Wow. Price of Backing.
 

Just bought a backing here in Canada for a queen size quilt. 3 yards of 108.... $90.00 plus tax brings it to just over $100.00 just for the backing.

Can't wait for the day I feel it is safe enough virus-wise to go across the border to Joann's.

Watson

All fabric prices are going up. Even tho I have enough fabric, I'm tracing prices of precuts and they started going up about a mondth ago. Just have to shop my stash.

for quite a while now, I have been going to the "sales" section of any quilt store or online site. I check for bolts on sale that have enough yardage for a good sized quilt. If I can find something that has 9 plus yards and I think it would make a backing for something, I snatch it up. I have at least 10 pieces now that would be enough for a large quilt. I look for things that are more neutral in color or are in colors that I know I have in my stash and also prints that would work fine. Some have turned out really cute and if I am making smaller one, sometimes I have been able to also make the outer border and still have enough for the backing. I know some people are real fussy about matching their backing to the quilt top, but a lot of my tops are scrappy and it works. Nobody really sees the backing when the quilt is on the bed.

Keepsake quilting is having a huge sale on their backing fabrics, and they have a large selection of good quality ones. They were already marked down, and now another 25% off. I bought quite a few (more than I probably should have). Only problem is, I don't know if they ship to Canada.

It does add up fast. Especially the quality backing. It always reminds me of the first time I purchased a mattress. The fabric was horrible. The sales person said, you never see it it's covered up. I saw it every time I changed the sheets. Backing is the same. Some people just use any combination and say that you never see it. But you do. It's pricy, but worth it.

If the design warrants it, I'd go with an inexpensive bed sheet. Try Walmart for 100% sheet sets. You can use all parts of the set for one thing or another.

I buy 108 backing from Marshall's Dry Goods. I like to buy the cheater cloth wide quilt prints and use that as backing too.

Backs and batting are my largest expenses as I try to use stash. Unfortunately I have fewer and fewer pieces of yardage at 6+ yards. I'm getting pretty creative over piecing backings -- more and more by choice, but there is an ease and joy in the extra width that I also appreciate and maybe even prefer if usually out of my price point...

I know eQuilter has offers on shipping and international orders, especially if you can order multiple pieces and total over $100 which is, as you are finding, just a couple of backs and that also usually gives you a coupon for your next order. They have options starting around $14 yard US/regular price for the extra wide.
https://www.equilter.com/

Many times at Joann the extra wide backs are not on sale with the rest of the quilting cottons and you can use those half price coupons!

And then people question why it costs so much to make a quilt????
Geesh!!!


Too late now, Watson, but did you check out Len's? They often have widebacks that are much more affordable than the LQS' and often the same fabrics!


The irony is that to buy the same square yardage in regular 40" width,
it would have cost you well over $160.
(about 8.1 yards @ $20 plus, calculated just on square yardage,
without any allowance for seams, pattern matches, etc.)

When available, I compare the two and will buy the wideback, and save the money, even if only the regular width is needed. Unfortunately, that option often is not available and when it is, we need to check that the quality is the same.

Using a flat sheet is a good idea, since the fitted sheet is what wears out first with a sheet set. However, not so good for hand quilting as I found out - a lot of them have sizing on that makes them stiff and hard to quilt through.

When we started making quilts back in the 1980's, a lot of people commented on how nice it was to see a pretty print on the back. I guess they were used to muslin.

I just splurged at fabric.com and spent under $10 a yard for a nice cotton blender 108" for the new quilt I'm starting this week. HTH

Rusty

Thought I should add that many of their fabrics are also on amazon--sometimes cheaper and some times more money--but lately they have become my go-to source for 100% cottons for my quilts. I'm doing a giant dahlia for a friend using fabrics she picked (something I NEVER do) and the total came to under $110. This did not include the 90 x 108 batting, which she already had.

Money is always tight around here so I thought I would mention it. Hope that's not a no-no. If so, I do apologize.

Rusty

Check Quilted Twins for backing. They have the blender type 108" by the yard & by 3 yd bundle. I think the bundle is less than $50.

The costs of backing and batting keep going up. I just keep an eye out for sales and buy what I need or might need then. One of my favorite online store is Thousands of Bolts. Their prices are always good and better when on sale.

