quilt backing dumb question!

[omama]

I want to make a patchwork quilt & have bought some very pretty tilda charm packs for the job. However, am a complete novice & have a (probably) dumb question: Fabrics usually come in a standard width of 140cm, so how do I get a piece big enough for the reverse of my quilt? I want to make it for a double bed & looking at ones you can buy online, needs to be approx. 170-200 x 200cm. Do I have to stitch 2 pieces together, or can you buy wider fabric for the job & if so, where?

Hi,

I've been doing quilting for a number of years so I think I can help. You can buy backing for quilts in wider width fabric and this saves you having to join others to create a piece big enough. You have a couple of alternatives:

Buy a cotton sheet that is big enough to be a backing for your quilt.

Use standard width fabric to make a back. Don't put a seam straight down the middle though - theres too much weight on the middle seam in the quilt backing when its on the bed and can over time pull apart a little. Instead do your quilt back in three sections so your back is in three panels and has two seams. Hope that makes sense!

Look at www.cottonpatch.co.uk for some quilt backings to know what I mean.

I use old double sheets (not the fitted ones) or you can buy sheeting fabric that is much wider than the normal 140cm, usually about 250cm.

I bought 2 metres of sheeting fabric from Dunelm Mill last week for my latest quilt, it cost £1.65 per metre so was increadibly cheap.

Of course you can also sew two pieces together, you will never see it when the quilt is finished, once you have done all the quilting.

Ooh, thanks for this! I'm making my first quilt and the moment and was wondering the same thing. Just stumbled on this thread by accident and, hey presto, I've got my answer!