Just got back from Target and bought 3 of the Queen flat sheets for $12 each. Perfect for quilt backings! 250-thread 100% cotton.

I realized that I did a great job creating a huge stash of 2 yd or less fabrics but had no good backing options.

I've been to Walmart and other places and this was the best deal hands down. Plus, the fabric is a good quality for the back of my quilts.

Just wanted to let you all know while they're still in stock. Red, Brown, Tan, White, Black colors.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that likes sheets for the backing...and that's a really good deal. Beckie

i often use sheets for backing. I buy new and sometimes I find them at the thrift stores. My last quilt is backed with a sheet that was in pristine condition that I paid 1.00 for.

great tip, thanks

Nice steal! $1 is amazing.

Well, I haven't done it yet, but I got the idea here. :-)
Then I went on the hunt and found the right quality for the right price. The colors are perfect for the fronts I have waiting.

yeahhhhh Target is finally in Canada

I found new in package a flannel sheet for $1. Made a warm snuggly quilt-I tell my grands "my Bink"!

I haven't used sheets as a backing before, but I'm definitely going to check these sheets out at Target. How can you go wrong? Thank you very much for sharing. :thumbup:

I too will be checking!! Thank you.

Thank you for tip. I could use the black as I'm making a Sudoku for my DS, and was in a quandrey about the backing.

Huh. All the time i spent working at Target & we never had single sheets then. Now that I'm not there anymore, they go & start carrying them. I was just there today & never thought of checking but, I'll go back there soon & check.
Thanks for letting us know.

wow, just spent $38 for 108" wide cotton at my LQS! Looks like I need to make a trip to Target! Do they come in colors?

Just a heads up - I've heard some LAQ's don't like using sheets and some won't quilt them. Apparently they are too tightly woven and it makes it very difficult to quilt. I've never used one, but considered it. If you're going to send it to a LAQ I just suggest letting them know you want to use a sheet as a backing up front. Would hate to have it sent back or have the backing changed because of it. I don't LAQ so I don't have first hand knowledge of what problems is caused - but I have read that some will not use them. Just a heads up to avoid possible problems when time to send out for quilting. (And of course, this may not even apply to all sheets...)
Hugs,
Gayle

Yes! Red, Brown, Black, Tan, White! Not online but in store I saw them all.

I know, I saw them at my LQS and was wavering both ways. I was even looking at buying regular fabric and piecing it. I hope this solves it for me. The color choices are limited, but they hit the major colors I need for now.

Yes, true, I've heard that too.

I'm doing FMQ on my own machine.

I also was told to stick with the 250 thread count to avoid the tight weave.

The hand feel of these is very nice! Feel just like the $12/yd LQS fabric I have. The test will occur after washing. Will it hold color once the sizing is washed out? I am hopeful!

It's like a sateen muslin, not as heavy as kona. I should weigh it before cutting into it to compare it to some others I have.

I LOVE using sheets as backing. I have a bunch that I bought on sale and they have held up very well on all I've used them on. I quilt my own and haven't have any problem with getting them done at all. =)

I am a long arm quilter and I use sheets all the time. I use cotton, 200 or 250 count. I don't use a higher thread count as they do get pretty tightly woven.
I love the feel of a sheet on the back of a quilt. So cool and smooth.

Walmart has single sheets too. Last time I bought one I saw teal, orange, green. Bright colors. I'm not sure if they were 100% cotton though. Price was about the same as Target's I think. Nice to know that Target has them too now!

It's true: Many of us LA quilters don't like using sheets.

The weave, even on the looser woven ones, don't 'heal' as well in the event we need to pull stitches. The needle break the threads in the weave instead of going between the threads. We're not perfect, and can't always hit the exact same holes. I've also found on sheets that I've purchased for my beds, that some of the less expensive sheets - those with the lower thread count - also pill after a few uses/washings. I'd hate to put that much time, money, and effort into a quilt to have the back pill or have thread breakage holes that don't heal.

I have a couple of customers that buy flannel sheets and those work great. If you watch the sales at some of the better stores, you can buy just the tops for a great price.

Thanks Shelley! Great tips!

I loooove your blog by the way - gorgeous work! When I grow up as a quilter can I be you? ;-)

I wait until the end of winter and buy up regular blankets on clearance. You can get king sized blankets for about $10. I just quilted up something with a micro plush blanket/ backing on my 6600. Came out great.

My MIL & SIL have a long arm and quilt with sheets alot. When they helped me quilt my first big quilt I used a sheet and they just told me I had to wash it first before we quilted it. It was easy to quilt and looked great.

i used a flannel sheet with snowmen on it for the back of one of my quilts..the front was cotton, so i washed the flannel first. it turned out beautiful!

How much for a King Size? I need a sheet to catch the overspray when I am spray basting. I'm going to check this out today. Thanks for the tip!

I am a LAQ and I will use a sheet with a low thread count. The high thread count is not good for a quilt back. You can also look for sheets that are muslin. They are out there. I recently got some lightly used sheets from a friend and they are muslin. Also remember to not cut the edges off, pull the stitches. Wash and press the seams flat. Your LAQ will appreciate it. Happy quilting

for that, i would go to a second hand store or try freecycle.org!

I am so glad you mentioned this, my son needs new curtains for his room. At 19 he is a little tired of the cartoons LOL. Since black is his favorite color, I told him I would make black curtains and using a sheet would be way cheaper.

I would be interested to know how it quilted for you. :)

Alex Anderson said to NEVER use sheets for backing if you are using good quality fabric in the front of your quilt. The difference in quality alone will make it NOT wear well. After going to all the work on the front, why skimp on the back. There are plenty of sales on fabric out there to pick up large chunks for backing and still keep the quality of your quilt top. Of course if you used really cheap fabric on the quilt top, then I guess it doesn't matter because the whole thing will not wear well over time.

Thank you for the head's up!

What a bargain!

I use sheets on most of my quilts, especially when i find them on clearance!

I have found that sheets need lots of washing before using as a backing and sometimes my machine doesn't like stitching through them.

Good to know and the price is right.

I, too, have heard that -- however, I have a longarm and ALL my practicing is on sheets! I've never had a problem! I'm going to be buying sheets for MY backings!!!!!

I need to hit Target for some sheets. I was at the local fabric store yesterday . I love that I have a real fabric store to go to again not just the chain but Ouch. I really can't see buying fabric by the yard for the backing unless I 1. hit the lottery or 2. was going to enter a show. For the ones I am doing now, vintage scrappy quilts, sheets are just fine.

I was told that sheets are not good for backing and yet I know some older quilters who have used sheets for backing. Their advice was to buy the least expensive with lower thread count for easier quilting. I do all my own stippliing. Any suggestions. Thanks for the input. :-)

Well, I used good quality LQS fabric for the front but it's a couch quilt - not a heirloom by any means. I'm learning and practicing techniques so I can eventually get to those heirlooms. ;-)

For now, I will try these.

I will let you all know how this works out and how it washes. As a couch quilt we'll use it all winter and wash it plenty.

$14 for King.
I won't wrestle a king size quilt for a while so I stuck with queen.

I did look at Walmart but the 100% cotton sheets were $20 for double. I thought that wasn't a substantial savings over 108" wide backing from the LQS so I passed on them. They also didn't have a good hand feel, if that makes sense. The ones at Target pleased me much more.

I would wash them first especiallly the teal, and red ones. Those colors really bleed a lot.