How to Prepare Your Backing for Quilting

When preparing your backing, the fabric used to back your quilt should be good-quality, 100% cotton. If you pre-washed the fabrics in the quilt top, pre-wash the backing fabric also. Pre-washing is a great benefit if you are hand quilting your project. It allows for greater ease in moving the needle in and out of the fabric because the sizing has been removed in the wash. Always, always press the backing fabric before using.

If you plan to hand quilt or to quilt with a home sewing machine, the backing should be at least 4″ larger than the quilt top on all sides. If your quilt top is 80″ x 80″, for example, the backing should measure 88″ x 88″. The extra fabric allows for any slight shifting or “shrinkage” that might occur during quilting. It will also allow for any irregularities in the size of the quilt itself.

If you plan to quilt with a long-arm machine, most manufacturers recommend that the backing measure at least 6″ larger than the quilt top on all sides. If you are hiring a professtional quilter, check to see how much extra backing they require.

Using extra-wide fabrics in specialty widths -90″, 108″, and 120″ – eliminates the need to piece the backing, but it must still be pressed. If you prefer to piece the backing and you plan to machine quilt your project, think about doing something creative. Try piecing the back with excess fabrics from the front. Pieced backings are a great way to use up leftover fabric and any extra quilt blocks.

If you decide to piece the back of your quilt, be careful to position the grain lines of the fabrics appropriately. Also, pay attention to the colors of the fabrics. You don’t want darker fabrics shadowing through to the top, which is especially a concern if you’ve chosen a thin batting.

When using continuous yardage to piece a backing, the following method always produces good results. To make a backing that measures approximately 80″ wide, measure the length of the quilt, adding an extra 4″ to the top and the bottom. For example, if your quilt length is 72″, you would add 4″ to the top and 4″ to the bottom, resulting in a total desired length of 80″. Cut two equal lengths of 42″ -wide fabric to that measurement and place the pieces right sides together. Using a 3/4″ seam allowance, sew the pieces together along both long edges. Trim away the selvage edges, leaving at least a 1/4″ seam allowance. Align the sewn seams one on top of the other and press along one folded edge. Cut on the fold. Open the fabric and press the seam allowances open.

To piece a backing that measures approxi1nately 120″ wide, you’d simply need to sew three widths of 42″-wide fabric of appropriate length together. Also, be aware that a backing can be pieced either vertically or horizontally, so you’ll want to evaluate your quilt to ensure the most efficient use of fabric.

These are a few of the ways that quilters use to prepare and prepare their backing. My favorite way to prepare a backing is to use all the leftovers from piecing the top, that includes orphan blocks.

Send me an email or comment below on your tips for piecing the back of your quilts. I always enjoy hearing or seeing what you are doing.