Welcome to the board! You are so smart to make a denim quilt for a boy...it will take anything he can probably dish out. I agree that cross-hatching would look nice. You might also consider tying the quilt instead of quilting it...just not sure if the look you are going for. I'm not sure about what type of thread would be best for tying a denim quilt...perle cotton? Maybe someone else here on the board could help with that. I've heard that a surgeon's knot is the best and that there is a YouTube video for the instructions on how to tie the knot. Your batting will dictate how far apart the knots need to be. I think Warm & Natural states no more than 10 inches for quilting lines, but I would make it closer than that for a tied quilt. Just check the packaging that your batting came in. Try to post a picture when you have it completed...would love to see it!

Welcome to the QB!

Another idea...if you aren't using batting or if you are using a batting that doesn't require close quilting, you could quilt some type of design such as a star in each of the squares. It would require a lot of starts and stops, but you would be avoiding the really thick seams, you wouldn't have to try to move the quilt as much as doing straight stitching all the way across the quilt (repeatedly) and it would look really cool on the back.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

I buy a denim thread at Walmart that will be almost invisible on the back. It blends in with any color of denim but you may need several spools because it is just a regular size spool. It is beside the gold thread for denim but the gold thread is very thick while the denim is not. Maybe you could just use it where you don't want the quilting to show and use something else for the rest.

Welcome to the board from Southern California! I love your quilt! I think, however, I would opt for a cotton backing, not denim, and a thin batting. Can you imagine the weight of the quilt when it's done, and trying to wash and dry it?? I made a purse from a denim-look cotton, and I loved it! Joann's had it and I only bought it a month or so ago. I would also make the quilting simple, say a large meander or simple cross hatching. There seems to be too many small patches in yours to go around each patch! Maybe you could pick some of the larger pieces and do a manly motif in them, but I would make it as simple as possible by a simple all-over design. I have made numerous jeans tote bags from Jeans I got at our new Goodwill store and other places, so have tons of denim scraps from the legs, I think I might attempt a denim scrap quilt as well. Let us know what you do and PLEASE post a photo she its done! Thanks!

just had another small thought....you could use fleece in the center instead of batting and then tie the quilt....use a good size curved (half circle) needle....

Welcome to the board. I agree that you may have trouble with the quilting if you have denim on the back and quilt over the block intersections. Every seam you cross means you are going through at least 3 layers of denim (assuming you have pressed the seams open) -- the intersections even more. Sewing machines do funny things when they try to sew over those big clumps of fabric -- some of them get bogged down, some jump over. With the denim top you need to reduce bulk as much as possible for the rest of the quilt.

That said, I think a nice all over grid pattern (for me it would be on the diagonal) would be nice. If you do free motion, moving a heavy quilt can be really hard on you. If you do a grid pattern with your walking foot the machine is helping you move the quilt around.

Welcome to quiltingboard.
Everyone here has given you good advise. I made a similar type quilt for my grandchildren. Used flannel as backing. And no lining, as here in Texas it doesn't get THAT cold. Did a simple diagional stitch across one and tied the other. Whatever you decide to do, be sure and show us the finished project.

No it won't matter sounds nice

If you are concerned about how the back will look, you might consider trying a "busy" fabric on the back, something a bit lighter weight as others have suggested, a print that will probably hide the quilting design.

That said, I also encourage you not to worry about the quilting "on the back" as that is a normal part of doing this work; there's not a way to actually hide it, so mostly we let it fall where it may.

Welcome here, by the way!

Jan in VA

Well, from your picture it looks really pretty. I like it! Keep going. The only way to learn is ask this board questions and make your mind up what you want to do. And then get going. Good luck. Son will love it too.