Iraxy

Has anyone put a fleece back on a cotton front quilt and what were the results? Would a cotton batting be too much? Would it be too heavy? Help.

Blue's quilting mama

Very often, I use fleece for the back of a cotton quilt top. Sometimes I use batting, and sometimes I don't..... it all depends on the use of the quilt. It quilts nicely, too..

trif

I have used fleece for backing on a cotton front with no batting and it actually quilts easily and is very light weight. I haven't tried doing it with batting in the middle and fleece on the back. I live in So. Cal so I'm thinking that would be too warm for our area.

katesnanna

I have made some with fleece and no batting for the charity I support. These are warm & cuddly without being heavy for the little ones and as the other ladies said it's easy to quilt.

meemersmom

I use fleece backings quite frequently. I will only use the anti-pill kind or Minkee, however. I find that what is often called "blizzard" fleece pills up and gets a matted look, and the longer super soft cuddle fleece is a real bear to work with --- slips all over the place, and sheds when cut; I sneezed a lot. I always use a lightweight cotton or poly batting, and they quilt very easily. Just make an allowance in your thread tension and presser foot pressure to allow for the extra thickness.

ckcowl

ive made plenty of quilts with fleece or minkee backs- (my granddaughter's call them-'get naked' blankies)
fleece does stretch-so it is important to just smooth it-not stretch it.
it quilts up beautifully!
as for batting some of mine have batting- some do not- that part is a personal choice- and who the quilt is for-where it's going- my son wanted minkee on one of his quilts- he lives in florida-no batting in that one-
the lonestar on my bed has minkee back- with batting

mshollysd

I am making king quilt with Polar-tec backing and batting. It is heavy and even though it is easy to quilt sliding, it has bulk under my quilting foot. We live in South Dakota so it gets cold here, and will be used for our winter quilt.

purrfectquilts

I have made many, many quilts with Fireside anti pill fleece as the backing and some Polar Tec. Only once at a customer's request did I put batting in. I think it makes it too heavy. However, long arm quilters like to add the batting because it helps stablize a stretchy fabric.

I prefer to do the quilts with fleece backing at home because the LAQ people tend to stretch the fleece which makes it pucker up when quilting is finished.

At home, I seam together as much as I need for width, first cutting off the selvages and using a fairly wide seam width. Lightly press the seam open and either baste the edges down by hand with giant stitches or just use a washable glue stick to hold the seams open (less bulk).

Then on a 30" x 60" table I clip the squared up fleece with large binder clips to the edges of the table starting with the middle of the quilt. I have toothpicks taped to the centers of all 4 sides of the table to help with centering.

Next smooth top of quilt over the fleece lining up the centers, etc. Smooth out any wrinkles and double check everything. Pull back the top a couple of feet and lightly spray baste ... very lightly. Smooth top back and pin the edges.

Keep moving the back and top around on the table to get all of it spray basted with no wrinkles. Pin the edges with safety pins.

If using stitch in the ditch, then do it now through the centers both ways and then continue back and forth around the blocks...first one direction then another to avoid distortion. Use larger stitches.

If using free motion quilting, then run some giant basting stitches either by machine or by hand through the centers of the quilt both directions and a few other places. Pull these out when your quilting is done.

Don't quilt too close together and use about a 3.0 or 3.5 stitch. Preshrink all fabrics for the top and the batting if you are using one.

This is just my way. Hope it helps.

Lady Leroo

I just used a fleece back for a quilt I am making as a gift and it is not turning out so great!! It was beautiful up until the point where I added the binding and then it warped and stretched!! Any suggestions?

northern lass

Yes, I've done quite a few quilts with fleece backing and used wadding between the cotton front and the fleece. My Dad feels the cold so this gives extra warmth. Easy to quilt too.