58 Quiltmaker • May/June ’20
Watch Your QuiltQuilt Back!
by Tracy Mooney
Rayon
Rayon?Youmeanthefabrictheyuseindrapey,
summerfrocks?Yes,that’stheone!Notonlyis it
machinewashable,it is softascanbe.Withrayon
beingavailableinlovelyprintsandbatiks,it’sworth
trying.HerearesometipsfromKarenGibbsofBanyan
Batiksonusingrayonina quilt:
- Washit beforeusing,asit willshrinkslightly.
- If youarequiltingonyourdomesticmachine,
spraybastingworksbest,notpinning. - Ona longarm,justloadthefabricasusual—
it quiltslikea dream!
Cuddle®
Delightfullysoftandcozy,plushfabricslikeCuddle®are
perfectformakingsnugglyquiltsforkids.If youhave
neverusedthisplushknitbefore,therearea fewtricks
forsuccess,butthesmalleffortneededforsuccessis
wellworthit!HerearesometipsfromTeresaCoatesof
ShannonFabrics:- I highlyrecommendspraybasting.
- Cuddle®canbemachineorlongarmquiltedwith
orwithoutbatting. - I usean80/20cottonpolyblendbattinginallmy
quiltswhereI havea cottonpatchworkfront
andCuddle®ontheback. - Usea size90/14stretchneedleandlengthenyour
stitchlengthtoatleast4mm. - If thefabricis notmovingthroughthemachine
well,loosenthepresserfootpressure. - Whenquiltingwitha long-armmachine,the
selvagesshouldrunperpendiculartotheleaders.
Banyan Batiks Rayon. Photo provided by Banyan Batiks. Cuddle®. Photo provided by Sewtopia.
What do you use for your quilt backs? For most quilters, it doesn’t get much stranger than cotton
fabric. For others, fi nding just the right cozy fabric for a child or the perfect way to back an art quilt
leads to experimentation. Here are a few fabrics you may not have considered using to back your quilts
and some tips for using them.