Pieced Quilt Backings

Several times the question has come up about pieced backings.

Can I?

Should I?

How do I?

Starting with this post, I am going to keep a collection of pieced backings 'cause I think they are cool!

In a nut shell, I LOVE pieced backings!

This is a charity quilt backing I pieced with left over blocks from the front.

I piece backings whenever I can. They add so much fun to a quilt.

One of the first things that need to happen to make a successful quilt with a pieced backing:  make sure all the selvages are trimmed off of each piece of fabric.  For these backings I simply used the standard 1/4 inch seam.

I can't stress enough the importance of pressing the backing.  Seams need to be pressed well, just like the top.

This backing was too short and too narrow by a few inches.  It was a kit sent to me from "Quilts for Kids."  There was enough fabric from the front to splice the backing and make this really cute show off backing.  

I like to take a length of fabric, split it off-center and sew in enough contrast fabric to make the backing wide enough.  This plaid strip matches the binding. 

Another charity quilt backed with left-over strips from the front and fat quarters. 

Here is the total package.  

Backings made by clients.

Easy to quilt if top and backing is nice and square.

For this large backing, after I cut off the selvages, I sewed the seams 1/2 inch wide with a very narrow zig zag stitch.  This gives this very long seam a bit of stretch.  The thinking here is that this makes the stitching in the seam less likely to pop as the quilt is used. 

 

Quilts of Valor backings:

This was one length of chevron fabric with blue added to each side to make it wide enough.

I know some quilters don't like to match backings to the front.  It can be done successfully with perfectly squared tops and perfectly squared backings.  This backing has a tutorial here.

These 2 QOV's were sent to me with backings made out of fat quarters. 

What a great way to use yardage more economically. 

If you want to see some REAL eye candy with pieced backings, go to this Flicker Group of backing photos.

Enjoy!