Sheets as a backing
 

I have been reading long arm services and many of them do not accept a sheet for the backing. I cannot find a reason for this. I know a lot of people don't use sheets for backing, but it seems that just as many do. I am having a long arm delivered Tuesday and planned to use a sheet for the backing to practice, play and learn to use the machine. I don't want to do this if it could cause a problem. I am getting a 12 ft majestic Gracie frame with a Tin Lizzie 18 Ram.

I have a longarm and use sheets remember it's your machine and your quilts and you are the one in charge

I don't know why quilters don't like sheets. We use sheets to back our quilts that we give to people in need in our community. We have a Fred Meyers in town and frequently they put twin sheets on sale for 3.99. They are good count sheets. This week they have an extra coupon we can use for 20% off which brings the sales price of the twin sheets down to 3.19 per sheet. IMHO, that is a bargain since there are more than 2 yards of fabric in each twin.

Hope you enjoy your new longarm set-up. Happy Quilting!

I always believed it was the thread count, density of the fabric and having polyester in them. I have never used sheets either because I was taught by Harriet Hargrave that you should use the best fabric you can afford. I don't use anything in a quilt with polyester. I want my quilts to be shown on Antique Roadshow in the year 2052. :)

Most sheets have a tighter weave and higher thread count than quilting cotton, and some machines get finicky about that with resulting tension problems. I would say go ahead and try it, if you have a sheet on hand. But I've found that most sheets are more expensive than simply buying muslin yardage.

I would avoid bed sheets because of their thread count and fiber content, particularly if they contain polyester. If you're wanting to use a bed sheet because it requires no sewing to put together a quilt backing, check out the wider (108"- to 118"-wide) cotton backing fabrics available at quilt stores and online. You can get everything from white or off-white muslin to prints or even flannels.

I don't have a long arm, hopefully one of these days, but I use sheets all the time and FMQ on my DSM and have never had a problem, so I don't know why a long arm would have a problem.

We love to sleep on high thread count sheets, but the higher the thread count the least likely you should use it as a backing. The combination of a high thread count and the needle size used by longarm machines.. make it likely the stitch hole will break the fibers and it will be a true hole. I once ha a long arm pro take out a good amount of stitches on a batik backed quilt. When I noticed the " holes" where she had made a mistake and taken out a very large section of quilting.. she told me not to worry they will close up. Well they never did, batiks are also a higher thread count, I can still see every hole the needle made. I almost wish she had left the original stitches.

I use thrift store top sheets that seem to have been washed a zillion times and are very soft. I have also used 200 count cotton sheets, but they are hard to find. Sheets with this low of a thread count are often a poly blend. I agree with the other posters. Try one and see if you and your machine are happy.

I often use 100% cotton flannel sheets for backing. I have had them done by a couple people on their long arm - they came out perfect and the long arm operators didn't seem to mind.

I don't know about long arm quilting but my DM hand quilted using bed sheets all the time. I have some of her quilts that are old and still in great shape.

I do quilt with a longarm and will use a sheet if that is what my customer brings to me.I nor my machine has a problem with using a sheet. However, that said, the higher thread count of the sheet will sometimes leave a poor looking back as the quilting stitches look as if they cut the threads of the sheet instead of finding space between threads and sinking into the batting. If a person wants to use a sheet I would recommend one that has been washed several times to soften it up as much as possible.

It's how tightly woven/dense it is--not the fact that is a sheet. I have bought some duvet covers that are hard to sew on--and one I had, while beautiful to look at, was a horror to work with when FMQ. My needle kept skipping. I finally figured out it was because I bought this gorgeous fabric (in the form of a duvet cover) that was extremely tightly woven. I ended up using it anyway. I think I changed to a smaller, new needle. I don't really remember.

But anyway, I use sheets often--and almost always for the charity quilts I make. I look for all cotton sheets, but for the charity ones I may use one in very good condition that is 50/50. Why not? Its original purpose was for bedding, after all! Seems appropriate to use it for a quilting/blanket which is also bedding.

I'm a sheet user too and quilt them on the longarm with no problem. I give all my quilts away so I buy good used sheets at thrift stores and new ones clearanced when I find them, so far no problem and I've been doing this almost 10 years.

I have a friend that uses tham all the time without any trouble.

I haven't done the sheets for backing yet but might try it after reading this. Something to consider when making a charity quilt is that for most people receiving them it will be a cherished gift. If they will hold up to many launderings I would think that would be fine.

