Has anyone on the board ever quilted a quilt (Machine) on the backside instead of top? I just finished FMQ a King in a bigger irregular shapes and keeping the pattern the same overall was a challenge due to the busy-ness of a scrappy pinwheel. I did half the quilt then went to the middle and did the other half and luckily was able to be consistent on both ends. The next King I want to quilt in vines and tendrils and it would be oh so much easier to see where I have been and am going. One would have to pin the top down first then the batting and the back would be last and pin. Your thoughts on this please.

P>S> the only problem I could anticipate is not being able to see the center of the pinwheel where I usually avoid due to needle breaking.

Dumb question??? NO!

But, there used to be backing fabric specifically marked and sold to be quilted from the back not the top of the quilt.

Then, again, if one is interested in an allover pattern, one can just follow the design in the print on the back to get the same effect.

Asfar as the 'bunch' in the middle of a pinwheel, have you ever learned to split the seams? This DOES NOT involve cutting them in any way!! It'smerely done by easing open a stitch or 2 within the seam allowance and pressing the seams in opposite directions. You can see this very easily on the back of a 4-patch block......lightly twist the seams so that the tiny intersection creates the same little 4-patch that the front of the block has. Just try it and see.

The pinwheel and other similar shapes can be done the same way; and they also make the same shape in that tiny seam allowance joint as the front of the block.

Jan in va

agree with Jan above....if you're looking for an allover design without worrying about specific blocks, do your quilting from the back and either design your own or use the pattern in the backing fabric to design it for you.

Jan said it very well. I've never done it but how clever is that? I will some day.

My quilting teacher said that she has done quilts by following the design on the backing, ignoring the front. Neat idea , I think.

I bought some of that backing you are talking about and have my quilt sandwiched but haven't quilted it yet.
I'm a hand quilter and am trying to work up my nerve to do it on the sewing machine. I'm a chicken lol

buy an inexpensive door mirror to lay on your table under your quilting area. you can see the other side.