Fast Back!!!

Picking up where I left off last.  I normally face my quilts, but since these are quite small ( 12" square") I decided I could use the method I often use on odd shaped fused quilts... essentially a birthing finish through the sleeve location.  I picked this up years ago from Melody Johnson. It is fast and fun.  Before I go forward... one first squares up the piece just quilted. After that.. I decided on a piece of backing fabric.

The next step will be to reduce the size of the backing fabric to be a hair smaller than the quilted top. If you use the quilted top as a template and cut all the way around it... you will likely make a second cut on at least the top and one side.  The purpose of getting the backing just a wee bit smaller than the top will be evident in a couple more steps.

Now we'll take the backing fabric and fuse a piece of paper backed fusible stabilizer to the wrong side of the backing fabric in a position where a hanging sleeve will ultimately be placed. For now... cut a small slit maybe 1 inch or so  as shown on the photo below.  We'll ultimately come back to the slit later and make it larger for the birthing process... For now, all we want is a spot to later insert  the end of a pair of scissors.  Click on photo for closeup.

The backing fabric will now be placed right sides together atop the quilted top. It is lined up and pinned on all four sides in preparation for stitching a very small seam along all four sides.

I'm stitching all the way around with the smallest seam I can pull off.. generally about 1/8" inch. I usually use my 1/4 inch foot for this.

Once all around stitching is complete we can move on to the birthing process. But first consider if you might want to carefully remove a wee bit of excess batting on the corners.  This tiny removal can help the turned corner be sharper than might have been otherwise. Your call of course... but be careful not to trim too much such that the seam is compromised.

Now increase the size of that slit in the fusible,  leaving the fusible paper in place as you begin bringing the quilt top out through the slit.

Carefully push out the corners...

Reach your hand inside the slit and remove and discard the fusible web paper.

Before we fuse down the slit... I generally use my  iron to be certain I've pressed the backing outside edges such that it is not visible from the front view.

 Time now to close up that slit and fuse it closed for good.  Not shown but at this stage, I worked from the front to add a free motion monofilament outline stitch around the butterfly perimeter.

 You may now chose to add a hanging sleeve placed atop this slit area. No one but you will know the slit is there. ;-)    Cool, eh?  Thanks Melody!!!