sunnydays

Good afternoon,
I am making a quilt. I am using fleece for the back. My top and fleece are both 60”. I would like to piece the back as both are 60”. Do I split it in three sections vertically? I saw a you tube that the lady cut the batting and the back three inches bigger on all sides. Pinned it all around. She layer the top on the batting and backing and pinned and sewed all around leaving an opening. She cut the batting and backing the same size so you could turn the quilt. I plan on quilting it after I turn it. The fleece stretches do you have any tips? I hope I made this clear. Thanks in advance. Kathy

bakermom

In my opinion that method works best for a tied comforter(quilt) I say that because in my experience even with the layers both being cotton it is tricky to keep the layers smooth. Fleece will creep and stretch and it will be hard not to get excess fabric in areas. Others may have different experiences though

pocoellie

I have quilted one quilt using fleece as a backing, I didn't really have any problems, but I put a regular binding on and didn't "birth" it.

illinois

I see a problem with quilting any quilt that has been "birthed". If anything slides, you are going to have puckers or lack of fabric wherever that happens. Birthing works well for being tied though and so very much easier to correct if it isn't staying flat in the finishing.Personally I see no value in using batting in a quilt with a fleece back as usually the fleece is plenty without it. There are some quilts that I think are actually nicer with only the fleece as well as eliminating the extra expense of the batting. If you really want quilting, I'd do as pocoellie recommended.

bakermom

Yes, I have done the same. My problem is quilting a birthed quilt regardless of backing fabric. I find tying is a bit more forgiving than trying to quilt one.

wildyard

Almost all my quilts have fleece backing and I quilt and bind it instead of birthing it. I do safety pin basting and that works well for me. I do not use batting with fleece. I agree with the others that it is probably better to tie a quilt that has been birthed, but if you do quilt it, use a lot of pinning or basting to help you hold the two layers together. For quilts backed in fleece and no batting, the quilting can be quite far apart as all you are doing is securing the two layers together. Often I just outline quilt the squares or blocks.

As far as piecing the backs, I do it all the time. How I do it depends on if I need more width or length or both. As a rule, I will make a cut to one side, perhaps 1/3rd of the width or length, add a strip of fleece between the two sections, and using matching thread I stitch down the seam with a very long narrow zigzag.
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