Quilting Angel

I always use sheets for my backing. I get them in singles at walmart and they are 200 thread count. They seem to work beautifully, and it's a whole lot cheaper than buying fabric for the back.....no problems yet.

onaemtnest

My first attempt at making a quilt. I purchased two king-sized sheets with a design I loved to make a quilt/bedspread for our king-sized water bed! It WAS the 70's :0) I used a polyester high loft batting was there any other choice at the time? Just like Dee I tied it with yarn....it never fell apart, despite many trips to the laundry mat to wash and DRY it. I had no idea how to bind so I remember that I layered right sides together, topped with that batting, sewed all the way around and left the opening to turn....I wonder how in the world I ever got it turned through that opening and didn't have lumps and scrunches (technical term there)? But that sheet quilt served this family well and never wore out.

Justlucy

I just finished my grandsons tee shirt quilt for Christmas and I used a sheet on the back. It worked just fine. I used the rest to make some curtains and shams for my daughters RV. I bought the whole set for twin bed for just 7 dollars.

DeMaris

I used to sit with my great grandmother and help her thread the needles on her old singer and would sit and chat. I recall her telling me to back a quilt with a brand new sheet...make sure it was crisp and all ironed out. After she passed away and a few years after that. My mom and I took the last quilt she worked on the to ladies guild to have it backed and quilted. That question came up then also....The guild recommended not to put a sheet on it, however, would depending on what we wanted on it. I don't recall the reasoning behind it. My mom purchased a very pretty blue sheet and they back the quilt and my mom put it away tucked in the back of the closet and when I got married 15 to 18 years later she gave me the quilt for a wedding present from my great grandmother. I will occasional put it on the bed when family is coming just to show it off but don't sleep with it and actually use it. Then when company leaves I fold it back up and put it in a canvas bag and back in the closet it goes....lol.

I myself started quilting about 9 years ago and I was taught in every class NOT to back with a quilt. One teacher taught a whole class NOT to use fabrics from a local store because of the quality of the fabic and the processing used in some of the textile mills which allows the fabric to stretch out of shape once washed. One teacher said that the amount of sizing in a sheet could choke a horse....LOL. I have not found anyone today that used sheets as backing....Before I got my gammill, I used to use 2 different Longarm Quilters and neither one of them will allow you to bring in a sheet as backing. I will see if I can find out their reasons behind it!!!

I am interested in hearing everyones opinions and reasons as to why!!! Thanks

dixie_fried

my dream bed quilt will be pieced with vintage sheet chevrons. i've been collecting different colors/prints for a couple of years now and am hoping to find a queen/king set to use for piecing and backing to pull it all together.
i figure if the sheets have survived 30 or 40 years of use and hardly show any fading, they will probably be great for a quilt.

jeaninmaine

Any new item made of cotton has sizing in it, including the fabric from the very best fabric manufacturers. That's how they keep it looking fresh and that's why we're told to wash our fabrics before using, the sizing isn't good for our machines. Once a sheet or any other cotton fabric has been washed, there shouldn't be any problem as long as it hasn't too high a thread count to be easily quilted.

I think a great gift would be a prettily designed sheet set and then a matching flat sheet used for the backing on a quilt to go with it. And if your REALLY liked the person you could buy an extra matching or contrasting flat sheet and make a dust ruffle.

MargeD

Some may disagree with this, but the first quilting class I took, the instructor told us that she used sheets for larger quilts. I have used sheets for backing a couple of times, but I was machine quilting them and they were for using, not show quilts. I think it's a matter of personal preference, however, I think the 400-500 thread count sheets would be more difficult to even machine quilt. That's my comment, do what you want and how the quilt will be used.

NanaBeez

I was just thinking about this subject the other day. One of the first kind of 'quilt' projects I did back in the 70's was tying quilts. Sheets were a fast easy way to make bedspreads for the kids. Of course then you could actually find flat sheets separate from a set. The big plus is they can be washed and washed, drug around etc. and they wear forever. All of those quilts are nearly 40 years old and we are still using them. Now for the kind of quilts we make today when you are going to quilt they are harder to work with. Besides you now have the creative freedom to make the backing as fun as the top. If you want some great quilts for humanitarian projects and can find some bargain sheets; have a tie party and you can make some pretty fast. Don't ya just love playing with fabric (and of course buying it!)?

quiltgal

I have never used a sheet in a quilt! Even in the very beginning. Had pretty fabric to use and so just did not occur to me to do that. I have bought 200 thread count muslin on the bolt in 45, 90 and 120 inches wide that I have used to dye fabric and have often dyed a piece as just the right back for my quilts, but just never had the desire to use a sheet for a back.
It was much later that I heard that other people were using sheets at least some of the time and I just did not know why any one would do that!

cloudshaddows

My belief is that this is an old problem of tight weave for hand quilting issues. I do not see why it would be a problem if you are not piecing or quilting by hand. My machine handles most fabric types without any problem. Just my opinion.