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  • What do you use for the back of your quilts?

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    Old 06-18-2020, 08:10 AM
      #21  
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    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.
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    Old 06-18-2020, 08:16 AM
      #22  
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    Originally Posted by pocoellie
    I usually use either a sheet or 108" wide muslin.
    I use sheets a lot. Walmart Mainstay brand works well and they come in lots of colors. They are a cotton poly blend. But I find them as good as medium quality quilt fabric. And they are economical.
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    Old 06-18-2020, 09:15 AM
      #23  
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    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!
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    Old 06-18-2020, 10:09 AM
      #24  
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    Quilting fabric, 100% cotton print so my mistakes don't show up as much. I don't particularly match it to the front of the quilt. I have not yet tried the 108 inch backing fabric available.
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    Old 06-18-2020, 10:12 AM
      #25  
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    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.
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    Old 06-18-2020, 12:07 PM
      #26  
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    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.
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    Old 06-18-2020, 12:29 PM
      #27  
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    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.
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    Old 06-18-2020, 02:58 PM
      #28  
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    I just put a french fuse interfacing on the fleece I am using for a backing. Didn't know if I should use a batting or not.
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    Old 06-18-2020, 03:01 PM
      #29  
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    I live in NM and right now hot hot hot!!! Backing for our quilts is a flannel sheet...preshrunk. I don't care that the quilting is not noticable so the piecing is the focual point.
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    Old 06-19-2020, 03:54 AM
      #30  
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    I get wide backing from Marshall Dry Goods, they have a website, the Dream Cotton is very nice have used many times.
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