Quilt Backing
 

What do the majority of you use for quilt backing? I never know whether its better to use the wide 108" fabric or to piece a normal 44" to make the backing. Do you like solids or designs better? Ive bought some just plain white for the backing but it seemed a little blah when finished. Just curious because it seems the backing costs almost as much or more than the quilt top by the time I purchase it. A top can be scrappy but the back shouldnt be! :) Would appreciate any suggestions as to where you purchase backing and what kind you prefer!!

When I can find it, I like the 108" wide fabric simply because it is less work and no seam(s) running down or across the back. I like batiks for backing, but use others also.

Elaborately pieced backings make quilting more difficult, but backings can become much more interesting with just one insert pieced in. A diagonally running band of contrasting fabric in the background can look wonderful. With blocks, piecing in just one block in a band or several blocks in a band can make the back a lot more interesting.

I prefer to use wide fabric when I can. If not, I piece it and sometimes use more than one fabric to do so (although I must say, I prefer to use only one fabric as it pleases me better). :)

Unless I'm limiting fabrics for a quilt to those from a specific collection, I love piecing my quilt backs with leftovers from the top, and if I run out, I raid my stash for fabrics that blend in to get the size needed. It's a great way to use up what you have and in doing so, gives you the perfect excuse to run out and buy new fabric!

If you piece your quilt back this way, using a 1/2" seam allowance pressed open should give you no problems during quilting.

I use mostly flannel. Yes, I have to piece it, and wash it 3 or 4 times before cutting, but it feels so much better for throw quilts. Or I will use a fleece type fabric. Especially on kids quilts.

I like to use wide backings ... If I am having custom quilting done I buy the best quality muslin I can find in a wide backing.. it shows off all the detail of the quilting... and I have been known to put my quilts back side up for awhile just to admire all those beautiful stitches.
If it's just a quilt that is a meander stitch is used for the quilting I will use a print .

I typically choose a print from the quilt top. It's super expensive, the entire quilt is! I love quality fabric though, I know my quilts will last a lifetime.

If you aren't often going to see the back, like a bed quilt, wall hanging or table topper, I use muslin. You can get muslin in wide widths. If you are going to see the back a lot, like a throw, baby quilt etc. I use a print that coordinates, wide enough to not have to piece if possible.

I like patterned backs since my FMQ isn't yet good enough to show off. I also like pieced backs that use up scraps from the front of the quilt. I've only used a wide backing once on a hand quilting project that I'm still working on. Haven't had any problems machine piecing the backs that were pieced. I'm trying to build up a quilt backing stash from fabric that I find at a really good price - say $3-$4 per yard.

I personally don't like piecing together backing, so I've been using the 108" backings for quilts wider than 42 inches. Robert Kaufman has some fun ones. I like the circle ones: black/white circles, lime/white circles, gray/white circles. I also use the batik ones or the white on white ones (sorry, don't remember who makes those).

I only make lap size quilts. I use solid fabric for my backings so that I can piece in blocks to match the front of the quilt.

I do mostly lap size quilts for charity. I end up sticking the leftover fabric or blocks on the back of the quilt so I only have to have enough for the length of the quilt. It saves quite a bit of money

I like to get creative on the back. I'll use leftover fabric, or shop clearance for something that I think looks good. Sometimes I'll get fancy, sometimes not. I've never used the wide fabric, as it rarely complements my projects.

I've used wide backings, 44" seamed and cut to fit, pieced from leftover fabric from the front (sometimes in a HUGE block that I used on the front), colored, patterned, geometric, WOW, muslin, black.... it depends so much on that quilt and what the quilting is going to be on it. I do like contrasting thread on the solid backs! It gives it almost a whole cloth feel...

When I first started quilting, I used the 44", but in recent years I've fallen for the 108". I really like the idea of one nice big piece. Also, it's onen less seam to deal with. I like patterns on the back as well so that if I should miss a stitch, or they are not all the same size (hand quilter), it is less noticable.

I prefer wide backs- even flannels can be found in wide widths. often I choose a pattern/print fabric or batik- once in a while a solid is the best choice- solids tend to show every stitch while prints tend to help any errors disappear- so if you are not an excellent quilter a print is much more forgiving. I buy a lot of my wide fabrics from fabric.com where they have great prices and free shipping at $35 so expense speaking wide backs can be a much better deal. it does of course depend on what size quilts you tend to make though. I make mostly queen sized quilts- so 3 yards of 108" wide fabric at $12-$15 a yard gives me plenty of backing (with some left overs to add to the stash or only $36- $45 (when you think about 6 or 7 yards of regular 45" fabric to piece a back at $10-$12 a yard- you are looking at $60,$70 up to $72-$84...even batiks at $17 a yard for wide only comes out to $51 for 3 yards.

Tartan,

I purchase my wide backs from thousands of bolts, they run 9.95 -13.95 for regular fabrics and 14.95-16.95 for batiks. 2yds is more than enough for a throw/twin/full quilt, 3yds is enough for a queen/small king. :)


And I prefer wide backs because I am too lazy to take the time to piece a back :p I have a long arm so it also works a little better without a seam.

I really like wide backs when I'm in a hurry but, I usually just use orphan blocks from the front or I just cut squares of the front fabrics and piece a checkerboard strip to make up for adding width. Someone on the board mentioned a while ago, that if you use the front fabrics also on the back, the quilt can be repaired in the future with fabric that has the same fade, wear, ect. I love that concept but don't know if it will ever happen.

I always shop the sale room/rack at quilt stores for backing material. It is at least 50% off and sometimes more. I often use fabric that had it been on the regular rack at full price I never would have considered it because it didn't speak to me but as a backing even ugly fabric comes alive with personality and you can't beat the price. My quilting budget goes a lot farther by doing this and I'm still getting good quality fabric.

