I allowed a friend to talk me into using a fleece throw for the backing on a hand pieced stadium quilt. Needless to say, after machine quilting it, it puckered all over. Is there any way to remove the puckers by ironing or steaming the backing fleece? What can I do short of ripping the quilting out and starting over?

I think you may have to just try to enjoy it the way it is!

This is why I don't use anything other than cotton....but enjoy it as is!

Chaulk this up to "things I will never do again".

You should be able to just remove the stitching on either side of the pucker and re-stictch that part. Just be sure to backstitch or lock stitch on top of the existing stitches so it doesn't come out.

Or, as said before, enjoy it how it is. I have machine quilted fleece and not had that issue, but I only did straight lines.

The daughter of a quilting friend of mine wanted a cozy quilt and asked her mom to put fleece as the backing but with no batting since she didn't want it too warm since she lives in the South. Her mom said NEVER AGAIN. Way too many problems. It shifted, puckered, and she was even using her walking foot. Her daughter loves the quilt and coziness of it just the way it is and she doesn't see anything wrong with it!

I would NEVER take out quilting (no perfectionism in my wiring <g>) ... but, I am wondering if the reason there is so much puckering is because you put too much quilting into the quilt?
And, I don't know if it makes a difference, but there is a stretchy side/direction of the fleece and one that is more stable. If you happened to put it into a frame with the stretch in the wrong position, it might make a difference in the way the quilting was affected.
If you did a simple stitch in the ditch, were you using a walking foot? ... Perhaps a bigger stitch, longer stitch would have helped avoid the puckers?
Am just trying to figure it out because I read another thread about using fleece as a backing, and I am seriously considering making the switch. <wave>

Whatever you do, don't rip it out. You will see the stitching. Lesson learned. Don't mix fleece (especially a throw as they are quite thin and stretchy, with unforgiving cotton. Ironing or steaming it will just make it stretch more. Simply enjoy if as is. I'm sure she knows it was made with love and the way she asked you to.

i use fleece for backings alot. a couple things that may have caused the problems...not all fleece is the same, some is alot thicker than some other. if you are using one with a good (loft) like 1/4" or more you just need enough quilting to hold it together, heavy quilting will draw it up and cause wrinkled areas. also the stretch needs to be paid attention to. if you lay out the back nice and flat, no wrinkles but not stretched...tape it down, center the top over the fleece and baste like crazy (some people use spray basting, i've not had good luck with it)
then start in the center and work out side to side, top to bottom...you do not need alot of quilting, just a few lines down and a few across and it's done and ready for binding. fleece is also a good choice if going to tie your quilt.
i'm sad so many people say...don't use fleece...it makes wonderful quilts!

I'm another vote for cotton only.It just saves me so many problems.On strip & rag quilts,I use flannel.Save yourself a lot of grief & use it as is.We all learn as we go.