Backing?
 

What do you all use for backing your quilts. Just curious.

Scraps from the front of the quilt, yardage that I no longer remember the original purpose for, rarely buy fabric specifically for backing unless I can't find anything that coordinates.

Quilters flannel. It's like a soft warm hug when you cuddle up to watch tv:)

Quilters Flannel. It makes the quilt like a warm hug when you cuddle up on the couch:)

Depends on what I have. I try to use scraps from the front, and other pieces that go with it. Occasionally I buy flannel for the cuddle factor. :)

I've used everything from sheets, broadcloth, co-ordinating fabric to flannels, pieced scraps , and lately even minky! Talk about soft! If you are using a domestic machine, use spray baste & thin batting ( or no batting) if trying minky. On a frame, load so selvedges are at sides, not on the leaders, as there is more stretch that way, and be careful not to pull too tight when advancing.

I sew 45" regular quilting cotton pieces together. I have been using wide backing fabric, very easy and quick.
I mainly donate my quilts.

ooh....I cant use flannel (its too hard to hand quilt through), I can never use an old sheet ( it is IMPOSSIBLE to hand quilt through because of high thread count), I cant use wide fabric because I have to quilt on my lap and must break a king/queen/double down to smaller pieces anyway. That said......I am cheap, so I use leftovers from the front, leftovers from other projects, I've bought 99 Cent fabric from walmart that I thought I would regret, but some how, never did. Once I used plain muslin that was cheap at JA, and I used a 40% coupon to get cheaper.....that I did regret because it was so boring. Since I need 9 plus yds to do a king size , I go to an on line place like fabric.com and buy their specials for about $5/yd...I only have to get close, not exact, its a back after all. So my motto is scrap it up and be cheap. Once, for a grandmothers flower garden, I used up all my extra hexes on the back.....cant believe I cant count. See Below:

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...psii38szte.jpg

Another, I made wonkey log cabin blocks from leftover fabric or scraps of similar colors. See Below:

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...psporrk080.jpg

I never got the concept of a sheet is to hard to hand quilt through. I have used sheets as backing on several quilts and hand quilted. I had no issues at all. And the backs are holding up just fine. I also had quilted a baby quilt with flannel backing no problem. Maybe I am not using the same types of things that you did. When I started quilting no one told me #1. Points are hard #2. 1/4 in seams are important #3sheets and flannel are hard to hand quilt. Umm I just did it. My Quilts have no missing points, are hand quilting and I have used all the things some say not to do. Lucky? Maybe

Not Lucky, you are doing something better that I would love to learn. Wonder if you are using better/stronger needles?

Marshallsdrygoods.Com
Has backing 108 inches for 8.99 a yard.
3 yards is more than enough to cover most quilts, and the binding too.

Heck if I know what needles they are but I can tell you I buy the cheapest ones so nothing special never broke one but have curved some of them by trying to do to many stiches. But the quilting part was not an issue.
Jane if you want to do it all you have to do is decide you will! the first one may not have even stichers or even the second one but I was getting better at it I have hand quilted at least % one for a charity auction. I have had no one tell me it was a bad job, I do an easy pattern with a batting that does not need to be quilted close.

I use regular quilting cottons too. I seam them horizonally or vertically... and sometimes piece in the leftover blocks from the front or other big scraps. Have never bought the wide backings or used a sheet either. (I machine quilt.)

Prefer wide back but will use 45" cotton. Have used flannel and minky type fleece on a few.

I use regular cotton quilting fabric. I have yards upon yards of fabric that I bought at a JoAnn's that was closing, and, if there's enough on the bolt, I'll also buy fabric at JoAnn's "50% off the clearance price" sales.

Depends on the size of the quilt in question, what I have available on hand. Sometimes I'll purchase a special wide backing if I can get it on sale, sometimes I use all the orphan blocks and scraps to make up the backing. Did this to a baby quilt a couple years ago and now in the process of making 2 more of the same in different colors (parents' wishes) so will use up the scraps and orphan blocks to add to the yardage I have on hand. Gets rid of the scraps which we all know we have way too many laying around our sewing room.

Most of the time regular 45 quilting cotton that coordinates with the front. I use extra blocks either vertically or horizontally to make the extra inches. I have also used muslin on my quilts with embroidery since they look more traditional to me.

Wide fabrics, ( 108" + often) most of the time, regular fabrics, pieced when needed. I purchase Most of my wide backs from fabric.com

I back everything with good quality muslin..either natural or unbleached....on bed quilts looks like a whole cloth...and, my luck, if I were to use printed fabric..either to use it up or just to coordinate, (at the today prices...not me)..anyway, my luck, thar would be what I would need in my next project. So to keep it mindless...muslin, besides I love the feel of washed good muslin...just me

I use pieced cotton fabric I think the wide backing fabric is all too boring. I like a backing to be completely different than the quilt top.

Cotton fabric, usually same weight and type which blends with the top. I like my binding to match both sides of the quilt.

It depends on the quilt. Baby and kids quilts get minky or flannel. A quilt that will be used for a comfy quilt, as a throw or sofa quilt, usually flannel, maybe minky. For a decorative quilt, I try to use quilter's cotton, something that somewhat coordinates but look for a sale or may have something in my stash. I prefer to have at least a little design on the back since I FMQ on my domestic sewing machine and like the quilting to blend into the back. I don't make show quilts so I don't think I need coordinating fabric from a particular line for backing. I love the look of using leftover blocks, etc. but so far have not been that creative. Maybe one day I will.

I try to use up my scraps on the back or extra blocks.

I regularly buy 100 cotton duvet cover sets from IKEA. They are a bit thinner than quilting fabric and do shrink by up to 5% but I just wash them first then starch. I can usually get 3 backs out of a set which I buy for around £15. They are usually good patterns on back and people comment on how nice the backs are.

Jane, love your hexie border.

I use left over fabric from the front, coordinating fabric from the stash,pieced Moda muslin, and occasionally buy wide backing fabric. Diane C.

If the quilt is one to use on a bed or a child's quilt, I choose something that is a pattern with eye appeal. If it's for a wall hanging and will not be commonly seen, I'm more inclined to pull out the muslin.

cgaraas
 

I use mostly flannel on backs of my quilts. I have made some baby ones with Minky. If I send it away to be quilted, then I use 100% cotton widebacks if I can find them on sale.

whatever you have! Leftovers from the front - great, fabric you are not sure why you bought - fine, sheets with lower thread count - terrific, a not too thin muslin you got at a great price - perfect, another top that you realize you don't have anyone to give it to - sounds good to me. In other words, there are no real hard rules.

I buy wide backs when I don't have a fabric, yardage, from my stash. Buying 3 yards of 108" at $17 equals $51 as compared to 9 yards at $11.99, equalling 107.91. Enough said for me!

I have used 45 inch fabric with seams; have inserted extra squares from the front; and, I have used flannel but it is so heavy to work with and cover up with. The one I am working on now is backed with a wide seamless backing. On this one I am using a lighter color of thread in the bobbin so that the quilting really shows up. On the front I am used several colors of thread to match the squares because I want the fabric pattern to be more prominent than the quilting. I have never used sheets as others have. Isn't it nice to have so many choices.

I usually use regular fabric not quilt backings. Some of the quilt backings don't seem to be as good quality as regular 45" width fabric. I buy it on sale. JoAnn's usually always has a sale table.