Terry in the ADK

I just don’t get why people spend so much money and time on the front of their quilts and then just use scraps to make the back without much thought of coordinating them. I have seen several well-done pieced backings using leftover blocks or at least fabrics from the front in a specific pattern. But I have also seen where they just strip one fabric after another until the quilt backing is large enough. Most people still put their quilts on a bed and yes you do see the under side when you get into bed. Of course this is not the case for wall hangings and probably anything goes for them. Just my thoughts what do you think ?

cathyvv

I think money can be a factor, as can personal taste.

LAF2019

for my special quilts, I am attentive to the back. however, I have been known to do the random fabric piecing you described. I have done that on my less-than-special quilts and i get pleasure at using up bits of stash that I wouldn't otherwise use. I do try to to stay within a reasonable color theme though.
I made my mom a quilt from a moda kit that she picked out. there were enough fabric bits leftover to put together into a back. I cut them into similar sized bricks and pieced it together. when she opened the package, she thought the back of the quilt was the front! guess it didn't turn out too gaudy!

Peckish

Well here are several thoughts that went through my head:
1) I don't see the back of the quilt when I get into bed because I pull the quilt, blankets, and sheet all back as one.
2) I don't see the back of the quilt when I get into bed because usually it's dark.
3) I only see the back of the quilt for the one and a half seconds it takes me to get into bed.

I guess I really don't care what the back of the quilt looks like, only that it's done and ready to be used!

cashs_mom

I'm pretty much the same. I usually try to coordinate the backing with the top, but it's not a big deal to me. A lot of my quilts are just for use around the house and I'm not the picky about what is on the back. Also, I have pieced backs that I end up liking as well as I like the tops. Everyone has their likes and dislikes

Synnove

I love the idea that I can make the back as crazy and funky as I want to -- something I wouldn't normally do on a quilt top. And yes, it also gives me a place to use those "why-did-I-buy-this" fabrics that just don't fit anywhere else.

mjpEncinitas

I had to laugh, I did this today. I pieced a back for my grandsons cat quilt from the pieces I had leftover from the quilt. It would’ve been so much easier to purchase a cat backing but I kept thinking you don’t want to have 100 lbs of fabric left when you die….

cashs_mom

LOL! I think the same thing a lot!

dunster

Do you read Bonnie Hunter's blog? She puts random pieces of what-was-I-thinking fabric together for her backs all the time. I figure if it's good enough for Bonnie, it's good enough for me too.

Schill93

I'm afraid I must descend. I agree with the poster. I would rather put a coordinating solid color sheet on the back, than to just throw some non coordinating pieces of left over fabric on the back. Of course, if you wanted to cut that fabric up into 1002 small 2" squares, then you might just have something sorta pretty. But I agree, I have seen some pretty quilts ruined by what some people put on the back. Would you buy a quilt from a store looking like that?

Don't get me wrong, I certainly understand about the cost issue. I just think there are better alternatives than to just slap together a mismatched hodge podge on the back.