Quilt backs
 

I have been sorting donations to our church bazaar and have found three 80 by 60 lovely cotton tablecloths. No one ever buys these because they have to be ironed. Could I use these for quilt backs? They are in excellent condition. Also, could I use the matching napkins for quilt blocks? Thanks for letting me 'pick your brains'. Love this board.

If it's not really, really heavy, and it launders OK, then I would use it. Same for the napkins.

upcycling is good for you AND the environment! you could use it for whatever you choose, LOL. they may be a heavier type linen, which is to your advantage, as it is much stronger than the usual 100% cotton -- at least the "older" items were...matching napkins are most likely linen as well...."sounds like you hit the jackpot"

I have a few tablecloths I inherited rather than see them put in the Good Will box. It is my plan to have them quilted in a whole cloth style. I say go for it. You may find the napkins to ravel quite a bit so consider larger seam allowances and do test cutting and sewing with just one before you cut them all.

If they are too heavy, you could use them as backing without using any batting, or make tote bags out of them.

I would make sure they are colorfast too especially if they are dark...

I thought about doing this with used sheets, but I worry that the quilt front will shrink a bit because I don't prewash and the quilt back won't. Does anyone think that will be a problem?

Check the used sheets carefully. I was given about 5 recently. They looked fine, but shredded and tore so easily they could not be used.

If the fabric washes and is colorfast, I say go for it! I have used sheets as backs with great results, and have used linen and decorator fabrics in quilts. Different fabrics can add texture and interest to a quilt. I have seen some great ones will wool and corduroy too.

I have some too. As a table cloth, they need ironing. I wouldn't think so as the back of a quilt.

thank you for this idea. As I was reading it, I thought of the tie quilt we are "going " to make from my FIL ties, why not make the backing from a tablecloth that belonged to MIL AND FIL. I have several to choose from. I use them on my tables periodically.

I would be concern with how they would wear especially with being washed.

I have quilted one before, but it was for someone else, so I don't know how it handled washing etc. (It looked excellent when it was quilted!)

Try it and see how it turns out.

Charisma posted pictures a while ago of some quilts (or maybe just one quilt) that she had made from old table cloths. Hers were lovely.

No one ever buys these because they have to be ironed. That statement caught my eye. I wonder if they will wot=rk if they need to be ironed? Or will the back always look messy? Or will they be quilted heavily? You would almost have to be ironed to make your sandwich, but after if they are washed?????

I was reading a blog once and the lady put a beautiful vintage tablecloth right in the middle of her back. It was really pretty and I thought it was a great idea. I use all kinds of fabric for my backs, prefer sheets more than anything.

100% cotton quilt fabrics also have to be ironed, so the tablecloths are no different.

Go for it. I agree I would just check the weave of the fabric to make sure that the fabric doesn't unravel for the narrow seam allowance.

I don't think there is enough difference in the shrinking but it will depend on how densly it is quilted on how it ends up looking. Densly quilted no problem as the one fabric that doesn't shrink will tend to stabalize the other.

I use sheets often too but make sure they are durable first.

In my first quilt class the instructor told us that she used sheets for quilt backings, so unless the tablecloths are very heavy, I don't see a reason why you couldn't use them for backings. I say go for it and see how you like the results.