I have used sheets for backing many times and absolutely love it. I have also cut the left over pieces and used in pieced blocks. I never throw away a usable piece of fabric, which means I rarely throw away any fabric. Sheets are as good as any other fabric. I have even used sheets to make aprons or clothes if they had the right print/colors.

I'm about to replace sheets and mattress cover. Just last night it occurred to me to use the mattress cover for FMQ practice. It's already sandwiched and even though it's cross-hatched quilted already I think it will work very well for MMQ practice without having to use any fabric or batting.

When I took my first machine quilting class, the instructor said it was fine to use sheets for backing quilts. A high thread count percale might be a little slippery, but I have some cotton sheets that I know would work well. It's your quilt, do whatever you want, but I think the sheets with an old blanket or flannel sheet would be great to practice FMQ.

I would think you could use them for practice. Good sheets can be used for backings. I find them a bit slippery, may not be a problem for practice.

I think it would depend on the sheets.

They vary a lot in fiber content and thread count.

I use sheets, new and used, for backings on the quilts that I make. Mine are not pictures that will hang on someone's entry wall, they are quilts that will be used and loved by my family and friends. They don't care what is on the back of the quilts; they just care that I made it for them. I have never heard one of them say "is this a sheet on the back of this quilt, Grannie/Jo Ann".......

I think that is a great idea. Maybe you could use the sewn quilted sheets as gifts to the animal shelters.

Whether or not the needle goes through them depends on what kind of sheet they are and what thread count they are. Not all sheets are created equal.

I seem to be in the continual state of trying to declutter/ downsize/ whatever. For the first time, I have a handle on my stash. Please allow me to write that in red on the calendar.

When cleaning, we have not used the cotton sheets that are in the rag bin in the garage. I was brainstorming what to do with them and the quilting practice with the proper needle seems like the logical answer. I can start with FMQ with my standard machine and then work up to loading a couple of sheets on the Mega Quilter frame.

Your request and the resulting replies have made my day!! Thank you :-)