Quilt back
 

I have used pieced fabric and even used some left over added in to make back. The last customer quilt I used the extra wide backing fabric because I had nothing left that would look good . So now just finished a t-shirt quilt top I am on the fence pieced or whole ? What do you prefer? I will quilt on hq16

i prefer whole cloth backs, though i have seen some awesome pieced ones too.

would a whole cloth back give a t-shirt quilt some needed stability?

i have never made one of those...

aileen

I like whole cloth.

Whole cloth is cheaper but honestly I think the quality of the fabric is cheaper. Just my opinion. I have bought both and even the moda wide backs seem to be corse compared to yardage. I haven't washed any yet so I don't know if they get softer. Whole cloth is definitely less work

I prefer a whole cloth backing although I have tried piecing my backing. One major problem a LAQ had with a friends pieced backing was it matching her front seams and the bulk being very difficult to sew over. I think it broke needles and thread.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]449696[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]449697[/ATTACH]This is the back and then the front of a t-shirt baby quilt I made for my cousin. I pieced the back with leftover t-shirts that were the wrong size for the front. It was machine quilted on my DSM. I did not have problems with the quilting. I like wide backs and pieced backs. It depends on how much fabric I have to use for the back. If it is a gift for someone like my sons teacher/PT/OT, I lean towards using a wide back. If it is for me or a close family member, I will do whatever...

The wide backs are intentionally more coarsely woven to enhance the quilting process. They are not intended for piecing purposes. I've used them only a couple of times. I will often piece my backs, using leftover fabric from the front. Sometimes they get quite "interesting." I even made a reversible quilt once, pieced on both sides.

I am working on a T shirt quilt for a customer. I purchased a set of double bed sized sheets from Walmart. They are I think 300 thread count 100% cotton and soft as butter. I plan on using the flat sheet for the back and cutting up the bottom sheet for borders etc. If I need the extra fabric I can also cut up the pillowcases. I am usually a hand quilter but for this project I will machine quilt on my Bernina. The worst part is having to stabilize all of those shirts.

Interesting factoid about wide backs. Thanks.

mpspeedy2 don't cut up the pillowcases! Use them to store your finished quilt. Many quilters like to rotate their quilts and may even change them seasonally. I launder my finished quilt and then store it in its matching pillowcase. If I have a pile of quilts in the linen cupboard, I don't have to pull out quilts to check which one I have. One look at the pillowcase lets me know. I often make a matching pillowcase with the scraps just for this purpose or add a strip of quilt fabric to the purchased pillow case for easy identification and it looks great!

I prefer to use wholecloth backs. Using blocks in the backing is sometimes hard to match so they look straight. By the time I get to the backs I am tired of piecing. I guess I am getting a bit lazy too.

I have used all three- wide backing, 45" backing sewed together, and pieced . The wide baxcking is by far the easiest, then the 45" sewed together and then (never to do again) pieced. I just finished a 80x90 quilt that I pieced the baching by sewing 6" wide strips together. I had extra fabric and I wanted to save $$$. What a chore. It seemed like a never ending process and not worth the $$ savings. Also it was hard to center the quilt top on the pieced backing. Also I am not really picky about my backing as long as they coordinate with the top. In fact I do not like the backing that I pieced for the last top. As for the 45" fabric- I like Kona cotton- it comes in many colors and has a nice hand and seems to add body to the quilt

That's so cool. Love it.

I usually use 45" fabric sewn together. More often than not I use flannel for my backs. Sometimes I piece some fabric from the front & incorporate it in the back, sometimes not. I have done one all pieced back. It took quite a bit of time but I was determined not to buy fabric for that quilt. I liked how it turned out & I would do it again. I find the center of the quilt back & pin all the way across the width of the quilt then, by feel, line up the center of the front with the back using the feel of the pins as a guide. Not a real fancy method, but I've had good luck keeping my pieced backs lined up straight.

I prefer the wide backs. I haven't noticed a difference in quality. They are a little cheaper to buy for the square footage that you need. I have used some left over wide backs for piecing and for borders.

I've also pieced the backs, usually a full WOF in the center, and half a WOF on each side. But you end up with less than 90" that way,and my quilts are generally wider than that.

I wouldn't add to the thickest of a T-shirt quilt. I would use whole cloth.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE a pieced back. It doesn't have to be intricate - I use fat quarter chunks, but it is so much more fun to turn over a quilt and see something else going on, other than a plain fabric, or heaven forbid, muslin. (Sorry, muslin fans, just my opinion)

Nothing better for me than a good quality muslin for backs....when washed, soft as marshmallow, and what a way to get a whole cloth...although I never turn mine to backside...why did I do all that work on the front! Save all that good printed cloth for the front of the quilt.......that's what an occasional scrappy is for. JMHO

What a wonderful idea...

I use muslin for backing AND as blenders on the front. Just sayin.

For those of you that have trouble lining up a pieced back with the front, I saw a video on how to get them lined up. I haven't had an opportunity to try it yet but it sounds like it should work.
You use small diameter dowels. Find the center of your work surface and tape a dowel across the center. Then tape dowels on either side of the first dowel at 90 degrees.
Mark the center lines on the wrong side of the backing fabric. You can then line it up by feeling the dowels. Add the batting. Mark the center lines on the right side of the top. Again line it up by feeling the dowels.
My next quilt, I plan to do some piecing on the back and I'll try this method to line it up.
Bob

This is a great idea if you have a pillowcase available!
When we finish a quilt, I'll machine embroider a design and maybe a brief description of the quilt on 2 places on fabric. My wife will then make it into a case with a drawstring. When we give away a guilt, it goes in this case and we let them know this is a good way to store the quilt. It protects it and lets it breathe.
Bob

I really like the look of a piece back on some quilts, but for a T-shirt quilt, I think a wholecloth back might be nicer, unless, like hopetoquilt, you have some T-shirts left to incorporate into the back.

Since I never hand quilt,I either use a good quality unbleached muslin, thrift store percale or woven flannel sheets. The flannel sheets are already washed (preshrunk) so they will not shrink or unravel, but I always wash everything from thrift stores before using. The one time I bought a wide backing fabric was a total mistake, it shrank unevenly, and made the quilt useable only as a charity quilt. I am now afraid to try it again.