Thread: any ideas for a quilt back?

I am making a quilt for my niece who is expecting in early February. I was expecting to have until December or January to finish my quilt, well surprise she is coming to town this weekend and so the shower is this week. So I am a little pressed for time. I made D4P from the fire truck fabric with red from that same fabric line and I am pleased with how the quilt top turned out. I used the stripe fabric to make the prairie points. I was going to try to applique on the back a fire truck or something in the firefighting family... but I am not having any luck. Its probably me and because I am trying to rush... anyway I have given up on the applique back because I don't have much time left. BUT since I had the idea of doing something special on the back, now the back feels boring and naked just plain. Does anyone have any ideas how I can put a little interest on the back of the quilt? without being too complicated. I do have some of the solid teal that is the background on the fire trucks as well. I just have no ideas right now

Check out quilt backs on Pinterest for some inspiration. Sometimes just piecing leftover fabric from the front looks good. Maybe an applique of a helmet? Seems easier than a fire truck?

I can't think of too much if you don't want to applique. Do you have any of the firetruck left? You could add even a little bit to your solid, down in a corner or across the top, depending on the amount. Add some of the stripe too if you have any.

I have no ideas for you, but I want to point out that if you wanted to take longer to finish it, you could "give" her the top, and then take it back and finish it the way you had planed. I am sure she would be just as pleased. I know I would.

Dina

I thought this also. Would give you time to find a backing you really like.

Originally Posted by Dina

I have no ideas for you, but I want to point out that if you wanted to take longer to finish it, you could "give" her the top, and then take it back and finish it the way you had planed. I am sure she would be just as pleased. I know I would.

Dina

Just an idea...why not key into the white ladder on the print? You could piece a white ladder into/onto the back quite easily. Would make it interesting and wouldn't take long to do.

I like the ideas you guys have.. maybe I will practice with a fire helmet. It should be easier. I found some clip art with an axe and helmet... is an axe too much for a baby blanket?

What fabric are you using for the back? Do you have enough of the stripe to do a 2"-3" band across the back? You could make the fabric above the band one thing, and the fabric below the band another. That stripe would certainly jazz up a quilt back.

I have some of the solid red, to match the red in the firetrucks. That is a good point.. I could put the red for the top half then a strip of the stripes and then the teal.... if it all looks good together