Originally Posted by QuiltnNan
i've seen some recent postings where the quilter put a stripe of other fabric vertically or horizontally on the back. many times, this stripe is pieces of the other quilting fabrics from the front. it does not detract from the quilt at all. in fact, quilts from the past used all of the front fabrics on the back in some way in case they needed to use a piece to fix the front.
I do this often, so if you search my pictures, you should see some.
Here's one:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-91207-1.htm
I like to add extra whenever I have to piece backings...but most of my quilts are lap size (not larger than 80 inches either way), so I tend to get 4 yards that I cut into two 2 yard pieces and then run the 2 yards horizontally with the extra strip between the two.
I dislike having a seam between the two pieces...to me it distracts where an extra pieced strip looks like I meant to have that seam!
I rarely buy the 108 width.....and without a seam, I wouldn't piece extra.