There is a gal who sells wide backing for $10/yard on facebook. She has over 450 bolts of it. I buy mine from her. Her facebook group is called Jellyrolls, Layer Cakes & Quilt backing.. by Marylyn.

Unfortunately we are losing another Quilt Shop here in Maine…the owner is retiring. I will greatly miss the shop as it is my “go to” about 15 minutes from my home. As a result, all of her bolt fabric is 40% off…I guess a good time to purchase backing fabric if you can forecast what you might need.

With the price of fabric going so high, why not make a pieced backing out of what you already have in your stash? It doesn't have to be complicated and it would cost you next to nothing. The extra advantage is that you can have a beautiful, 2-sided quilt.

I've picked up my backings at either Marshall's or Quilted Twins. I think both still have fairly decent prices. Luckily I haven't needed any fabrics for quite a while. Have 4-6 backings I have no plans for........yet. All my other quilts waiting to be quilted have their backings and battings already cut ready to go. Now I just need my mojo to come back to me so I can get started.

I was just looking for some wide-striped fabric to make a cover for a roll-up mattress, but even the fabrics on sale are just too expensive for what I'm looking for. I might go a little more exotic and make my own striped fabric by sewing long, thin, scraps from my stash and then quilting it with a thin, cotton batting.

We are all stash rich and backing poor. We should use our fabric exchange on the QB more.

Just look for something with enough yardage for the size quilts you make, think of the colors you like, Then pick some that would go with your stash! To pick my backing, I wait until the top is done, then go to my backing stash which is kept separate from the rest and pick one. I usually try and pick those sale fabrics in tone on tone or small print in colors I have a fair amount of, like meutral, browns, greys, greens, (have a lot of greens in my stash) and sometimes, a fun larger print novelty print. One of my favorites is I picked up a bunch of brown flannel with cute little penguins all over it wearing bright colored hats, mittens, scarfs, in primary colors. Well, I made a plain old flannel rail face using primary colors, the penguin backing is just so cute on it that I can't stand it. I put orange binding on it. The perfect quilt to brighten up a very cold Minnesota winter. (0h, and I picked up all the normally 11-12 dollar a yard flannel for 5-6 a yard

I bought some precut 3 yard backings from Keepsake Quilting last year. I went to use one for a quilt, and was disappointed to find that after squaring up, I could not use it for the quilt I wanted. It was so out of square that I lost well over 8 inches in width. I find myself using more and more of the Legacy Muslin for backings, while yes it may be plain and boring, it does allow for the quilting to show beautifully and the hand is oh so silky soft.

Boy, I'm glad I make mostly lap quilts. Three and a half to four yards of 42" fabric almost aways works for me. I, too, believe that the backing is an important part of the quilt, and I look very carefully for just the right one. Luckily, I have an SR Harris store a half hour away that sells all of their fabrics for $6-$7 a yard. There are some cheaper fabrics there, but they have many Andover, Marcus Brothers, etc., fabrics too. It's a huge warehouse store with thousands of bolts of quilting cotton and any other fabric you could imagine from canvas and upholstery fabric to the finest silks. I love to go there and just wander the aisles.

Since I make kids quilts for foster kids in my county I don't worry much about the backings. I make scrappy quilts so I am sure to get at least some colors the kid will like. I have been buying backings at Hobby Lobby. They are a bit pricey. I buy 2yards and can get two backings and some left for piecing. I will have to start piecing backings as I pay for everything I use. I make quilts at least 43" x 57" or 58". With inflation being what it is I must use what I have. My aim is for them to be nice looking on one side and to be warm.

The backing fabric and panels that Jellyrolls, Layer Cakes & Quilt backing by Marylyn look exactly like Marshall's Dry Goods brands. Marshall's is a fabric distributor so many independents sell it.

I think that is great, I am sure the kids like to have their own quilt, some of my first quilts I bought the fabric at Ben Franklin. They have been gone from here a long, long time, I still have one quilt I made of fabric from there and yes, it is faded and worn but still holding together. It must be 35 or so years old, washed many times, and always on a bed. I use it on the dog's twin bed now. Yes, he has is own twin bed and bedroom. Actually he has two dog beds too and his own recliner in the living room. Actually, he has way more beds and chairs then I do. How did that happen!

