What do you use for the back of your quilts?
#21
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,166
When I have my preferences and budget, I prefer to buy extra wide backing for my quilts. I've found that it is often not-on-sale and so you can often use those Joann coupons for them to bring the price down. That doesn't always work though, whether it is timing or a fabric style choice. I joke about being inherently cheap, it's not a bad thing -- my goal is that my backs cost less than $20. I can't always get what I want for that price and price isn't always my number one concern, but it's top 3!
I do prefer to buy backs I can actually feel/smell, but sometimes to get what I want I take risks and order on-line... I have used sheets before, I take each on it's own merit. That is, sometimes a heavy stabilizing sheet is exactly what you want for that top, and other times it is not! Or that particular sheet just has a super nice feel and thread count and will be delightful no matter how you use it.
I typically look at piecing yardage before sheets though. More and more as part of my design process/concept of the top also includes some degree of piecing on the back. Sometimes that is just because I wanted to use up fabric, other times because my backing maybe wasn't quite big enough, sometimes yes -- I'm treating the back as a giant block. Another reason for piecing is I'm really trying hard to use stash. I rarely bought anything over 3 yards long myself, and that's just about half an average back.
I do look at backs and bindings as one more place to add fabric to my top. I do like using wild and crazy and often large scale prints for the backs. Most of those I get at the thrift store, if/when I find 6-8 yards of a cotton quilting fabric (big enough for a back!) for under $20, I snatch it up. Has to be pretty awful/"taste specific" for me to not find value in just that amount of yardage alone, but as wild and crazy as I may go there are fabrics I still don't get.
I do prefer to buy backs I can actually feel/smell, but sometimes to get what I want I take risks and order on-line... I have used sheets before, I take each on it's own merit. That is, sometimes a heavy stabilizing sheet is exactly what you want for that top, and other times it is not! Or that particular sheet just has a super nice feel and thread count and will be delightful no matter how you use it.
I typically look at piecing yardage before sheets though. More and more as part of my design process/concept of the top also includes some degree of piecing on the back. Sometimes that is just because I wanted to use up fabric, other times because my backing maybe wasn't quite big enough, sometimes yes -- I'm treating the back as a giant block. Another reason for piecing is I'm really trying hard to use stash. I rarely bought anything over 3 yards long myself, and that's just about half an average back.
I do look at backs and bindings as one more place to add fabric to my top. I do like using wild and crazy and often large scale prints for the backs. Most of those I get at the thrift store, if/when I find 6-8 yards of a cotton quilting fabric (big enough for a back!) for under $20, I snatch it up. Has to be pretty awful/"taste specific" for me to not find value in just that amount of yardage alone, but as wild and crazy as I may go there are fabrics I still don't get.
#22
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: lexington ky
Posts: 1,418
#23
when I first started quilting I used plain muslin, found out when I used colored thread every mistake really showed up. So I found that if I use a really busy busy print my oops did not show up so much. I use thread to match the back, so back must blend in with the top. I also do both machine and hand quilting in the same quilt, yes I know not done so much, but it is what I like to do. My one hard fast rule in quilting is that "in quilting nothing is written in stone!" So do what you like to do and just have fun!
#25
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Wis
Posts: 5,928
I like to use the 108 inch wide backs. The ones I use are the quilt shop quality fabrics. Otherwise I choose a quilting shop quality fabric from my stash, usually something that I have in a bigger amount. In my earlier quilting years, I didn’t have a lot of money. So I would go to estate sales or garage sales and get old sheets. Unfortunately a lot of them were so worn out that they started to rip through after the quilts were washed a few times. I’ve used new sheets too which hold up much better.
#26
I like the wide backs fabrics for backing. I don't want to spend a lot on them as I either make donation quilts or give them away. Sometimes I will use quilting cottons and add borders to them. I buy my own quilting supplies for the above quilts and i don't know how they will be treated.
#27
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Dakotas
Posts: 3,025
I didn’t see anyone mention fleece for backing. I make many kids charity quilts & been satisfied with using it. No batting used or needed. Fleece makes a great self binding when trimmed to 2” then folded twice to front.