese all around the border, I pinned, numbered the blocks as I was sewing (something I normally do not do), after the top was done I went to lay it out on the floor to take a picture of it and seen that there was no Carpenter's Star... I was not going to take it apart, so I sent a picture to the designer and she loved it, I finally got it quilted and bound and I love it...

[@elainekelley6358]

Love you Chelsi-"I would have put in a box!" so funny. I knew you were going to say that. So much fun watching you all.

[@marlynblack6701]

I had the long armer call me to make a correction because of a block turned wrong. She did not notice it until she had the quilt on the frame and partially quilted. I looked at the quilt a million times before sending it to her and was so thankful for her good eye. It has only happened once and hopefully won't happen again.

[@jayneterry8701]

That ended on a fun 😂note when Chelsi said about her mistakes..she'd put it in a box! Billy had a good laugh at that too! 🩷☺️

[@hazelaffleck1255]

Chelsi is so real and naturally funny!!! Love you three!

[@user-cr1mm1ys8e]

lol❤❤❤ Chelsie when she asked about all the fabrics and the grey you said yes wait maybe no!!! Like you wanted to take back to keep it!!!! Sounds like me and my daughter. Lol

[@ThirdStoryThreads]

Something we always like to tell our customers and quilty friends, "it'll quilt out"...once something is quilted, so many of those small mistakes just disappear and often times, the errors we see are because we're being hard on ourselves vs what someone else saw. Thanks so this video!

[@susanremillard2839]

Thanks for another great podcast, I love how you're so different in the way you work, I also enjoy the banter between the three of you.

[@donnamom6158]

I’m sewing and listening to your conversation about finding errors. I looked up at my design wall - happy that i had the blocks all done and lo and behold, a leaf is backwards on an apple…. I’m just laughing at them coincidence. .

[@brendawall7846]

I received a charity quilt from the lady who was doing them for the charity group. The quilting was so horrible I cried. Even though it was only for charity it was not being given away the way it was. I picked it out, every stitch - it was an extra long twin. Then I sent it to a friend to have it re-quilted.

[@mariawells8026]

What a terrific video!! Loved how you spoke about righting an error in sewing, how thoughtful you are and attentive to listeners questions, etc. Great job, and of course, gorgeous quilts in mouth watering fabrics!!

[@Thatsewchick]

I’m so excited about the new collection!!!

[@helenpeddycord2241]

Love wide backings! I’ve noticed a bit more available with some of the new lines.

[@annecosgrove2133]

I appreciated the viewer question about how to follow your content. You produce so much - fabric, patterns, other project ideas, block of the month, and supporting other quilters and their work. Both of you must have incredible physical stamina to do all this work. My advice is buy some fabric you like, get some patterns, and just keep plugging along. I started purchasing Simply Delightful to make Happy Go Lucky, and saw the Emma fabric and was like a raccoon in a corn patch. I just finished Country Home, and now I’m off to the races. (too much to list here.). Everything is so pretty! I stopped to finish some UFOs, too.

[@JulieBlakley5362]

Love your podcast!

[@maryannnations2993]

I always say that I’m “ perfectly imperfect “ and so are my quilts. I try to get them right but seems like there’s always something, I tend to lose points a lot-grr. I just did Corey Yoders Lamb quilt and after I was finished I noticed one of the tails is going the wrong way! Makes it unique and I’m ok with that! Mine are definitely unique!❤️

[@kime4738]

Chelsi, you crack me up! "I'd put it in a box!" 😂 Can't wait to see your next collection on Friday!!

[@avamariadavis3591]

So enjoyed today’s podcast. I always learn something new and today’s show had me 😂 so hard at the end. Looking forward to the new fabric collection this Friday. Wonderful job and such a beautiful connection between the three of you. Have a great week.

[@judyolson8902]

I am excited to see the new Fabrics ❤🪡🧵

[@adrianajimenez6827]

Gorgeous bordes quilts on grandmas quilt 😍 and beautiful colors in Magnolias ❤

[@gomezpnp]

I am sooo happy to learn about those tools. I was just going to order the tape rollers on Amazon today. Love all three of you!

[@PattiMac00]

I started cutting out the Heart of the Home in Bountiful Blooms. I pieced one of the stars and am so in love with this fabric line.

