Donna in Mo

I think I am going to need to piece the backing on the baby quilt I am just finishing. I am not sure how to do it. Do I put a large section down the middle with narrower sections on each side? Or how? This is a quilt for my coming great-grandson.

auntpiggylpn

I always piece my backings! I like the opportunity to put a little more creativity in the quilt. I have done it several ways: 3 strips horizontally, 3 strips vertically and my favorite is adding blocks from the front of the quilt. Here's some pictures

carolaug

You can piece or sew a strip or what I do most of the time is sew my backing into a tube then hold out the seams and cut in the middle where there are no seams...ends of looking like that last quilt backing that is posted.

misskira

I'm working on one now. I used the left over fabric and pieced it in horizontal stripes the width of the fabric. There are probably 10 or so stripes of different widths. Then I am going to cut it vertically about 1/3 over and insert a stripe of solid color to get it wide enough. I am also going to flip the more narrow striped section so the colors run the other way, just for a bit more excitement. Doing it this way I'm using up all scraps from the front of the quilt and didn't have to buy any backing fabric. It's a lap quilt for my 2yo niece.

LadyElisabeth

Good ideas auntpiggylpn. Thanks for sharing them. i used to do that, and am thinking now, I really like your ideas.

spokanequilter

I often piece the backing - either because I don't have enough of one fabric, or if I have extra blocks, or just for fun on kids' quilts. And while you're at it - don't forget the label. I have used extra blocks for labels, or if I've used a panel in the quilt, a section of the panel works well too.

Tartan

I piece the back depending on how I will quilt the front. It is very hard to quilt a sashing line on the front of a quilt and have the quilting line line up perfectly with a center seam line in the back. I try to piece the back in thirds usually so this doesn't happen. I also have purchased the wide back fabric so there are no seam lines. I really like pieced backs and I think my next one will be after a design I saw from a link on QB. She had done two different colours on the back and a cool zipper design down the middle where they joined.

dunster

Sometimes I piece the backing because I have to (fabric is not wide enough), sometimes because I don't have enough of any one fabric to cover the back, and sometimes because I want to use up some stash. As a result, I wind up with many different layouts on the back. Since I longarm my quilts, I try to have most of the seams running in one direction so they can go parallel to the longarm bars, but that doesn't always work out. So, don't worry too much about "how" you piece the back. Just be aware that the seams or designs on the back will probably not line up perfectly with seams or designs on the front, and that may affect your quilting.

Jim's Gem

My backings are almost always pieced. I love to use extra blocks and such! A lot like Auntpiglypn

Silver Needle

Pieced backings are fine. For a LA quilter horizontal is better than vertical. However, exactly centering the panels is not possible with horizontal seams.. Planning for this will give you a happier result. Use 1/2 inch seams with short stitch length after you have removed the selvage.