I usually buy the wide fabric, but have been known to use thrift store sheets. The fatbacks are cost effective in that you can buy 3 yards (117 x 120) for about $45. If I had to piece it I would need about 8 or 9 yards of 45 inch fabric, which would cost me much more than $45. The plus side to this is that the back of the quilt (depending on the long-arm work) sometimes looks like a trapunto whole cloth.