Let's chat about using fleece for batting/backing combo
 

I would like to use fleece instead of flannel for the backing on a wedding cuddle quilt.....of course there would be no need for batting. Do any of you have experience doing this? Any tips? :o

I done it. It quilted like butter and made a great quilt! I'd recommend it highly.

I have done it more than once. It makes a very warm quilt. Fleece does stretch a little, so be sure it is basted securely.

I have used fleece on the back of quilts a lot - but not big quilts. Only baby, throw or twin size. I have used batting and not used batting. I like either way

I've done it before. Used as backing and used as batting, but not on the same quilt.

I have just taken my latest quilt to the my Long Arm quilter and it has the grey fleece since the top of the quilt is another Ohio State Quilt with lots of scarlet and grey so that was the way the husband wanted it. She does a fantastic job with the fleece and loves to work with it.

Correction - I have done it.

(I wish we could edit our posts here for a longer period of time.)

My two latest finishes have been fleece backed. They were twin size and qayg.

I have done it several times for childrens quilts on my LA.

Is the wedding quilt going to be bed size - full, queen, or king? (Maybe 'cuddle quilt" means throw size?) I know that JoAnns had some 90 inch wide fleece a year of so ago, so you might be able to do a queen size with one long piece of fleece. Otherwise, you have to sew it together.

On the childrens quilts, I put the fleece on the frame WOF across, length of fabric for the length of the quilt. There is less give on the WOF than on the length of the fabric, so it quilts up with fewer problems, less stretching, etc. I also apply light side tension using side "leaders" to keep the fabric from sagging or stretching while quilting.

Some of the fleece backed quilts had batting, some did not. Overall, I liked the ones with batting better and thought they quilted up better.

I did quilt one fleece backed quilt on my DSM and it turned out well. I think I got lucky!

I've done this and it worked out great. Just top and fleece.

I know, but we are all in the same boat, and have made the same mistake...so do't give it a 2nd thought (your errors I mean). I also have a love/hate relationship with auto-correct. Very embarrassing vocabulary comes out of that software. Someday, a software revision may come along to address this, until then, just relax....we know what you mean,,,,hugs all around the QB.... Jane Quilter

This sounds like a GREAT idea....I'm going to try it.....

[ATTACH=CONFIG]559305[/ATTACH]This is the quilt l made for my granddaughter while on the frame. lt is 80 x90, has minkie backing, and thin polyester batting. lt turned out so soft and beautiful...she loves it. l just had to be careful not to stretch the backing.

I use fleece a lot with lap quilts. It makes a very nice quilt.

I'd like to add that l've also done 2 quilts without the batting...but l found them a bit limp, and the seams pushed my quilting foot around while quilting.

I have used it on many quilts. One nice thing, if you are using it for a lap quilt it doesn't slide off the lap like cotton-backed will. Makes a very cuddly quilt just like flannel does, maybe more so.

I have used fleece but also used a low-loft batting, just to make it more stable. Like it better than without batting. Just a personal preference.

I have used fleece for batting and backing on my baby quilts for my grand children. Tiny babies. their moms have told me that the little ones actually seem to like the fuzzy backs of the quilts more than the cotton fronts. Makes me wonder why I put so much effort into the fronts! but as long as the babies like them, that's the most important part to me

Just a thought also on flannel. I recently made a winter quilt with the top being pieced flannel, batting in the middle and flannel on the back. In my opinion it got too heavy, so won't do that again. It is very warm for snuggling up here in Minnesota when it is 20 degrees below zero outside with a windchill of about 35 degrees below zero. It would be a good quilt to have in the car as part of my winter survival kit.

My very first time to use it was on a full bed size, no batting. I was so afraid of it stretching and it did none of that at all. It was probably the easiest quilt I have made, no struggles at all. I even "motif" quilted each block and it looked better on the back than the front. I can't say enough good things and p.s., this was Walmart brand med. weight fleece.

When you say "fleece" are you saying sheep wool?

I have quite a few bags of sheep/alpaca/llama wool made into wool batts. I had my first quilt quilted but it hasn't been cold enough to use it yet. It was only one layer of batt and I'm wondering if it will shift and clump in time; so the next one I will ask to have the batts lay one lay width of quilt and the second length of quilt so the crossed fibers catch and felt without much movement.

No, thurms, the synthetic fabric. ;-)

I have used fleece and liked the results.

it does make a heftier quilt. I just finished one for the grandson made of chenille and flannel. I used flannel as the batting and backing. I posted a picture here with the heading Giant Baby Quilt. It isn't too heavy for him - he is 8. He loves it. So I guess it is preference.

I used fleece in one throw and have more for additional projects. I basted with Elmers school glue and machine quilted with a walking foot. Didn't use batting. It worked great.

I use fleece for the backing on 90% of my quilts. I make comfort quilts and the fleece backing and no batting make them lightweight and still warm and cuddly.
It's easy to quilt, and you can quilt further apart since you are not securing the batting. I do recommend checking for wrinkles on the backing regularly because it will stretch on you a little now and then. I start in the center and work out to keep things as even as I can.

Thanks....I'll make a new thread about natural fiber. :0)

I use fleece quite a bit with or without batting. I like it because you don't have to quilt as close as when you use batting. It seems to last just as long. If I use batting I go back to quilting about 4" apart. Just be careful you don't stretch the fleece on the quilting frame.

I'm confused about fleece and minky. Are they knit or woven fabrics? Are they the same thing?

Rob