Muslin backdrop too wide, need advice!

The current setup I have can only take 8.5' wide backdrops. For seamless paper I don't have a problem because I can cut the paper but any suggestions on cloth or muslin backdrops that are too wide? I am looking at some muslins but they only come in 10' and I need to chop it down to 8.5'... any ideas?

Thanks

Why do you need to cut it? If you don't want to drape it with folds in it, just pull it tight and clamp the edges to the backdrop stand pole. unless I'm missing the obvious here???

Foggy wrote in post #11550830
The current setup I have can only take 8.5' wide backdrops. For seamless paper I don't have a problem because I can cut the paper but any suggestions on cloth or muslin backdrops that are too wide? I am looking at some muslins but they only come in 10' and I need to chop it down to 8.5'... any ideas?

suecassidy wrote in post #11552016
Why do you need to cut it? If you don't want to drape it with folds in it, just pull it tight and clamp the edges to the backdrop stand pole. unless I'm missing the obvious here???

Don't push the horizontal support pole through the looped end. Merely drape the muslin over the pole with the sides of the muslin folded in. That way you don't have the extra material in the way. Use spring clamps to fasten the muslin to the pole every couple of feet along the pole.

Clipping the sides of the muslin to the vertical support poles also makes a lot of sense. I do that quite often. I use spring clamps which are often sold as woodworking clamps.

Ah yes thank you both! I always looped it through the horizontal bar (that's why I could never fold it shorter). Never thought of putting it over the bar (which now I can fold it to any shorter length) then securing it against the vertical bars. The spring clamps you're talking about at hardware stores - are those also known as A clamps?

Thanks

Foggy wrote in post #11552985
The spring clamps you're talking about at hardware stores - are those also known as A clamps?

The type of spring clamps I use are in the center of this web page from Bessey.