but, I never knew it was going to be this hard :lol:..My hands actually hurt from needle sticks and I do believe I have more muscles in my hands than I had before lol.. My question is when doing a strip quilt does one need to add batting? And if so, what would be the lightest weight batting to use? I plan to use a sheet as a backing..I am hand quilting and both hubby and I are warm blooded so the lighter the better I think?

What if you used a flannel sheet? Lighter weight, but still nice and cozy. No batting required.

Thank you so much..That sounds great..Now another question..Sorry for all the questions though..I am really, really new to fabrics, quilting and sewing..So what weight of flannel? Not sure if there are different weights or different types?

Jut to let you know I use flannel sheets alot for backing and batting, sometimes I have used two for batting, I get them at the good will or thrift stores all the time for .75 to 3 bucks all the time!

Just go to the store and find one that feels good to you. Since its in the middle you could check out the sales. Won't matter what it looks like. BUT if you get one that is red or blue or black you definitely want to wash it first. I won't get into the "to prewash or not to prewash" topic. Lol. If you do a search on board there are a bazillion topics on prewashing and you can decide for yourself.

No worries...ASK questions! This forum is a great place to do it - such a wealth of information! :D

As for the weight - I just buy what feels nice to me. I have used flannel sheets for backing a few times and am always happy with the outcome! Definitely wash it first in hot water and dry on hot too...flannel likes to shrink!

I don't hand quilt but I've read on this site that sheets are very hard to hand quilt. You could post another question and see what answers you get from those that have tried. Good luck.
Shelley

Flannel is a good substitute. Just be sure to wash it and put it through the dryer a couple of times before you use it to get all the "fluff" out and let it shrink as much as it's going to BEFORE you quilt it.
Don't even ask me how I know.......

Thank you all so very much for all your answers ..I went to Hancock's today to see what I could find...My poor hubby ended up taking a nap in the car :P ...I will go and check into Goodwill and places like that before I purchase anything so I can get a good price..But Hancock's are having a very good sale on quilting fabric lol..

The problem with using sheets for a backing is the thread count. Flannel is a different animal. Cheap cotton sheets that have a low thread count will work for a quilt backing that will be handquilted. Flannel is a much looser weave. It will shrink so be sure to prewash it several times and dry on the highest setting.
Your hands will become accustomed to being stuck. I have callouses on my finger tips on both hands as I have trained myself to quilt with both hands. Just becareful if you bleed on the quilt. Your spit will remove your blood. I know that sounds odd but it really works.