You have an AMISH quilt top!! An AMISH quilt top!!! I agree with JJean: a plain backing and hand quilt it. After all you have an AMISH quilt top! Look up on their websites and see how much your gift is worth. I bought one more than twenty years ago in PA and paid a month's salary for it. You have a true treasure and wonderful friends. You must be a special lady.

I would stick to the simplicity as a theme for this quilt. I'd do a 2-color binding with the front color highlighting whatever applique you choose for the center squares and a color for the back to highlight a nice simple floral print. It'll be dynamic on both sides then! :)

What a great opportunity to show off some fabulous quilting. Use a floral on the back and floral quilt motifs in each block. It will be gorgeous!!!!

the quilting would enhance bring out the beauty of the quilt- beautiful quilting in all that blank space could make a wonderous quilt! if the colors are not really (your thing) choose a backing that is (your thing) and use it for the top- and what you have as a back....but with the right quilting that could be wonderful!

Using it for the back was my first thought and I see Tartan already wrote the same. It would make a lovely backing. Of course the other ideas are really creative as well. Hope you post again after you finish making this into a quilt.

You might also do a fabric content check, it could be a poly/cotton blend and if it is, I would stick with that for the backing as well, and use a poly batt rather than the cotton. Just a thought.

What a wonderful gift! That begs for some great feathers and that deep border makes for special quilting space. I know the proportion bothers you, but it is so practical. It places the piecing on the bed and provides a significant drop so no one catches a draft sleeping under it. Some traditional Amish quilt designs are really deep 12-15". Perhaps check out some pictures of the Espirit collection for inspiration.From a handquilter who sees a brilliant canvas, but it is your quilt top to do as you please.

I've seen some cool quilts where the stitching was done from the back rather than from the front. I would be tempted to find an appealing backing fabric then do the quilting to match that fabric. It will look like an all-over pattern on the "top" side.

My thoughts exactly. I wouldn't change a thing about the top, would make a back that's in keeping with the top, and hand quilt it. (Well maybe saying that I would hand quilt it is going too far. I haven't hand quilted anything... yet.)

Ive seen some beautiful quilting on this site that would make a plain quilt pop out and be the beauty that draws the envy of many.