coffeebreak

When I make a quilt front..I just make it until I like what I see...meaning not always makeing it a specific size but just build from center out or top to bottom until it is the size I want. Making blocks different sizes is usually how it starts.
Anyway...I finish the front and then go for the back fabric...and just regular fabric (42-44" wide) is not wide enough. It is usually at least 6 inches on each side to short. Top to bottom is usually okay... My goal is a twin size quilt.

So the only way I have figured to make the back equal to the front...is to get a matching color fabric, solid or print. and add a 6" border to each side. Well, that done...it now looks silly to have the border on the sides, and not the top and bottom...so I add there as well. Now it all fits or possibly the back larger than the front but I can cut that back. But..to me..this just looks like exactly what it is...a quilt made to small and the border added to make it bigger. It just screams "MISTAKE" to me to have the back "framed" like this. Currently I have a fabric with horses running in a field...beautiful, and of course to small so if intend to add green "borders" to match the green grass on the print. I have an eagle's flying in the sky fabric..same thing..back to small so I add matching blue and "frame" the eagles fabric with it.

I guess it looks okay if it is given to someone that doesn't quilt, but to me...it looks like I was fixing a mistake.

I know I should do more with measurements and all, but I am not that good at it and by the time I have done the math..the blocks don't end up matching that anyway which is why I just make the blocks, then sash it and then deal with the back.

Does anyone have any other ideas about how to make the back fabric larger? I have only seen where they cut the back in 1/4ths and do a sashing inbetween the four pieces to make it larger, but I dont like that much..I prefer a back with no seams. Thanks for any suggestions

DogHouseMom

If you want a back with no seams then you need to buy extra width fabric (I think it comes in 120" ... I don't remember!).

You could also piece the back with two pieces of fabric sideways. If it's a large print I like to match the print, if it's a small print it doesn't bother me.

Or ... instead of two strips down each side ... run a single strip down the middle. Of course when you do this you need to center it so it doesn't look wonky.

Or ... piece the whole thing from large scraps of the fabric from the top. I've seen lots of lovely backs that were just large squares or rectangles pieced together.

luana

If I'm just a few inches short, I use this method of diagonal piecing.
http://www.multi-patch.com/html/fabric_calc.php

coffeebreak

Thanks for the suggestions. I am a very tailored kind of quilter and having so many "pieces" on the back is just to me...makes it look like I used scraps to make it and scraps on the front and just to much "scrap" theme. I have not seen fabric larger than the 44"wide...I only have JOann's to shop at. And no...I dare not try the strip down the middle...to much a chance that it would get wonky! I don't do strips because of this either!

Lisa_wanna_b_quilter

Joann's carries 90 inch and 103 inch in our local stores and online.

appliquequiltdesigns

Craftsy has a free class and quilt backs called "Creative Quilt Backs

http://www.craftsy.com/class/creative-quilt-backs/117

coffeebreak

INteresting. I'll keep this in mind, but my problem is that I can only get fabric that is 44" wide. There is always going to be an short back of the main fabric. I guess I just need to adjust my "standards" and not think of it as "addition" but as "part of"..in this case I am going to tell my GD that I am making the quilt for that the green (that I added) is part of hte meadow the horses are running in. I was just hoping for a less mathematical way of doing it!

Scissor Queen

I use 44 inch wide fabric for my backs. I piece it. If it's all the same fabric by the time it's quilted it looks like one piece of fabric.

ArtsyOne

You may be overthinking it. I think a border around the edges of your back would look really attractive and be a real design feature.

Pinkiris

If you go to www.maryquilts.com there is a pattern for a 4 piece backing which is off-centered that looks neat. Best of all, it's FREE!