I've used 100% cotton Ikea sheets for backings with absolutely no problems on my DSM. But, I can see how they may cause issues with longarmers. Since I do my own quilting, I don't worry about it.

i confess i am a sheet lover as well....no problems here

I have used sheets for years, cottons if I can find them with a low thread count, cotton/polyester blend if they have a good "hand" feel, flannel flats if they are on sale and decent quality fabric. I do very carefully check the used sheets. If they have been used a lot they may not wear with the quilt top. If they are pretty crisp, not faded, and seem like they were more abandoned than used I will buy and use them.

Absolutely agree - sheets are great for quilts. I often buy used top sheets in yard sales and use for batting in the center for a summer quilt or a couple of layers as batting in a baby quilt (holds up well to all the many washings). Sheets make wondering backings on a quilt, and I've used in place of muslin for blocks on the front of a quilt, too. As long as the sheet is in good condition and the thread count is high enough, go for it!

The reasoning is that sheets have a high thread count, which forces your quilting needle to break the sheet's threads as it pieces through. This supposedly leaves holes in your backing and diminishes the stability of your sheet. Your quilting fabric has a looser weave which allows your needle to easily slide between the threads and keeps your backing fabric intact. This doesn't mean that you don't have a choice it just means your quilt will last longer according to the piece I read. Just be a happy quilter.
Mia

As previously posted, the higher thread count of sheets will often result in the LA needle cutting or breaking the warp and weft threads as opposed to sliding between them.

A LA needle looks like a Harpoon when compared to a DSM needle. Especially the larger sizes. One thing that has not been mentioned is the noise my LA makes when quilting with a sheet backing. It is a loud thwock, thwock, thwock noise. A very similar noise is made when you have a dull needle. If I were to guess, this is the noise of the needle puncturing the sheet rather than sliding between the weave of the threads as it does with lower thread count quilting cottons.

I recommend that until you get used to your LA and all its nuances, you should go out and purchase some muslin to practice on on inexpensive solid quilting cotton. You can purchase Moda Bella solids at Thousands of Bolts for $4.99 per yard. Or find an on line shop that is closing out fabric at $3.00 per yard. This way you can familiarize yourself with how the machine sounds with what it is intended to run with. Once you gain some experience, if you want to try using a sheet for backing go right ahead. You should hear the difference immediately, unless of course it is a flannel sheet. Flannel sheets do not have the high thread count of percale sheets so will quilt up just like any other flannel.

I use sheets all the time, both for me and charity. I find many really cute sheets at Savers and Goodwill but I always feel them and look for lower thread count. I only by sheets that are not badly worn and have never had a problem. But I also use fabric that comes from other than LQS and again if you feel the fabric you can tell if the fabric will work.

You should use what you want to use. Just be informed of the possible outcomes. You have some good information here.

I hand quilt and sheets are definitely a no no for hand quilting---They are so difficult to needle through it. My group hates them for that and we refuse quilts whose owners want sheets used for backing. We break our needles and really have a terrible time with them.

Thanks for all the information. I will use quilt fabric until completely familiar with the machine and then see if it acts any differently with a sheet. I have finished my grandson's graduation quilt and it will be the first real quilt i do on it after enough practice to feel like I won't mess it up.

I have been quilting for 30 plus years and have used sheets off and on when I first started quilting most of our quilting fabric was a blend it was a little harder to do points but it worked we used sheets and tied them no long arms then a lot of people hand quilted plus myself we did not like the sheets for that as the higher thread count was harder to quilt through but it will not nor ever has hurt a machine just change your needle when it needs it and you will be fine I have one ready to quilt now on my DSM and am using a heet TJ Max has some very pretty ones cheaper than buying fabric and I prefer that over muslin it is your quilt have fun

we use 200 thread count sheets all the time, doesn't bother us at all, or our machine....the lower thread count allows the needle to flow through the fabric much like cotton.

I have a Tin Lizzie 18...and I use sheets as backing frequently...without any problem...that being said...I don't use those that are very thin...or polyester....

Me, too. I use sheets with a maximum thread count of 200, and have used poly/cotton when the cotton is 60 % and poly is 40 %. I also use flannel sheets as backing. I buy them on sale after the hoiidays - there's a lot of fabric and a "free" matching pillow case!

I think that the prohibition on using sheets came from the fact that sheets are harder to hand quilt, but I'm no expert on the subject. My advice? Test with the sheet.

The thread I use is the polyester thread from Connecting Threads. It seems to work well whether I'm quilting with a sheet or cotton fabric. Good luck!