Peckish

I guess I'm not sure what knowledge you think you lack. Pieced quilt backs are, in my opinion, simplified quilts made with leftover blocks and fabrics. Make a quilt, then make another one that is 8" larger on both sides and utilizes your leftovers, and there you have your backing fabric. In my opinion, you already have the knowledge, you just need the confidence to do it.

Well, you're assuming they have to line them up. They don't have to, although some will try.

My longarmer doesn't find pieced backings cumbersome at all. Some longarmers will ask that if you do piece a back with a very long seam, you have the seam run horizontal as it sits on the frame, instead of vertical. This is because if a seam is vertical, it will eventually make a large lump on the rollers and could potentially throw off the tension.
However, in that instance we're talking about one long seam. Pieced backings with leftover fabrics and blocks are a different story, because the seams are all over the place.

Check with your longarmer to see what she/he prefers.

littlebitoheaven

This is the back of a quilt that I made. I copied this pattern from someone on the Board several years ago.

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HillCountryGal

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Here are the backs of four of my quilts. I think it's fun to use up what I've got to create a back.

GailG

A few years ago I made a beautiful (to me, anyway) Warm Wishes throw for my son. My intention was for him to use it on his recliner. I wanted to try that Ricky Timms diagonally cut backing but it failed. To use the backing, I added extra blocks from the front in the seam between the diagonal pieces. To me, it looked pretty tacky, so I traced sillouettes of his quitars and appliqued them over the back. He loved the quilt. When I went to his house, I saw that he had it spread out over his queen-sized bed. He said that is where he wants it. I offered to enlarge it and he said that wasn't necessary.

Peckish

Actually, I think it was John Flynn that shows how to do that. Just in case anyone wanted to google it.

elly66

Thanks for all your replies. osewme this is what worries me. How to get the piecing strip perfectly straight when you sandwich. I'll try a small one and see but I would really like to make one on a queen size bed someday. Maybe work my way up