Most of mine are all one fabric but I have pieced them and loved the effect. It's all about what works best for the quilt.

I've recently gotten into pieced backing... just for the reason that it doubles the look of your quilt! Now you have a two-sided thing and can switch whenever you want. That's for bed-sized quilts though. I won't bother doing that with something that'll be hung. And yeah, it sure saves $ when you've already got coordinating colors from your stash.

I have been fussy about the back of my quilts but using scraps from the front would very much help with the ever growing scrap bag so thanks ladies . I entered three quilts in a show and didn't win but got a lot of tips of what to do on the next one. number one: don't enter LOL .

just finished a quilt with a patterned front and made the backing a scrappy with all the left over pieces from the front........worked out pretty good.......

I usually don't piece my backs but I make sure that they match but I have seen some beautiful quilts pieced with matching material.

Well, you are more daring than I. My husband calls me Doris Day, everything has to match. I am gradually getting past that with the help of other quilters, especially on the front pieced part. However, I have not graduated to not caring about the backing. It still has to match something in the quilt front as well as being one continuous piece for the back. Keep working with me, I still might get there.

I'm just finishing a quilt that I purposely made 'reversible' for our bed. If I get tired of one side, I can flip it to a totally different color scheme & style, yet it still complements the colors of our bedroom.
I used wool batting, making it an even more worthwhile investment to be reversible. And, will add a 'skirt below the quilt for the sides to reach near the floor.

I like to think my quilts re reversable, so I AM fussy about my backs. Often they are pieced with leftovers.. or something different that doesn't even "go" with the front.

Am off today to sew/gab and eat with a bunch of gals. We are putting together 250 !! autograph pillows for Camp Mak-a-Dream.

I often piece the back - just to get rid of fabric I'm unlikely to ever use.
Not in a pattern, just willynilly.
Usually bears no relationship to the top.

I always use material that I used in the quilt. I do however sometimes make the back in a geometric design or large sqs. rectangles and strips. I know a lot use sheets but no matter thread count they are a sheet and the quality of you fabrics in front. I do know a lot use muslin but again issue of quality. If you look at old quilts the backs fall apart even pieces in front that lower quality fab was used. I have a lot of my Grandma's quilts,and u can see where she used good and bad fab. Pieces have just fallen apart. So if u can afford it go for the gold.

I try to use a matching color of some kind; however I always use wild backing. My husband thinks I should use plain fabric, but it is part of my signature on my quilts.

I have made a few, mostly lsp quilts , with pieced backing. I usually use the same fabric line so it will match. Frequently I use the same fabric as the binding. I like things to match. Have never used muslin.

I have never pieced a back, just use co-ordinating fabric. Reason being is by the time I get the top pieced, I'm ready for it to be finished and 1 piece of fabric for the back is faster!

Amen!

there is no "horrors" to using a sheet, that's all i ever use, unless its a crip quilt, where it only takes a yard & 1/2...

i like used sheets the best, and have been known to dye them to match the quilt better....just making sure i wash it a couple times to get the dye out!

It depends on if the quilt is a gift or its just for family :-D

No, I too used fabric to match for the backing, but then I got to thinking, that is fabric for another quilt. I buy the wide quality muslin and now use that for backing, except for baby quilts. If you notice the quilts you buy at the store, have a muslin backing.

I agree. I cringe whenever I hear someone say they buy "cheap' fabric for the back of a quilt. That's what I always say - "What gets the most wear?" just like YOU said. Plus, as I pull it up over me, I like to see something interesting - that's why I piece or use wild fabric for the back.

Me too. I like the back to look nice like the front does. I don't care for muslin on the back because I like the color to go with the front.

I have always tried to coordinate my backing fabric with the front. Because sometimes you see both sides at the same tme. I really like the pieced back quilts that someone posted. I also like the idea of putting some of the quilt fabrics on the back. I think everyone should do what they like. I read that many quilters have had good results with muslin and it it so neutral, it would go with anything. Quality fabric will go to pieces if not taken care of properly.

I am very fussy about everything in a quilt that I am making. Hubby says I police my quilts..guess he is right.

Sometimes I like to turn the quilt to the back just for a change. that is one reason I like to use matching material.

I like pieced backs personally. They are, to me, another creative expression of the maker.

I can see where a full matching back is practical too.

Guess it just depends on the quilt.

I like them too, but have only done them on baby or lap quilts. I am just not really creative on my own.

I am quite fussy about my backs - I want my back to coordinate well with my quilt top.....

I usually try to coordinate the back with the front. If you're going to all the trouble to make a beautiful quilt, why skimp on the backing?

I sometimes do a 9 or 12 patch for a back with leftovers from the quilt.

Ditto...but they do sometimes require piecing because of size.

I've been reading the entries about fussy backing--I guess I've been brought up different--my grandmother and mother always thought me to cordinate the back with a plain fabric (usually) to show off the stitching that you worked so hard at. I have never pieced the back of a quilt and never intend to, to any of my future quilts. But if that is what you fellow quilters want to do then go ahead. As for me and the ladies I quilt with we always are looking at the backs of our quilts.

Being fairly new to quilting, I use coordinating fabric for the back. After reading all of your posts, I'm going to use the leftover fabric from the front somehow on the back. This is a really good idea since I always have fabric left from the front.

I also like to piece my backs, usually just a strip but to match the front.

WHO said is is not ok to piece the backing on both non judged as well as judged quilts. Lots of ribbons hanging on judged quilts with pieced backing.
It is simply a personal opinion.

I sometimes buy fabric to match a quilt. It depends on the quilt. Mostly I buy the wide fabric that matches and I like the look. I also pieced the backing and for certain quilts it fits. For me to buy 5 to 6 yards of fabric for the backing is a waste. The wide fabric is reasonable and looks fine. I have a few quilts I used flannel for backing(these quilts are used on the couch or bed.)

I'm one of those who wants the WHOLE quilt to look coordinated. I have had to sew two pieces together to make it wide enough, but it's the same fabric, and typically matches some of the fabric on the front.

When viewing Trunk Shows at my Guild, I'm always disappointed when I see the back is just random squares and rectangles of all sorts of non-coordinating fabric. I make mostly lap quilts, so the backs and fronts are both seen, and I want the continuity from one to the other.

Mine are mostly for charity, and I want the recipient to know that I took the time and trouble to make it "nice" for them.

I use sheets too Hazeljane:) I frequently hit the Goodwill and find some lovely sheets. Not too tightly woven, not percale. I keep a safety pin in my purse to see how easily the pin goes through. If I get any resistance I pass on that sheet. I finished a quilt for my daughter this winter and she says the sheet I used is the softest thing ever.

i try to match or compliment the front of my quilt with my backing i guess thats the way i started doing it and have done it ever since

If I make tablerunners, then I pick a fabric for backing that's in the front. The reason is however your mood is you can turn the tablerunner. But for a wallhanging I don't care I use whatever I have. Often I bought 4 to 5 yards from 2$ fabric in a small print from Walmart. I also buy marked down fabric from JoAnn for backing.

I like to back my quilts with good sheets. They work really well.

I made a quilt using all my kids old cord bell bottom pants and found a striped sheet that made a perfect coorodianting back.

I use sheets for childrens quilts, they need to wash well after all, and I do not hand quilt. I have used Ikea fabrics because the designs are very different.I love buying kits from USA because a coordinating fabric for the back is usually included. All others I do try to match them in but if the need arises I do piece with fabric from the front. Barbara Australia