tallchick

I like to coordinate if I can, I love to use Muslin as well, or I like to use flat sheets from Target in a coordinated color if I can find it. So many wonderful options, and remember, there are no quilt police, so use what you want to use!

LAF2019

I sometimes make a second, more simple, coordinating quilt top and use it for the back.

cjsews

It depends on my mood. Sometimes it coordinations, sometimes it’s muslin and sometimes it’s just a surprise to the eye. Also depends on what is in my stash.

Iceblossom

I try to coordinate most of the time. I did a lot of years machine quilting on white sheets and don't recommend them because they will show every flaw you have. A nice print hides the minor imperfections and even some of the huge ones!

I love big bold prints and often find yardage of them at the thrift stores because it can be hard to figure out how to use them, and they can make excellent backs.

I have made deliberate contrast before, a sun top with a moon back for example.

Although my preference is for extra wide backs, more and more I'm piecing more of my back. I'm putting in fabrics that didn't make it to the front, orphan blocks, all sorts of things. Plus, I rarely buy more than 3 yards of any given fabric and that means you've got to piece somewhere/somehow.

Here's some of my pieced backs. The cat one was my first pieced back and I planned to do it, there are actually a whole bunch of bad blocks I got from a swap that were supposed to go in there but long story... The world map one (I added picture of top, last photo) was always meant to be pieced, it goes with my Postcard top. The third one shows one thing you can do with two 3 yard pieces to make a back

juliasb

I try to coordinate the backing to at least some of the coloring or fabrics on the top. A scrappy quilt, which I do the majority of the time these days, it really doesn't matter. If I am doing a QAYG I do my best to coordinate, though often very different, fabrics for the back. Each row could be very different in fabric choices. I also use a lot of white as backing. I try to keep a good selection of wide backing fabrics in jewel tones too.

Jeanne S

I think it is personal choice. I have done it many different ways: using the same fabrics on the back as on the front, using front fabrics scraps and extra block along with other coordinating fabrics, using similar color fabrics but totally different ones from the front to using plain muslin or old solid sheets as backs.

joe'smom

I think of the back as part of the quilt design, so it needs to be harmonious and complement the top. I love seeing what people have chosen for their quilt backs. I only bought a wide backing once, and found it difficult to work with so I prefer piecing my backs from a regular width fabric. It's fun looking through the clearance items on Etsy for backs, and I also enjoy shopping for backing at Brooklyn Fabric, which sells for $8/yd. and they have a very pleasant-to-use website with a 'by color' search engine.

SusieQOH

My experience only- I made a beautiful quilt and used a backing that doesn't go with any of the front elements and it bugs me every time I look at it!
I'll never do that again

Anniedeb

I personally coordinate every back with the front. Sometimes it's the same as a border, sometimes it's just a color that matches, and sometimes it matches the binding. They are almost always muted designs. I put so much time and effort into my quilts, that I don't want the back to seem to be an afterthought. I've never used muslin except for years ago, when I was making my own clothes. I do think it's just personal preference, no rules involved, so whatever you chose is fine!

rryder

I sometimes used leftover blocks pieced in with a coordinating fabric. Sometimes I use a wide back that’s a coodrfinating print. Sometimes I use good quality muslin. It just depends on what’s in my stash and what I want to do at the time.

Rob