Shelbie

We use sheets all the time for our Guild's Community Quilts and they are absolutely fine for machine quilting. Our LQS has a mid arm machine set-up and we quilt 3 or 4 there every month. We also ignore the quilt police and trim the backing to 1 1/4" after quilting and turn it to the front and top stitch it for binding. This works well for us and produces a hard wearing quilt that is able to withstand frequent washings at some of the shelters where our quilts are donated. I often use these methods on kid quilts and college bound quilts and sheets work out very well.

Sweeterthanwine

You can get some really nice sheets at thrift stores. Usually they have the fitted one to match which would be good to use in the top to make it more coordinated. I haven't used sheets yet, but thinking strongly about it.

deema

I use sheets all the time...

Born2Sew

I use sheets most all the time. I've never used any with less than 200 thread count. I've finished 3 for Christmas presents, and I used 300 to 360 thread count sheets. (Bought them for a song) I quilted them just fine with my Bailey and never had a problem with them at all. Turned around and used the excess backing and fabric from the quilt and made pillow cases to match.

Sweeterthanwine

That is a good idea. Never thought of doing this.

Shelley

Using sheets is 'hit and miss'. Sometimes they work just fine, other times - ick! If the weave is too tight, the threads break instead of parting for the needle, weakening the fabric. If a customer brings in a sheet, I tell them I'll try, but if it looks like the threads are going to break, I'll call and we'll look another option. The sound of that thread breaking is just like fingernails on a blackboard!

I have one customer that brings in flannel flat sheets for her backs. Those work wonderful!!

Ramona Byrd

Way back in the 50s I made quilts with sheet fronts and backing and old Army blankets as padding. Hubby then was Air Force, which meant that money was tight then. Sent to KI Sawyer in MI which was COLD, and really needed lots of quilts so I used everything I could get my hands on. I think there may be one of these still around the house somewhere for visiting kids to play on in winter. They washed and wore like iron, not too soft but warm.

Pickles

I use sheets and love them, I hate to have seams down the back of my quilts and with sheets I don't have that problem .
Plus they are so much cheaper to buy and I find them at
thrift store's as well. :D :thumbup:

katiebear1

I use them all the time. I buy the walmart brand. A twin is just four dollars!. and a king is 12 dollars. I can usually find one in a color that coordinates with the quil top . I machine quilt so it is not a problem. With everything going up in price and not many raises on the horizon we need to find as many ways to streach our budgets as possible! :)

watterstide

walmarts is the only place i know of where you can buy them seperate. i chairty group i know, uses them for the soldier quilts..
we had a "mervyns" years ago..and you could get them there, cheap too. but they closed up.

no quilt police, but if a longarms doesn;t want them, then i would not insist..she is the one doing the quilting..
i have used flannel with snowmen on it, and it was sooo wonderfully soft and cuddly.