Quiltingboard Forums

Quiltingboard Forums (https://www.quiltingboard.com/)
-   Main (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/)
-   -   Choosing a backing when I can't match original fabric? (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/choosing-backing-when-i-cant-match-original-fabric-t312785.html)

Battle Axe 10-15-2020 05:57 AM

Thanks for that "No Rule" lesson. I would grab a color wheel and find a complimentary or coordinating color for the back. Then if you have a guest that hates the front color, you can flip it over and have a different quilt on the bed.

Iceblossom 10-15-2020 06:15 AM

I have really grown attached to the idea of "two sided" quilts, and/or more action on the back. The way I work I usually have a few orphan blocks or fabrics that didn't make it into the top (usually because of a large scale print) and more and more I've been incorporating those into the back.

Some of my backs are pretty wild, because they were bought at the thrift store mostly because they were big enough... but it's a great place to use wild fabrics and large scale prints.

I'm also trying really hard to use up stash, and "pieces big enough for backs" is not my strong point. I do, however, have a lot of 3-yard pieces where I can piece two of those into back.

For your quilt, I'd be looking at something with maybe a white background and something swirly (paisley? flower outlines?? butterflies??) in blues and aqua and teal. Or could could go with geometric designs.


Irishrose2 10-15-2020 06:40 AM

A print with blue green would do, though with the angles in the front, I wouldn't choose a floral. You can piece the back with what fabric you do have from the front and just add the print. For some reason, I piece most of my back vertically - even if I use wide backing, I cut it.

tropit 10-15-2020 08:54 AM

First, I really like your quilt top. It looks like the ocean to me...very pretty!

I love a contrasting color for the back. If it were me, I'd pick something earthy to go with a natural, watery theme. The colors of stones, tree bark, bright, yellow sun would be my suggestions.

oksand 10-15-2020 10:21 AM


Originally Posted by Lena1952 (Post 8425085)
As long as the binding works well with the back, I usually use a different fabric for the back.

Makes sense. I definitely have enough of my main color for binding.

oksand 10-15-2020 10:22 AM


Originally Posted by Irishrose2 (Post 8425128)
A print with blue green would do, though with the angles in the front, I wouldn't choose a floral. You can piece the back with what fabric you do have from the front and just add the print. For some reason, I piece most of my back vertically - even if I use wide backing, I cut it.

I'm more drawn to geometric shapes anyway so this makes sense. I'm thinking I might use a few strips of my main color with an additional fabric.

Railroadersbrat 10-15-2020 01:05 PM

I'm going to agree with Iceblossom, anything with swirls and loops in a green/blue would be very good. It's a very pretty quilt, good job!

SusieQOH 10-15-2020 03:59 PM


Originally Posted by lberna (Post 8425106)
One other thing that I almost always do is my binding has to be the same as my outer border. The exception is if I made a child/baby quilt. I don’t want someone's eye centered on the binding. I want the first thing they see is the quilt pattern, fabrics that I choose, and the quilting.

Good point to bring up. I do the same. I don't want the binding to be the focal point. A couple of times I've used stripes though and that was cute! (especially on the diagonal.)

sewingpup 10-15-2020 04:52 PM

ummm....I like good quality fabric but it is hard to pay full price for the fabric on the back.....so what I have done in the past is to look through the fabric on the sale rack in the quilt shops....it was fairly often that I could find a bolt with enough fabric for a backing for 50% or more off....I would buy it if I thought it would make a good backing for something....so...I have a shelf of baking fabrics and can usually find something that I like...and there have been times when I shopped in my "bargin bin" that the backing I found was just the thing to use....other times I find a backing that "will work". Most of the time, I use my quilts right side up, but I have a flannel one that is really bright intense primary colors....for the backing I had purchased a medium brown backing with penguins on it that had pops of bright colors on their little scarfs and hats....and I have used the quilt bottom up a few times....I got that good flannel backing for $4 a yard...It normally sold for $12. I am satisfied. Oh,and that particular fabric I bought online as I was looking for flannel to use as backing on my scrap flannel quilts as I was trying to use up my flannel scraps...I also ended up with 21 yards of a medium gray flannel that I will use too...for that I paid about $4 and I got enough that I also got the quantity discount and free shipping. .I ended up making about 10 quilts of different sizes...it was fun.

Jordan 10-16-2020 06:44 AM

I think a backing fabric with the colors in it that would match some what to your front would be fine.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 10:39 AM.