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What is Your "Go-To" Backing Method?

4 years ago

Do you always piece your backings? Or do you buy wide backing fabric? If pieced, do you use many different fabrics or just one? I've been buying clearance fabrics for backings lately but I've got so many fat quarters I could be using a bunch of those to make backings if I can stop being so lazy! LOL! I also have some orphan blocks I could be using but I'd probably want to make a top out of them after spending so much time fitting them all together.

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Comments (6)

bkay2000
4 years ago
Actually, by the time I get to the top finished, I'm ready to move on to the end, so don't do anything I don't have to do to finish the quilt.

I've used wide backings. I have pieced backings just to get them wide enough to cover like we all do. I've inserted piano key strips when I had to buy more fabric for the back that didn't match the original fabric exactly (different die lot).

So, I guess that is to say I generally just use one backing fabric.

My cousin's wife always does something interesting on her quilt backs. Although I don't do it, I think it's neat.

bkay
msmeow
4 years ago
I usually piece backs. Sometimes I’ll buy yardage and piece it all from the same fabric, and sometimes I use more than one fabric. For the BOM I just finished I used a lot of the fat quarters from the collection just to use them (I didn’t care for the color scheme so was glad to get them out of my stash LOL.)

I usually only use wide backing fabric for queen or king quilts. I’m pretty short so handling that extra wide fabric is quite challenging.

Donna
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bev2009
4 years ago
I don't think I've ever bought wide backing fabric. I always piece them. Sometimes I have enough fabric and sometime I combine different fabric. If the quilt is made especially for someone, I'll make sure the fabric all matches. But if it is going to Africa, I will piece different fabrics.
latifolia
4 years ago
I prefer to use one piece, and I do buy wide backing, as I tend to make large quilts. Just joined two regular width pieces for a backing, because it enabled me to use a piece that has been in my stash forever.

Doubt I'd do the whole thing from fat quarters, because that would be a lot of work and I'm lazy!

One thing that's tough is the longarmers' requirement for extra fabric. I do try to save the pieces for binding and scrap quilts.
loisflan
4 years ago
All of my backings are made from one fabric - sometimes wide yardage, but mostly pieced. I try very hard to find a backing that really compliments the front of the quilt. Since most of the quilts I make will be used to cuddle, the backing will always be seen while the quilt is being used. I’m also really ready to finish the quilt at this point, so a single fabric is the easy way out.
Robbi D.
4 years ago
I try to use the widest fabric I can get for the design/color that I want for the quilt. I try to use as few pieces as possible.

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