[@cathylloyd9225]

I cannot wait for Friday!! Yay! I love everything you all do for quilters! I've starched and ironed all my Strawberry 🍓 Lemonade 🍋 and it's ready to cut into...I'm doing Summer Slice!! Thank you for another great video!! ❤💛💚❤️

[@karenkennedy7516]

Love your podcasts. It’s so great how you all work together.

[@karenmccleary7616]

So excited for Friday ❤

[@KateDillonTV]

"I would have put it in a box!" I laughed SO HARD! You guys are the best!

[@blairseibert1778]

Thank you for sharing that you make mistakes!! Another lovely podcast!

[@marykauffman3686]

Thanks! Another great Podcast!

[@denisegomez755]

I made this one pattern 3 times ( several years apart) and it wasn’t until the third one I realized the other two were wrong. The mistake was consistent throughout all the blocks, so I didn’t notice it…. (Neither did my long armer)What I realized, I had printed the pattern in black and white, so I couldn’t tell the difference between the medium print and the dark print and I had flipped them in every block. When I made the third one, I don’t know why, but I made them the correct way, and when I laid everything out, I was shocked to see the true pattern. So I just say I created my own pattern on the other two (as they had been quilted and gifted.) Now I print my digital patterns in COLOR!❤

[@ird645]

Those pickup rollers are fantastic. I bought my first one about 15 years ago at our county fair and several since. Can't wait to see the new fabric.

[@michelleolsen2358]

"I would have put it in a box." LOL!!

[@pamelacrooker9274]

I made four quilts for my granddaughters one year, each with a different pattern. As I was giving them one more look before going to the long armer, I noticed 3 of the 4 had a minor error. I was early in my quilting journey. I decided to leave those mistakes in to see if anyone else noticed. This was about six years ago. No one has ever mentioned them. If they did, I would have said it was intentional, my special touch. It’s important to understand that none of us is perfect.

[@kathleenfangmeyer7574]

Great episode thank you!!

[@coribeckett7400]

FQS has ordered a reprint of the cheater print. It is supposed to be here next month. 🎉🎉

[@suemccarthy1335]

I just picked 60% of a quilt that bottom tension was not to my satisfaction ( it took a complete week). I’m so glad I did.

[@azucenabelier5203]

experience does not matter. what matters is how much care and attention you give to what you're doing here and now

[@susanbenedict6988]

I'm making Summer Sky 2 and got a block finished the other night and realized one of the sq in a sq blocks was turned wrong. My favorite thing to tell my self is Now you know that quilt wasn't mass produced! My descendents can look for mistakes in my quilts for decades after I'm gone!

[@Sylvia907]

For me with mistake big enough to change I take apart than take a break At return I start again

[@dawng7173]

How long have you been on? I 💕 your programs I am very happy 😊to have found you. Keep up the great job. I watch on Utube

[@jennystrahley927]

🤣Chelsea you crack me up! I enjoyed today's podcast, especially the part about mistakes. It's amazing how a flipped hst can slip past us. I've had that happen on 2 different quilts and didn't notice until after I had finished with the quilting. It's frustrating but it happens. I shopped my stash and have picked out fabrics for APQ's Heart of the Home sew along. I'm using Favorite Things to sew along with Pat Sloan and Wendy Sheppard each month to make Wendy's Christmas All Year Long quilt. Both starting in February. I'll be busy, but mistakes or not, I'll be having fun!

[@claudiamonchmeier3595]

There are no mistakes!!! There are happy accidents which help us learn more and develop. ❤

[@deidrapowell8762]

Please consider a pieced version of flowers for Emma. I don’t epp and want to make something like this. Love yall!!!❤😊

[@margienell4401]

I subscribed to the APQ magazine.. but still haven't received it... but I have this month's issue downloaded. I hope to join the quilt along.

[@beckyb8808]

Love that Magnolia quilt, just busted into my Seashore Dr half yard bundle to make the Confetti Hearts pattern from MSQC. Thinking I'll have enough left for Magnolia

[@tashachannel4085]

Could a list be made of all your magazines articles/patterns? I enjoy your podcast! 🎉❤

[@susiekaiser1]

Great video. I hope you are feeling okay Chelsi. You didn’t seem to be your usual vibrant self. I’m excited to see your new fabric collection.

[@nikkiwilliams3147]

I have had a few quilts where a ran out of a fabric and had to "Franken piece" my scraps together to make it work. You can not tell in the finished quilt so I will do it again and again!

[@sharonoconnell9687]

I put my order in for the large bundle. Thanks

[@cweirich40]

So funny! Put it in a box!

