Monday, November 19, 2007

What fabrics do you use for backs?

Well, this weekend was really short. I'm either an optimist about how much I'll get done or a blithering idiot about time! LOL! I think I'll choose the former!

I did think about the border designs on the two quilts ... but didn't get to them.

I washed a ton of pinks and ironed them and cut nickel squares ... my DH wandered into the sewing room at one point and said, "Wow - it looks like there was a pink explosion in here!!!" So true!

I got half my 8 foot cutting table cleared off. But it's just so easy to stack on it! I turn around and someone (okay, it's me!) has piled something on it "for just a minute" ... or week or two! Don't you just hate it when you realize you're not so much organizing/clearing out as moving stacks from one place to the next!

BACKS: On the Stashbusters list someone brought up buying a coveted fabric for a back to make it a legal buy. I hyperventilated!!! I couldn't buy expensive fabric for a back - I guess I'm just too cheap!

I'm known for my funky backs! In fact, I'm a little too well known! Someone kidded me in a guild class about a "doni back" and the teacher then repeated that in the guild meeting, in front of 350+ quilters - my friends almost fell off their chairs laughing ... and I turned "Husker Red"!

I'm a scrappy patchwork quilter so I tend to make scrappy backs. But I used to grab any fabric out of my stash that was the right amount. - in my defense - those peaches on back of my snowman quilt DID look frosty!! LOL!

BUT the one thing I never do is buy $7+ dollar a yard fabric for backs. That's what big sales are for. What do you do for backs??

6 comments:

Jeanne said...

I'm with you, Doni. I don't like to put a favorite fabric on the back of the quilt unless it's a mini. Pieced backs are good and add interest to the quilt, too. IMHO.

kate said...

Wow did you get a thread going on stashbusters or what!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mary Johnson said...

I piece a lot of backs - sometimes I just use my off center 4 patch backing, other times I'll do a strippie type backing, sometimes I use squares. Since my quilts are scrappy I can usually make a scrappy back work too.

Meredith said...

I have pieced backs and I have bought backing fabric. If I take the time and expense to hand quilt a quilt then I will spend 7+ $ on quilt backing. I just bought three backings from the quilt store I had a gift certifcate and they were having 20% off. One was for a large quilt I bought 9 yards and yes it does add up. I think it is worth it.

HanneJ said...

I buy pretty cheap and ok quality solids for the back. I have a collection of dusty pastels and bright red, useful for most projects. The other day I came across a nice and cheap duvet cover, with a blue and brown wallpaper pattern. The quality was ok, and it turned out cheaper than the solids I ordinary buy!

Unknown said...

Over here $7 a yard IS sale price!! in dollar rates a normal quliting cotton off bolt is $16-18! To anserw your euqetsion sometimes I buy at shows where can get a bargain, sometimes I piece FQ's together, sometime I juts take out the credit card... :)Helen (UK)