Double-Sided/Reversible Quilt without QAYG -- CRAZY??
 

I'd like to do a reversible quilt without using QAYG. I'd like to quilt the back and the front onto separate battings and then join them together somehow. One side would be a fairly heavily quilted "traditional" sampler quilt -- with different quilting motifs in each block. The other side would use leftover pieces in the same colorway but be more "modern" looking with minimal quilting. The only way I can think of for doing this is to quilt each side onto its own batting and then put the battings together somehow -- maybe using fusible web or tacking them together unobtrusively so they won't shift. But, I'm concerned that 2 battings would make this too thick and the result too heavy since this would wind up as a generous twin size quilt.

Has anyone done something like this? How? Did it work? What batting did you use? etc.etc.


Thank you in advance for your ideas -- or for warning me off!

The problem I had was that I pieced the back of the Bargello quilt using a much larger Yellow Brick Road pattern. I did NOT use two layer of batting but when quilting on my Bernina, there were occasional skipped stitches due to the bulk from seams intersecting from both sides. The front was a very detailed Bargello quilt

Lots of folks double batt quilts, so I don't think the 2 batts are going to be a problem per se, but were you also planning on each having a backing prior to joining? that might put it over the top. I've used a layer of wool over a layer of w&n.
Not sure how you are going to keep the 2 layers together without some sort of stitching or tying. If there were backings on both, you could possibly use dots, or squares of fusible every so many inches. If there were no backings, however, using fusible between 2 batts would just pull apart. I would think about tying, using your machine to do bar tacks, or maybe add buttons? I also think you might have an issue with binding. Would definitely consider a wider binding.

I don't know the answer to your dilemma Teri D but I did want to comment on how gorgeous Maniac Quilter's bargello is! Just stunning!

I am interested to see what others say about this though as it is something I would not have thought of with double batting.

Since one side will be heavier quilting, could you quilt the intricate parts first on the traditional side, then put them together and do the rest of the quilting that you want. This way one side will have a lot and the other side would have a minimum of quilting. Also wouldn't need double batting. Haven't tried it, just a thought.

Maybe you could plan your quilting so there would be some straight line stitching that could go through both quilts after you have quilted the majority of them. It would take careful planning, but might be able to be done.

well Sharon Pederson does reversible quilt as you go quilts but not individually like you are thinking.

I've made lots of quilts with pieced backs using scraps from the front, but never one where I wanted different quilting front and back. I really think you need to have front and back tied together somehow, fairly closely, either with stitching or tying.

I agree that they would need to be stitched together in some way. I would adjust my planning to a pieced back that would look ok with the type of quilting you are planning for the front. If you can, plan ahead on thread colors for the bobbin that will not stand out on the pieced back.

I have done and am doing a reversible quilt now. I quilt the top and batting then put the two quilts together.

How are you going to join the 2 battings?

I hadn't thought about the bats pulling apart if I used pieces of fusible on them -- good catch, Princess! I'm considering the bar tacks......

Interesting thought, Crafty14. I'm also thinking about a "modified" QAYG that joins up rows of blocks with the heavier quilting done before the backing was put on.

Yes, Lisa....good idea -- especially when combined with some of the other thoughts being offered.

A LOT of "food for thought" is being offered. Hmm! Meanwhile, last night I watched the free Craftsy Class called "Creative Quilt Backs" and got some more ideas. She does a LOT of careful planning using graph paper and there were many comments complaining about "all the math" but she gets terrific results.
Thank you ....and keep the ideas coming!

unless you plan to use this in a very cold climate, I think double batts would be too much. I would try a heavy flannel or a light weight fleece instead. You would still get some "puff" but not so much weight.

for the more simple side, you could just use a sheet to quilt it to.

I am not sure I understand completely...it seems you want to quilt the top and backing separately with batting on the back of each. And you are wondering how to stitch them together????
If this is the case...I would spray 505 to attach the two together then tack or sew however you decide.

Why not use flannel for batting; quilt each top, then spray glue the two together and consider some type of quilting that will join the two quilts; then bind.

I made a quilt like this several years ago. The front side was a circus tent and the back side animals and circus performers. I hand quilted them induividually using bridal tool as the backing and then joined them together with a big quilt stitch and bound as usual. I guess it was OK, since it got a second place at the state fair that year. If I could figure out how to post a pic on this board, I would.

I made a quilt from 2 panels, one side was Spiderman, the other side was from the Cars movie. I quilted each of them separately with just a batting, then put them together as one quilt. My grandson loves it! It was small enough that I didn't worry about securing the two different sides together. It hasn't presented a problem yet.

your bargello quilt is beautiful

I used Thrmore light batting, a fine netting for the backing and Misty fuse between. I did a small piece to try it out and it was fine.

This is a fascinating thread. I have been contemplating doing a two sided quilt for my DGD wedding. One side DWR and the other to be determined. Why? You may ask. When I asked her what colors she would want she said that she was going to do Black, Grey and White in her bedroom. Unfortunately, the fabric that I bought on line turned out to be Black, Tan and While. (Thought the tan was gold. So much for online purchases.) Anyway, I am going with what I have. I am doing the Black, Tan and While rings on black background as she has a black cat that she lets sleep on her bed. Not a problem. Plan to make the cat his own quilt pad to sleep on. However, his fur gets on everything. Ask me how I know.

So why the back to back? I thought that I would do something with more color on the other side just for a change. Summer - Winter or such. I don't have much time and just started the DWR using Eleanor Burns DWR Neavoux plan. Lofty plans for a not-to-great quilter. Anyway, I loved this thread. It brought up ideas that I had not even considered.

I think I would try a small sample of the process you trying to do. I also think Warm & Natural for both bats would be the answer. You might try using a medium weight interfacing for the backing of each then you could sandwich them together with bar tacking. Good luck!

Update from Teri D. I wound up deciding that I didn't want to overthink this by trying a double batting and obsessing about how the back would look. Well, actually, I decided that I wanted the quilt DONE.......(!!!)

So, I did a pieced backing (per the Craftsy class) with "improvisational blocks" and then just sandwiched the quilt and treated it like a "regular" quilt. The challenging part was laying out the sandwich to assure that the back was squared up straight in relation to the top so it didn't shift and wind up "wonky". I quilted as usual from the front and, since it was a sampler, there were a variety of quilting motifs. I was afraid that it would look very weird on the back to have no relationship between the quilting and the design -- but it doesn't. In fact, I've had several folks tell me that the back is more interesting because the quilting DOESN'T follow the blocks -- the front is a very traditional sampler and the back is more like a Mondrian piece.

I would like to see pictures of the finished, please.