[@Thegrandmarose]

I found a mistake in the middle of a quilt after I had quilted it on the longarm. I had even put a pin in the mistake before it went on the longarm! I hung it on my wall for a week to see if it bothered me. It did! I unpicked the quilting, unpicked the block, replaced it by sewing it by hand and re-quilted!

[@LynnFry-xm9nm]

I love the family interaction 😂

[@indebquiltshop9609]

“I would put it in a box” 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Chelsie you are sooo funny!

[@marlahanks7278]

I laughed so hard 🤣🤣

[@marykauffman3686]

I think the 60 wide fabric redone in the new collections would also make a great backing fabric. I’m always on the lookout for great backing fabrics 108 I ch

[@deborahbyrne4692]

I’m doing Red White &Blue!

[@CarlaSell-fl2hr]

Love all the collections, but such a hard time to get my hands on any of them!!!

[@SheriA2462]

“I would have put it in a box” 😂

[@teresatierney4817]

Depending on the quilt and the mistake, a fix might be to add an appliqué on top!

[@jaynaraymond9574]

“I would put it in a box!” 😂😂😂😂 I died laughing when Chelsi said that!!

[@susanauckerman9153]

Can you use a darker thread when quilting on the back and light on the front?

[@louanncox1446]

Yeah! another collection! I am srill not done wuth strawberry lemonade

[@kathyburns1676]

Thanks so much for another great podcast. I like the suggestion to sign up for the newsletter to help you find what works for you in the blog. I've been to the Quilting Life webpage but can't seem to find where to sign up for the weekly newsletter. Can you add a link to the podcast notes? Thanks so much.

[@CheapEngineerCrafts]

Question on the roller: Does it work long enough to clean, say, a lap quilt top? Bigger? In between rinsings. I’ve tried similar rollers in the past and I’d need a dozen to clean what I want. Too long to wait for it to dry.

[@user-cr1mm1ys8e]

Mom’s they are the best

[@rebeccasewing]

It would be fun to use 10" squares or even fat quarters but into larger squares and sew them together for a backing. All-over quilting would work and it would become a reversible quilt. I'm not one to just throw a bunch of random sized scraps together for a backing. I guess it's okay for maybe wall hangings or table runners/toppers where the back isn't seen. However, on a quilt that is going to show the back at times I'd rather have something that looks pleasing. I'm with you, though, by the time I get to the finished top the idea of pieceing the back isn't desirable for me.

[@kathyvancamp]

I purchased 2 layer cakes of Strawberry Lemonade and have decided I would rather sew the "Heart of the Home" quilt with it. Can I make that work?

[@hugg724]

Hmmm, interesting how the Magnolia quilt is almost identical to the Fireworks pattern by thimble and blossom.

[@laurabair8155]

Love that Magnolia quilt!! One thing- don’t you just pick out the seams - not Un pick it? If you unpicked it you wouldn’t do anything ?? Just semantics

[@100proofquilter]

I call my seam ripper the divorce lawyer... because I've married the seams and not I have to divorce them LOL

[@LakesideQuiltmakingArts]

😂

[@coribeckett7400]

I have 2 seam rippers. I call one Jack (aka Jack the Ripper) and the other one Todd (aka Sweeney Todd). I love the divorce lawyer. May need to use it. ❤

[@BAM-jc7uy]

Sticky Roller Question.....if debris is rinsed off in sink will the the debris from the roller eventually plug-up in the drain pipes???

[@elsafischer3247]

Where could I find the magazine where you have the log quilt

[@Slay_slay13]

Ugh- I just finished a spool quilt & noticed (after framing it out, too 🫣) that a couple spools are turned the wrong way. I think I’m gonna leave them 😂 🤦🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️

[@ShannonDAntonio-ul9iq]

Do you prewash all your reds, navy’s and purples in your quilts? I would love to make a red and white quilt but if I need to prewash, I’m not sure that works with fat quarters.

[@vikkivanveldhuizen2290]

Pick it out and let’s go!!! My points don’t match, I pick. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

[@peggybunch409]

Hi to all. I am enjoying your show. I don't know what a podcast is and how do you access it. Also just because you are retired does not mean you have more time. I know you didn't mean anything bad when you said it. I thought when I retired I would have more time to do what I wanted and it's not so.

[@Tlea064]

Oh yes that one little block would bother me!

[@elsafischer3247]

I tried to buy the American quilting magazine for April, but is almost impossible. I live in Switzerland