If I am handquilting then I will choose a fabric that makes it easier to do. If I am doing a special quilting design that will show up well on a solid cream or white then I would choose that. The wide backing fabric is wonderful if you can find one that works with the quilt (no seams to sew and no seams to quilt through). I don't like to spend top dollar on the back, though I won't go with poor quality either. I look for sale fabrics that will work even if not the perfect match.