I am curious. I like the 50x50 or even 50x70 size lap quilts and so far have used the larger widths but can only find darker fabric or muslin. I would like to use some prints and I am not sure about a seam on the back of the quilt... What are your thoughts...

Thanks!

Hi Quilting G,
For the lap quilt I made I used 2 width of printed fabric, for the queen size one I'm quilting now I used a 108" wide fabric the fabric store calls "cheater quilts". I guess I'm lucky, they have alot of selection in thier wide fabrics, including prints. I'm sure if you look online you'll find somthing.
Zoo

I have done both, depending on what I have on hand. I found some wide backings in wonderful colors last fall and stocked up on some. :)

I have done both. I've cut large pieces of fabric and sewn them together to make a patchwork back.

I have pieced the back on mine. The only thing I can tell you is that the books say if you piece the back don't center the seam. But there are more people here with a LOT more experience than me, so listen to them .

I have also done both, so go ahead and do what is best for you :D

Like most, I have done both. If I piece the back I use very large squares, generally just cutting up my fabric and sewing it back together so it covers the area I need it to cover (keep in mind the direction of the grain). My biggest disaster was when I used a contrast colour because I didn't have enough of my backing fabric (and live hours from a store). I staggered the contrast blocks, but when I trimmed off all the extra backing fabric, the outside blocks looked obviously smaller. Since then, if I use a contract, I would make it a stripe in the middle or somthing similar.

The traditional way to seam a backing fabric is to make two off-center seams rather than a single center seam. With regular width fabrics, this usually meant having a single wide panel width in the middle with narrower flanking panels on each side. The idea was that a centered seam in the back would present a single line of weakness in the quilt; they wanted quilts to last for decades through a lot of hard use.

These days many people piece patterns into the back. I have particularly liked those that simply have a diagonal slash through the back with contrasting fabric in the slash -- simple, but interesting!

I usually piece my backs. I like fun and interesting backs and sometimes my backing has nothing to do with the front of my quilt. I have purchased wide backing and it is really nice. Also, costs you less to buy wide backing, even though it is a little more per yard, you do not need as many yards.

I have done both. For smaller quilts, I've usually got enough of one of the fabrics that's in the front to make a backing out of. For big bed sized quilts, I'll buy a wide backing that somewhat goes with the front. And muslin is a real dream to quilt with/on!
I guess it depends on what you like on your quilt & whether you want to make a backing or buy one already big enough. It's your quilt - do what you want with it!
Linda

I usually piece my backs. Have only used the wide stuff once.

In my first years of quilting I used to sew a seam down the center with 45" wide fabric to make it the right size, but for the last 5 or 6 years I have been using the wide pieces of muslin fabric.

I've also done both. Lately just because I live so far from the store and I didn't have enough of my chosen backing fabric...I've pieced them. The one I'm working on now was pieced with blocks made from the leftover trimmings from blocks on the front...Just randomly placed strips of blocks. The hard part is to make sure they are straight and obviously..I'm not good at that part yet :oops:

It always depends on the quilt I am making. My back has to reflect what I have done on the front. I won't put just anything. I am as picky about my backing fabric as I am about what is on the front.

Sybil

Thanks for the wonderful responses. So Far I have used wide muslin, but I am working on a baseball quilt for my son for nap time at school and want it large enough for him to use as he grows up. I want to use something more fun than beige muslin and I am having problems finding something I like. I might end up pieceing it.

Thanks!

I have yet to do a pieced back, but the more I see the more I like them. So much effort goes into the front, a plain back is a bit of a cop out really.

Having said that, one of my favourite quilts I've done is a throw for the couch and it's backed with a single piece of lime green faux fur. The kids love it, they love the texture, and it's definitely the all round favourite in this house.

Always pieced - I never have used the wide stuff.

Both.

If piecing the back, I use one piece of fabric at its regular width, then rip the other down the center and sew them to either side of the wider one. No seams in the middle.

I piece the back if I can't find something just right or decide to use one of the fabrics from the front.

