How Do You Decide On Backing Fabric?
 

I'm making a disappearing hourglass in black and white and I'm having the hardest time trying to decide on a backing fabric. I usually buy a solid coordinating fabric and piece the back with blocks used in the top but I thought I might want to do something different for this quilt and pick a pretty fabric without piecing it. I've done several searches, but I'm having a hard time deciding on a fabric.

Do you coordinate your backing fabric with the top and buy it when you are buying your material for the top or do you wait until your top is done before deciding on a backing fabric?

I almost always purchase a wide back there is such a great variety available now. Fabric.com has a huge selection, so does backside fabrics. That being said, often I choose something that will compliment the top. Something that will look good with the binding I plan to use and I take into consideration what thread color I plan to quilt with. Very seldom do I use a solid, once in a while, even white I tend to choose a white on white print of some sort that is complimentary to the top.

I consider the back the same way ckcowl does, however, I usually buy regular width fabric. I like decorative backs, so I usually add either a few strips of other colors or some piecework. I also rarely use solids on the back except for wall hangings or tree skirts.

Marshall Dry Goods, Thousands of Bolts are also great sources for wide backs if you are interested in going that way.

I usually make the backing totally different from the quilt top. If it is a summer like quilt, I make the backing either a fall backing so that you can just flip the quilt over for a longer time period. Or if it is a fall quilt, I might put snowflake or Christmas design for the back (one is white with small Christmas presents on it), etc. I try to make each quilt with a major theme and the backing something that can be flipped over - two quilts for the price of one!

I choose one of the fabrics from the top and usually piece a strip around the one third or two thirds mark. I never use a solid fabric because I do my own quilting and well . . .my quilting just isn't quite "there" yet. A printed back hides that.

I'm trying to use up big pieces of fabric, so I usually piece my backings. I use prints that coordinate well with the top. I also like to put some extra quilt blocks into the backing too.

I love the wide fabric but since I have a magnificent stash I use fabric from there if I have some that coordinates. I also use up pieces from the front of the quilt if some are large enough to work into some sort of design. If I use a solid back I make my labels out of the same fabric and I love how that looks!

I just try to coordinate the backing with the top. Sometimes I buy more fabric if I don't have what I want from my stash. That is always a scary event. Going to the fabric store for a yard of fabric is like going to the grocery store for a gallon of milk. Often a gallon of milk can run $75.00. Yard of fabric can run upwards as much.

I usually plan my back around some extra blocks or other cut pieces leftover from the front to "tie it together". But then the larger pieces are different from the front, but in colors and prints that play well with the front. I usually don't plan the back until I am done with piecing the front.

I like a backing that says WOW what beautiful fabric! My backing fabric usually cost more then the fabric for the pieced top as I use from my stash for that. It makes me sad to see a quilt top made with wonderful fabrics and then have a muslin or plain backing.