Pieced backings
03-13-2022, 09:36 AM
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,041
I've been doing more and more "noticeably" pieced backs over the years. Back in the day, extra wide fabric wasn't easily found. I seem to be unable to design a top that easily fits on anything but an extra wide back...
One solution is to offset the seams/don't make it follow the top. You can do some really cool stuff that takes a lot of time and patience to match seams, in which case I'd probably recommend a more quilt as you go approach.
You also don't want seams right down the middle or in regular fold places for a number of reasons. So back in the day, the advice was if you needed two widths of fabrics, you had a full width down the center, and then you split the other in half long wise, and put each side on the center, so 2 seams/3 pieces of fabric.
Here's a couple of my pieced backs of different design/resource reasons.
The first one doesn't look like much, but was a border print and I had to be really exact with the sizing and such to get the print right and the top on the borders right.
The second was my first heavily pieced back. Top is cats from a the McCalls cat quilt block swap.
The next is for my current Bonnie Hunter project, I had 6 yards of fabric in my stash which was enough length but not enough width, so I added the bars of colors (from the back and used on the top) to extend. Bars were deliberately different widths to help avoid landing on seam lines of the top.
Last is one of my favorite back solutions using two very different fabrics. It isn't quite what I wanted, but close enough and I'm happy with it. The basic thing is that everything is offset, so it doesn't have to match anything on the front.
One solution is to offset the seams/don't make it follow the top. You can do some really cool stuff that takes a lot of time and patience to match seams, in which case I'd probably recommend a more quilt as you go approach.
You also don't want seams right down the middle or in regular fold places for a number of reasons. So back in the day, the advice was if you needed two widths of fabrics, you had a full width down the center, and then you split the other in half long wise, and put each side on the center, so 2 seams/3 pieces of fabric.
Here's a couple of my pieced backs of different design/resource reasons.
The first one doesn't look like much, but was a border print and I had to be really exact with the sizing and such to get the print right and the top on the borders right.
The second was my first heavily pieced back. Top is cats from a the McCalls cat quilt block swap.
The next is for my current Bonnie Hunter project, I had 6 yards of fabric in my stash which was enough length but not enough width, so I added the bars of colors (from the back and used on the top) to extend. Bars were deliberately different widths to help avoid landing on seam lines of the top.
Last is one of my favorite back solutions using two very different fabrics. It isn't quite what I wanted, but close enough and I'm happy with it. The basic thing is that everything is offset, so it doesn't have to match anything on the front.
03-13-2022, 10:39 AM
#12
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 15,155
I've made several pieced backs with success except for one. I used a fabric I didn't like and every time I see it I say ugh to myself!
Never again. In fact I now refuse to use any fabric in anything unless I really like it.
Never again. In fact I now refuse to use any fabric in anything unless I really like it.
03-13-2022, 04:09 PM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Montana
Posts: 565
I had thought of piecing the backs but wondered how to keep them centered and straight on a long arm. There must be a trick since I see it done often. I am talking about large quilts like queen size. I think baby quilts would be easier.
03-13-2022, 04:49 PM
#14
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 280
Originally Posted by Iceblossom
I've been doing more and more "noticeably" pieced backs over the years. Back in the day, extra wide fabric wasn't easily found. I seem to be unable to design a top that easily fits on anything but an extra wide back...
One solution is to offset the seams/don't make it follow the top. You can do some really cool stuff that takes a lot of time and patience to match seams, in which case I'd probably recommend a more quilt as you go approach.
You also don't want seams right down the middle or in regular fold places for a number of reasons. So back in the day, the advice was if you needed two widths of fabrics, you had a full width down the center, and then you split the other in half long wise, and put each side on the center, so 2 seams/3 pieces of fabric.
Here's a couple of my pieced backs of different design/resource reasons.
The first one doesn't look like much, but was a border print and I had to be really exact with the sizing and such to get the print right and the top on the borders right.
The second was my first heavily pieced back. Top is cats from a the McCalls cat quilt block swap.
The next is for my current Bonnie Hunter project, I had 6 yards of fabric in my stash which was enough length but not enough width, so I added the bars of colors (from the back and used on the top) to extend. Bars were deliberately different widths to help avoid landing on seam lines of the top.
Last is one of my favorite back solutions using two very different fabrics. It isn't quite what I wanted, but close enough and I'm happy with it. The basic thing is that everything is offset, so it doesn't have to match anything on the front.
One solution is to offset the seams/don't make it follow the top. You can do some really cool stuff that takes a lot of time and patience to match seams, in which case I'd probably recommend a more quilt as you go approach.
You also don't want seams right down the middle or in regular fold places for a number of reasons. So back in the day, the advice was if you needed two widths of fabrics, you had a full width down the center, and then you split the other in half long wise, and put each side on the center, so 2 seams/3 pieces of fabric.
