lildinks2013

To those who use flat sheets for backing, what so you do with the edges of the sheets? Do you just leave them on and cover over them with a border on the back side , or do you cut them off. What about the border on top of the sheet?

KenmoreGal2

I cut everything off so all I have is a huge piece of regular cloth.

barri1

I use sheets all the time, especially flannel. I cut off the edges, and the top. They work really great.

Jeanne S

I usually cut off all the hemmed edges of the sheet now. When I first bought sheets to use as backing I picked out all the hem stitching and iron it flat--it did give me more fabric--but I decided it wasn't worth the time to do that!

ontheriver

Same here. For family and friend quilts I almost always use sheet for backing. Less expensive and no one has ever complained.

cheryl222

I also cut off hemmed edges unless I need the extra fabric....then I take out stitching. Since a lot of them are chain stitched it goes very quickly. And if it isn't, if you carefully slide a seam ripper it will come out easily. I have found out that many sheets are not square, so I make sure to do that before I put it on my frame.

PaperPrincess

I unpick the hem if I need the additional fabric and as cheryl222 mentioned, many sheets are not on grain, so I tear the edges off to make sure I wind up with a large piece of straight fabric.

crashnquilt

When using sheets for backing be sure to check the thread count of the sheet. I use the 200 thread count sheets. Any thing above that will be difficult to stitch.

Sewnoma

I have only used old sheets as foundation for foundation-pieced crazy quilts, and I just rip them up to get my squares.

But by doing this I have DEFINITELY noticed that most sheets aren't on-grain, some have been really far off!

mountain-moma

I to pick out all around the sheet with my best friend the seam ripper it gives you a little extra fabric that way and make sure it's square up evenly