Pieced Quilt Backs and Quilting Design
 

Hi! I was just viewing a thread in Pictures of all the creatively pieced quilt backs some of you quilters are doing. I myself, have just finished piecing a quilt back and the question I have concerns the quilting design decision...Do you consider what you've pieced on the back when you are determining what you want to quilt on the front, or do you disregard the back entirely and quilt the front to best suit the quilt top, which I think would be my approach?
Thanks in advance for your insight :-).

I quilted mine from the front with what the front needed. I outlined the appliqued flowers with multiple lines and it looks fine on the back which had no flowers.

It depends. Usually my pieced back is fairly simple and while the quilting pattern may not be specifically in place to accent the backing, it looks fine and adds interest. I don't tend to do very rigid motifs, though; I'm much more of a doodle-style improv FMQ. I can see where it might not be most pleasing if you have a complex feathered medallion showing up in an odd place on the back, for example.

Since it's nearly impossible to line them up, I generally disregard any design I've piece on the back and focus on the front when deciding how to quilt. I do consider the back in regards to selecting thread color. I often use busy fabrics, so many times it's not an issue because the thread tends to blend in.

Like the other ladies who have spoken up, I disregard the back and try to pick a design that will complement the front. The only way the back factors in is in my selection of thread color and binding.

I do take the design on the back and a usually quilt free hand to make both sides look good with that design I do. I really love to quilt double quilts, gives the user two quilts in one LOL.. I have done this with tablecloths as well with matching buffet runners and napkins to match both sides so the user can use it all year round..

This got me to thinking......what if one quilted each side differently -- by hand quilting only thru two layers at a time. Would take forever is my thought! Then again, for those who handquilt much faster than I do, it might be an interesting project for something small; two quilts in one!

Jan in VA