I would love to shop at all the places you guys have mentioned, but I'm in Canada and the shipping and exchange on the money is horrendous.

Watson

Have you looked at Maple Leaf Quilting Company? They ship free for orders over $150. It’s $20 flat rate to ON for orders under. They do sales often. They are having a Black Friday sale right now, I believe. I buy from them and am satisfied with the quality. Most of my quilts are for donations soi need to be frugal and I may have a different standard than you do.

might be worth a look.

Yikes! Definitely one of those cases where being in Canada is not an advantage. I know that NZ and AU also pay terrific prices. We all have our trade offs, I guess.

How far into Ontario are you? I'm in the Finger Lakes - about 2 hours to the Niagara Falls bridge. So lucky to have a couple of Mennonite stores nearby. One has a smaller selection, but has Moda and Timeless Treasures wideback for about $12/yard. The other has a larger selection of standard yardage, starting at about $9.50/yd.

I don't worry overly about my backings. Something in the same color family, or theme, works for me. It wasn't that long ago that most quilts were done with muslin backing. I'll also piece backings - more than just a single seam - to make large ones. Gets me a backing and big pieces out of my stash, so it's a win/win!

I understand completely Watson. Like QuiltE said, check out Lens Mill. Especially some of their 'extra' deals like finish the bolt for an extra 15% off or anything with a specific colour (black for Black Friday, orange for Halloween, red for Valentine's Day) for extra percentage off.

And check Connecting Threads online. Over $85 US and the Canadian shipping is free, plus they collect the HST so no nasty duty surprises.

We also lost another LQS--The Quilter's Nook in Sshomberg. Not precisely local for me, but the owner is part of our guild and had to close due to sudden serious health issues.

Backing cost
 

I truly agree. I helped a friend purchased backing for a baby quilt. With that material, batting, and thread, the cost was much more than I had estimated for her. I felt bad because she is new to quilting and I didn't want to run her away with expenses even though it was a smaller quilt. She commented on the fact that making for her bed eventually would cost a fortune!

Bringing in new members at the cost of our craft will be tough.

GingerK and Watson ... and of course, other Canucks!
Lens ... also ... Seniors Days for those "old" enough (I think it's 60 there?) an additional 10% or is it 15% off? Can never remember if it is the 1st or last Monday. Plus they usually have a Christmas special for a week or so, where if you sing a Christmas song, you get % off. Makes for some pretty impressive and fun informal choirs as groups wait at the cash. Oddly enough, it seems people end up not being in a rush for the cashiers!!

Connecting Threads ... didn't know they offered the free shipping. At $85, that's reasonable, as SO many of our Canadian stores do not offer free, or if they do, the minimum is significantly larger, making it less desirable.

Quilter's Nook ... And I never even knew about them! Gosh darn! No, not exactly local for me, but close enough that it would have been do-able!

Undercover Quilts, Fergus ... Another closure. Never re-opened since COVID closure, staying online. Have now had a huge sell-off sale and is closed. Not sure if she is continuing online or not.

Online options are nice to have. Although I still like that touchy-feely-seeabilty and truly knowing what a fabric is!

Caroline Quilts ... Online shop where you pick up at the door. Pretty impressive prices! I've never dealt with her, but she comes highly recommended by MaryKatherine. Close enough for me, and I know, somewhat less convenient for you two, but perhaps the $$$ is worth the drive at times?
carolinequilts

I did not know about Caroline Quilts. Thanks for the link, QuiltE. Her prices are very good. I found out about Undercover Quilts closing, too late to make an appointment. Oh well, probably didn't 'need' anything anyway.

... Said no quilter, everrrrrrrrr!! :)
*giggles*

I can't wait for that day either. Having the boarder closed up like it is is a challenge to us. Living so close to the Canadian boarder gives us the opportunity to go to Windsor a lot. You are definitely aware that you have entered a different country when you cross the boarder. I hope you will be the first one over here. Joann's look out!

I know there is still exchange rate and other issues, but eQuilter currently has all backs on sale. Again, if you buy over $100 US for us shipping is free, for Canada it is half price, and you usually get a coupon for 10% off your next order.

I think I am losing the battle and about to engage in some retail therapy...