Backing

I made it to JoAnn's. Only here a week and I've made three trips.

Do you remember the Orange and Cherry Jubilee quilt? A few months ago I hauled it off the shelf and wondered what to do about quilting it. I decided I would bring it to the States and find someone who did long arm quilting as a business. But then June, one of my blogging friends, offered to quilt it for me if I could send it to her. And this is what I'm trying to do. Buy backing, sew it up, send the backing and quilt to June.

How much backing do I have to buy? As well as we could Marcy and I spread out the quilt and measured. Added extra inches so that the quilt can be secured to the machine... and then figured out inches to yards... I need such-and-such amount of wide backing. I think... (My math is not too good.) Marcy looked at me blankly since she didn't really understand why the needed extra nor what wide backing might be anyway. Kiana got in on the figuring (inches to feet, feet to yards) but she didn't understand either.

Marcy took me to JoAnn's. Only dark blue and brown colored wide backings. Two days later I was at another JoAnn's. Same assortment. Rats. But that's okay! There were all these pretty calicoes and I didn't really mind paying full price since even then they are about the third of the Japanese prices. I picked out something suitable and carried my bolt (and my quilt so that the lady could re-measure it!) to the cutting desk. This is NOT wide backing so I had to double my figures, right?

"Oh yes. You need 5 1/2 yards."

Good, good. Get my big hunk of fabric and I go home happy, stuff it in the washer drier, cut my fabric in half, cut off the selvages and sew it up. Halfway home! Marcy and I lay out the backing and the quilt. NOT ENOUGH FABRIC!

Arrghh! Not only am I not good in math, I didn't even question the fabric lady's calculations!!! Marcy tells me not to panic. All I need is to buy another panel of fabric the same size as the length of my backing. (2 3/4 yards) I CAN DO THIS!!!

Yesterday I went back to JoAnn's, pulled the bolt off the shelf (it's on sale!) and ask for 2 3/4 yards.

"Sorry. There is only 2 yards and 17 inches."

This is the Law of Murphy.

"Give me what you've got."

I also bought fabric scissors since I'd been cutting the backing with Marcy's cooking scissors.

Cut off the selvages. Cut the fabric in half. Sew together. Sew the half to the other backing. Am I done?

Let's check ONE MORE TIME. Marcy and I spread the backing on the lawn and put the quilt down on top of it. IT DOESN'T FIT!!! Lord! What am I doing wrong?!!!

"Tani, calm down! It'll fit! You just need to sew that extra little strip you have over there along this edge."

So I did. And the quilt fits. I think. The backing has nearly as much patchwork on it as the front.

June... I hope you don't think I'm a crazy woman when this quilt gets to you...