It's all in what you're going for in the finished product.

lime green faux fur??

sounds ---- um ---- interesting :shock:
bet it's snuggly

Iv'e done both, just depends on the quilt size and if it's for a show or just cuddling.

I usually buy my backs from www.Nixiechicks.com. The extra wide blender backs are $5.95 yrd/ so a queen quilt is just $18. I recently bought a royal blue baseball fabric for my nephew's twin quilt for $3.20 yd from her, it is royal blue with little baseball's all over it. She also had a baseball bat and ball fabric, I bought some of that for the front.

If I can find the wider widths I'll use it, otherwise I piece.

I ususally piece the backs, but have used wide backing. There are beautiful backing fabrics available now. :lol:

purplemem

I tried that website, but couldn't get anything. Can you confirm if it's all spelled correctly? Or, maybe it's just me. That happens too. :oops:

I try to make the back coordinate with the front. For some reason, I have a strong adversion to having a beautifully pieced front, and then seeing a back that is obviously just leftover fabric from other projects put together on it. Especially on lap or wheelchair quilts where either side could be seen at any given time. (no problem if it'll be on a bed) It just makes me squirm. :lol: :lol:

Here's a picture of the front of a quilt I made, and a picture of the center of the back. The weird object in the corner is actually supposed to be a sheep, since the soldier this was for is a member of the Blacksheep Squadron and had lost a leg in Iraq. Making a sheep was HARD! My first attempts looked like buffalos instead of sheep. And, I had to do them because I accidentally cut a nick in the back after piecing the borders on it. So, yep, it's a boo-boo fix in sheep's clothing. :lol:

I've done both, but, alas, I'm lazy :lol: and would rather just put it together without a seam

Thanks for everyones responses.
I might try piecing my next back with more then just panels.

Happy quilting,
G

I just finished a disappearing 9patch quilt for my grandson with all sports squares on the front. I was able to find a sports print in flannel for the back. I did the center seam. It should be nice and warm.

I've done a variety of backing methods, including making a too-narrow piece wider by cutting it into 2 triangles and sliding them up/down until I had the width I needed and then sewing the 2 triangles back together (using a great tip with illustrations from John Flynn). On the quilt that I'm piecing now and am almost finished, there are no straight seams. Everything is curved and putting this quilt top together was a nightmare and I'm convinced that a pieced back would cause me even more problems so I've just ordered 3 yds. of 108" wide backing from Fabric Depot. I haven't received it yet, but it looks good on my computer screen and the price is reasonable.

I was also taught that if you piece the backing by sewing two lengths together that the seam should run side to side on the quilt so the quilt hanging over the edge does not constantly put weight on the seam down the middle.

I have done both, but especially like using packed prints, bc it hides stitching. I do want my back to have colors like front.
Will be piecing in future for larger bed quilts, bc I am learning how to quilt in sections. (book by marti mitchell). I have fibro. and I think this will definitely be better for me.
It's a great book for those interested. Easier than you would think. If you like lap or baby size quilts, It's just like making four or whatever, (she has about 6 different ways to choose from), and putting them together. C

Any easy way to back your quilt without wasting material is the John Flynn method. Just go to his website for instructions. You don't need wider fabric for his method. :lol:

i wait until joann's has a 50% off coupon then i buy their $9.95 wide backing.
it has the feel of a really nice soft muslin, is printed in several colors, and at 1/2 price and no shipping, i don't think it can be beat.

THANK YOU, BUTTERFLYWING! that is an exxxxcellent idea. sometimes i can't use coupon or end up saving on a very low cost item. :D

I also use that coupon on a quilt book I have been wanting or a large quantitiy of rolled batting.

dlf22quilting wrote:
I also use that coupon on a quilt book I have been wanting or a large quantitiy of rolled batting.

another great idea. i have used it on books before, but batting and backing are fixin to be a lot more accessible to me now! :-)

Shadow, when you buy ahead, not knowing how much you'll need (for the size of your yet-to-be-made quilt), how much of the wide fabric do you purchase?