I made quillows for 5 GSons Using sheets and material. They took a beating. The oldest was 23 at the time. 4 out of the five was a football team theam. Where I used mateial they are wearing,where I used a sheet it is still perfect. This is on front and back. I have since made quilts with sheets for backing. I allso take out the folded seams on sides and bottom. You can see where it has been squared up by doing this,and gives you a little more to play with. The back as a whole piece doesn't have to be as precise as the front. The less thread count the softer it is,but you dont want to get one that is to loose.
If you can afford the material you are lucky. But I am on a fixed income. A caregiver for my 82 yr. almost blind mom. MY husband is handicaped. So When ever Walmart has a sell on Flat Sheets, I go for it.
I dont hand quilt yet,only machine, but I did tie the Quillows. It wasn't that hard.
I think it is preference and income. I have pic. will post another time.
Bonnie

I now get my flat sheets at thrift store, been washed and are usually 99 cents. Bottoms wear out first so find a lot of tops. I started by hand quilting now am trying to learn machine quilting.

Our foremothers [is that a word] usually used any thing and everything so we all do what is good for us :D

I am an almost totally hand quilter and I will not use a sheet for the back. I have enough trouble with my hands without trying to quilt on a sheet. I watch for when Joann's has their half price sale on their clearance fabrics and buy their better cotton remnants that have at least six yards. I have several boxes of backings in my stash just right for backing the quilting for hire I do. I might use a sheet for a child's quilt or something else small that I machine quilt just because it will wear well. My husband will not sleep under a sheet so I have a rather good supply of flat sheets for various projects just from the sets we purchase for our own use. This past Christmas I used some of them to fashion personalized pillowcases for my grandchildren. Each got one with a special embroidery on it just for them.

mpspeedy