Bought some material to make a rail fence quilt. I goofed and one "rail" material that I ordered is way too sparkly for my taste. Would it be O.K. to use the reverse side of it for the front? It is alittle sparkly but I think it would be alright to fit in with the other rails? Has anyone else used the backside for the front? Thanks!! :oops:

You paid for both sides. :)

I just got some fabric for a project, and I did not like the gold lines on the right part so I fliped it all over and worked it to my liking .... what ever works.

Use whichever side you like better! I'm considering experimenting with using all reverse-side fabrics in a quilt.

If you washed it would some of the sparkly's come off?

Some of the sparkly fabrics look like glitter that has been glued to the front. I've always wondered if it would come off in the wash.

But I agree use which ever side of the fabric you like. Some of my scrappy fabrics and precut 5" squares I'm not sure which is which and I just use the side I like. In my group I'm the one who accumlates people's usuable scraps. I make a lot of strip and crumb blocks.

funny! quote.

yes I have done it a few times whatever works.

I don't know why not.

Sometimes I use both side for the variaty. Works for me...

I washed it but it is still sparkly! I think from the other replies I am going to try and use the backside.

I've used the back side when I needed a slightly lighter shade and in batiks, the backside will be less distinct in the markings.

Yep, this is my theory too ;)

I bought some "soft yellow" fabric online that turned out way too bright for me so I'm just going to reverse it!
The other side is just right :)

Perfect!! I totally agree.

Yes, go ahead! You can do anything you want, it's your quilt.

I even bought a piece of fabric not realizing it was the back side out! That was the side I liked.

Who's gonna know? is something i learned a while ago...

Frequently! Often I'll use both sides on the same quilt.

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Not quilting related, but my late DH bought some rather expensive Hawaiian shirts when we were there once, and they were all of them cut inside out. He liked the muted tones much better than otherwise.

So, like others have said, if it pleases YOU, then do it. Quilting is an art, and artists see the world in a different way.

I never knew there was a thing called 'too sparkly' - not for me. I like lots of glitz.

I'd like to know the manufacturer of the fabric you bought...I LOVE sparkly and glitter,lol.

Did you try taking a scrubber pad---the plastic kind used to heavily scrub baked on food---to the sparkly side when it was wet? Never needed to try it but I must have read it somewhere. Otherwise, the quilt police aren't watching...use whatever side you need! (Nice to meet another teacher, too!)

Watched a Fons and Porter show a week or so ago and the guest Designer using black white and grey tones had used a lot of the reverse side as well as the top sides to get the effect she wanted. Just looking at the quilt you could not tell it, they just looked like muted prints.

My DH also has several shirts where the back side of the fabric is the outer shirt and they look good...

So do what ever Floats Your Boat... your quilt, your fabric both sides... go for it... The quilt police can't arrest you for doing it... LOL

Sure, I do it all the time.

Too sparkly??? Yeah, use it for the backing then that's your preference. Personally, I like a bit of WOW in my quilts....

(translation of WOW: made a mistake but heck, no turning back now....lololol)

Why not? It's your fabric.

LOL! Good answer!

I have reversed fabrics in quilts-clothing and upholstering projects I don't really believe there is a wrong side to most fabrics

I have bought fabrics specifically for the wrong side already.

I did this also. Fabric was for binding of an old quilt and the softer back side was just right.

As someone said, you pay for both sides of the fabric and sometimes the reverse side works better with the quilt. I once used the back side of a fabric for a border, as it worked better with the quilt. Whatever works. I always pre-wash my fabric and some of the glitter comes off but not much, and I love using those glittery fabrics for quilts for little girls.

one of my favorite saying. You paid for both sides, use it.

A lot of the professionals with names we all know say they do this a lot because it is just right for them. So guess we can all get by with doing it too. Fabric quality should be the same on both sides. Ha!

I'm sure I have switched the sides of fabric. Luckily, the recipient has never mentioned it/

I have used the back when it fits my need...do what works!

boy does it...I would take to the laundry mat and use their washer for it...
also, if it is heavily glittered, and you are going to long arm it..you might reconsider..my LAQ told me to never bring her another quilt with that glittered fabric in it...it dulls needles really quick and makes skipped stitches....so be careful where/when you use glittered fabric!

Oh absolutely! I do that with certain batiks :)

I absolutely loathe those batiks with the gold stuff on them...BUT when you turn them over...WOW..they are always so pretty...

I do it frequently-figure I paid just as much for that side and the other. :)

Good answer, I agree.

I started using the back of some fabrics years ago. Now when I buy fabric I always look at both sides to see which side works for me.