I just ordered several samples from http://www.backsidefabrics.com/ . They will send up to 10 samples for free. And their prices are very very reasonable! They specialize in wide backing fabric. Check them out. T

I love using flannel as a backing, and lucked out at a thrift store close by. They run 1/2 off sales very often, and $6 for a king size high quality brand new set thrills me.. I have about 15 in my stash, and I am good to go for a while, and I'm not opposed to piece the left over pieces to make more backing.. I finished four scrap quilts for my staff, and used five different colored flannels, and we each have the same colors for backing in our quilts.. I ws able to get burgundy, hunter green, navy, and they looked amazing front, and back..

Why do you say the back shouldn't be scrappy? I sometimes use wide backs, sometimes use 45" fabric, but most of the time I use up scraps that were left over from making the front. Sometimes the back is almost as interesting as the front.

Ive never seen a scrappy on the backing...do you have a picture of any? Id love to see what people do on the back of their quilts as well as the fronts!

For me it depends on the quilt. For a baby quilt, I like to use coordinating fabrics because these are usually gifts that I want to look well finished and planned. If it is a quilt for me and I am going to be quilting it, I first want a subtle print to help camouflage my quilting stitches as I am just not that good at quilting yet-and I prefer the wide fabric if I can find it just to avoid having the center seam. Lastly if it is a special quilt that I plan to send to my LAQ expert, I look for a lovely coordinating fabric that will look good on the quilt and show off her beautiful work.

I use both wide backing and pieced backing. It depends on the quilt top and the online sales I find. Hancock of Paducah has been havind some good sales lately on wide backing. Also found a good price at Quilt Fabric Closeout for 44" fabric that matched one of my queen size quilt tops. I prefer a print rather than a solid color because it helps hides any mishaps in my FMQ.

I love wide backings! I get the majority of mine from Two Sisters in Dallas, Tx. She always has great colors and good quality! Her prices are also way reasonable!

I have a question-are the fabrics from fabrics.com of good quality? I have never ordered from them, but my daughter has asked me to make a quilt for a Christmas gift for one of her friends and she purchased the fabrics from fabrics.com, she is a definite NON sewer and just found them online.

Yes, I order backings from fabric.com quite a bit and they're fine. Have also ordered from connectingthreads.com and they're good quality as well. I prefer to use wide backing just because it' easier but will piece a backing if it's cheaper or the design works better. I almost always use backing that has a pattern of some kind, don't like the solids but that's a personal preference.

Tartan, You lost me when you said you open the tube up are you meaning that after sewing the selvage sides together you cut down the center of the tube, then cut down the center of one of the pieces?

Frankenbacks!
 

Dunster is spot on, as usual! I have started using orphans and leftover yardage or just plain uglies in the backs of my quilts and I am loving the result. I took the Bonnie Hunter/Mickey Depre "Collaboration Celebration" class and Mickey showed off her "Frankenbacked" quilts! Bonnie had a couple too. If it's good enough for the professionals, it's certainly going to work for me. Saves money and time as well.

The prettiest back I ever saw was made of 10" blocks in shirting colors. It blended beautifully, complimented the quilt and showed off the quilting nicely. The quilter said that she was just using up leftover big scraps!

The vast majority of quilts I make are queen or king sized, and I almost always piece my backs -- in essence I make double sided quilts. Family members (only ones lucky enough to get more than one quilt from me) always flip the quilt over to "see what's on the back!" I have used a few wide backings when the top had a zillion seams just to cut down on the weight. I will add that all my quilting is done by check (longarm lady) and she is always interested to see what's on the back, too.

I see nobody here has said the dreaded backing word "sheets". I use good quality cotton sheets all the time and can't see any reason not to. I only machine quilt and prefer the patterned ones as they do hide imperfections in your quilting. I can find single sheets here often $10 or less as we have a small unique store that handles returns, rejects, overruns of sheets and bedding of all sorts from Sears, The Bay and Bed and Beyond. Last week I bought King Size cotton sheets at $6.99 and flannel ones at $4.99. My friend has done a couple of my quilts on her long arm and had no issues with my cotton sheets either. At those prices, I doubt if I will ever piece LQS 42" yardage at $14.99 a yard and up for a back.

I use whatever fits the quilt I am making best, sometimes its extra wide, sometimes its scappy sometimes its normal width joined once or twice depending on width of quilt. I don't have any strict rules, I just look at my finsihed quilt and then decide. The only time I bought the backing at the same time I bought material I ended up not using it as I didn't think it went well with my design on the front, just go with the flow and what suits you best at the time.

Here's a couple of my backs.

They have name brands that I trust. I have ordered from them many times and have been happy with prices and service.

I have pieced backs, used 108" wide, used bed sheets. Haven't had any problems with whatever I have used.

I have had good experiences , and a few not so good experiences with wide backing from fabric.com. Stick with a manufacture name you can trust. One was so thin and loosely woven I would not use it in any project.

I like the solid white or unbleached 106" when I can afford it or have it on hand. It is a time saver and I find I have less waste. I have pieced the backs of many quilts using the 44 " and they are just fine. As far a color I tend to use a lot of cream or white in my piles of scrappy quilts so the cream/white back is just fine. With some nice quilting, SID. echo or meandering quilting, the back becomes a pleasant white-on-white quilt. :) In the end, do what feel right with that particular quilt.

i tend to use the wide flannel backs because they are *so* cozy.

i pieced a back out of leftover bits from years of pyjama fabrics, and i like the look of most pieced backs when i see them.

mostly i use new cloth because by the time i get to the back, i just want to get it together and get on to the next stage!

aileen