How To Quilt Basics Q&A: What’s Best Fabric For Backing My Quilt?
Don’t be afraid of the basics! We continue with the answers to questions you have when you are a novice to the world of quilting. Read along and continue to learn how to make a bootiful quilt!
Fabric Backing For Quilts – Our experts answer, “What is the best fabric for the back of the quilt sandwich?”
Jamie Fingal-I don’t use fabric for the backings of my quilts, I used wool blended felt. Using fabric on the back was a step that I am not going to take anymore.
Leslie Tucker Jenison– Fabric for quilt backing-I’m admittedly vain about my quilt backs. I think the quilt back should be fun and funky, and I really feel sad when the back is ignored. I see the quilt back as another opportunity to express myself! Think of it this way: if a quilt is intended for a bed the back will be exposed frequently. Why not make it as fun as the front? It doesn’t have to take much: some great fabric makes it special! You might consider throwing a few extra blocks on the back for fun. For my wall constructions I like to choose a piece of fabric that works well with my subject matter on the front. I always (ALWAYS!) put a cloth label, fused and stitched, which has the quilt name & date it was finished, my name, and perhaps something about the quilt if it was made specifically for a person or occasion. This is a very important habit to cultivate.
Liz Kettle– One mistake I made early in my quilting days was to economize and use a bed sheet for the backing of a quilt. Bad idea! Especially bad idea if you are using high thread count sheets. They are really difficult to quilt through. Muslin makes a great back as long as it is a reasonable thread count. Muslin comes in all varieties of quality. You don’t want to see right through it. I like to piece my quilt backs so they are interesting to look at.
Ruth Chandler– I think one of the biggest mistakes new quilters make is to skimp on the back. The thought is, no one will see it so I don’t need a good quality fabric. Remember, the back will take the most wear if it is used on a bed. Take as much care for the choice of backing as the front, it is an INVESTMENT of your time and money. One of the most fun ways to back a quilt is to piece the left-over fabric from the front in big squares or rectangles. Another thing to remember if the quilt is to be used on a bed, don’t put a fabric on the back that is not soft or easy on the skin. I made the mistake of using a fabric with metallic flecks on a back and it was not comfortable to snuggle up in. L For baby quilts I have used soft flannel. Don’t skimp here either, you get what you pay for. The less expensive flannel will pill and wear out quickly. I do not recommend flannel for the binding.
I do use the wider fabrics for the backs if I can find them because there are fewer seams to stitch through. This is especially important for hand quilting. If the front of the quilt is a whole cloth top I think the back needs to be so also. Muslin has been the traditional backing and if a plain back is desired there is no reason not to use it. If the front is a traditional pattern and they want to keep it period accurate then use muslin. Once again, do not skimp on the quality of the muslin. My favorite is by Roc-lon and is permanent press. It comes in 45in all the way up to 120 in. widths.
Terry White– For most quilts, I think that the type of fabric on the back should be the same type as the top. This will help to balance the quilting on both sides.
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