Eddie, was this a judged show? Were these quilts that you could see yourself using on a bed? Were whites and lights used much in the tops? Competition seems to take a big bite out of what most quiltmakers have in mind for their finished quilts....we want ours to be loved and used by the folks we love enough to give them to. Some show quilts are just for show...and the makers want ribbons and recognition. It's all okay...there's room for everyone in the quilting world. I'm more about the two-sided quilts, myself...why not really enjoy both sides?

It was a judged show, and the quilts were all excellent, there were no slouchy ones in it. I was wondering is a show quilt would for some reason have a white backing as opposed to a utility one that would be used everyday having a coordinating backing.

If the quilt is to be used regularly I coordinate the front and back. If the quilt will hang at my home, I really don't care much, but if it is a wallhanging for sale is coordinated too. On the other hand, I also take into consideration how I will quilt it. Whole cloth quilts get the exact same fabric on the front and the back. If I have complicated quilting I want to show, I will use a solid color coordinating with the front. If I don't want to show the quilting then I use something printed.

For years all I used on the back of my quilts was bleached or unbleached muslin. I love the softness of muslin. Then I had a chanch to buy bolts of white on white and natural on white at wholesale prices. I started using that and it still had the same softness as the muslin.
I very seldom match or coordinate the back with the front.

I was going to use calico (muslin) for quilt backs, but have since found out it's best for beginner quilters to use patterned backs as they hide mistakes very well.

Calico is a lot cheaper than printed cottons, so I was pondering the idea of tie-dying calico (in co-ordinating colours). All I need to do now is learn how to tie-dye!

i agree that the whites and off-whites show soil too fast. but for a special quilt or to show off very fine handstitching, there's nothing like white. my opinion only.
i would never use any pale color for a child's quilt until he/she stopped dragging it around and was out of diapers. i would also never handstitch a baby quilt. , but there are lots of members who do. i would certainly do it for a tidy 10 or 12 year old. i don't want to see my effort made into a tent or being thrown around at other children (which i have) to play tug-o-war. so i generally use color coordinates for quilts unless they're special.

If by judged, you mean juried, I am surprised that the the backings were white. If you mean simply that ribbons were given, as in a guild show or something similar, then I guess it's understandable if that's what that group does. The guild shows here do not. They coordinate their backs with the front. Personally, I hate white and light colors and would never use them for backings as they would never go with what I put on my fronts. :oops:

I know nothing about why white was used, and I know even less about quilting. That said, maybe they did it to better show the quilting they did? Maybe it was easier to see on a plain white background or something. I don't know.

I usually try to coordinate. I don't go overboard on it, but I like to try. If I can't then I use very soft muslin.

pam1966 says:

muslin was traditionally used because it was less expensive than dyed goods. quilters spent their money on the dyed and patterned fabrics for the front of the quilt, where it was seen. the back was, well, the back.

I do both, some I coordinate and others i go with tone on tone or muslin. Depends on my mood more than anything. LOL