Here's a couple of my pieced backs of different design/resource reasons.
The first one doesn't look like much, but was a border print and I had to be really exact with the sizing and such to get the print right and the top on the borders right.
The second was my first heavily pieced back. Top is cats from a the McCalls cat quilt block swap.
The next is for my current Bonnie Hunter project, I had 6 yards of fabric in my stash which was enough length but not enough width, so I added the bars of colors (from the back and used on the top) to extend. Bars were deliberately different widths to help avoid landing on seam lines of the top.
Last is one of my favorite back solutions using two very different fabrics. It isn't quite what I wanted, but close enough and I'm happy with it. The basic thing is that everything is offset, so it doesn't have to match anything on the front.
03-14-2022, 03:34 AM
#15
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Portage, Michigan
Posts: 7,336
I frequently will add a row of additional blocks from the front. No extras from the front? I make a row of coordinating colored 9 patches from my stash of 2.5" squares. Result....interesting back and fewer 2.5's in my stash!! 
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03-14-2022, 05:02 AM
#17
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,041
Thanks, QuiltMom2 that was a thrift store purchase 4 yards of border print to back a completed thrift store top UFO baby blank that was just a bit bigger than regular yardage. Purchases made years apart, but put together nicely.
I should mention that when piecing the large pieces, I use my usual small stitches and press open. I remove selvedges but have 1/2" seams. When I incorporate blocks, those are usually the standard 1/4". The cat quilt has been in use for a number of years and is holding up well.
This is another border print/thrift store print. I'm not sure if there is any cotton in in at all, but it reminded me of a particular favorite sundress I had back in the early 80s or so It is a lot easier with border prints if you can match them down the middle! In this case I did have to match the design and those little stripes carefully and I haven't yet trimmed down the super-wide selvedge. I'm forgetting right now if there is any cotton content at all, but it feels rather nice if flimsy. It will either hold up forever or disintegrate rapidly... But it amuses me and it will be a quilt I keep. Quilt is "Not Quite Y2K" and is made up of something like 720 Y2K squares that I put together around 2020. Not quite 2000 in many ways!
that was a thrift store purchase 4 yards of border print to back a completed thrift store top UFO baby blank that was just a bit bigger than regular yardage. Purchases made years apart, but put together nicely.I should mention that when piecing the large pieces, I use my usual small stitches and press open. I remove selvedges but have 1/2" seams. When I incorporate blocks, those are usually the standard 1/4". The cat quilt has been in use for a number of years and is holding up well.
This is another border print/thrift store print. I'm not sure if there is any cotton in in at all, but it reminded me of a particular favorite sundress I had back in the early 80s or so
It is a lot easier with border prints if you can match them down the middle! In this case I did have to match the design and those little stripes carefully and I haven't yet trimmed down the super-wide selvedge. I'm forgetting right now if there is any cotton content at all, but it feels rather nice if flimsy. It will either hold up forever or disintegrate rapidly... But it amuses me and it will be a quilt I keep. Quilt is "Not Quite Y2K" and is made up of something like 720 Y2K squares that I put together around 2020. Not quite 2000 in many ways!
03-14-2022, 05:28 AM
#18
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Carroll, Iowa
Posts: 3,379
Sometimes I just don't have a backing that works for the quilt so I've also used orphan blocks or cutoffs to make new blocks for the back. I've also used them to extend the size of the quilt like in my borders. Here's one I've done. Used some of the cutoffs to make diamonds along the border and cutoffs to make pinwheels on the back side. Even used the last of the scraps to make a stuffed elephant to go with it as that was her theme for her new baby boy.
03-14-2022, 06:58 AM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 706
Thanks to everyone on this thread for posting your experiences with pieced backings. I am more or less following a pattern for a baby quilt and bought the recommended yardage for a backing and it is just barely enough using a diagonal seam (I need 2.98 yards and bought 3). And I’ve never done the diagonal seam backing before, so was considering adding piecing.
But I soldiered through the diagonal seam with great success. I was even able to match the pattern in my fabric, which was shocking given, again, I had no extra. Photo of my diagonal seam attached.
For me, a pieced backing will have to wait for another quilt.
But I soldiered through the diagonal seam with great success. I was even able to match the pattern in my fabric, which was shocking given, again, I had no extra. Photo of my diagonal seam attached.
For me, a pieced backing will have to wait for another quilt.
03-14-2022, 09:46 AM
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Waterford Michigan
Posts: 7,241
I like piecing backings I have 2 that are in my UFO bin that need finishing. The backs are already pieced to perfection I just have to get them done. I have one on my bed that has a pieced backing and the design on the back makes it pop! Enjoy the process!
