I've Got Your Back Covered

I wanted to talk about a quilting topic that doesn't get a whole lot of coverage (no pun intended) in the quilting scene... and that's the back of a quilt. So, what's your approach for the backside of your quilting masterpiece? I thought that it would be fun to share the current backing that I am working on, as well as sharing in one place all those quilt backings that are supporting the "stars-of-the-show"...

Pieced backing planned for my Home Sweet Home Applique Sampler quilt pattern to be released in May at the Nadelwelt in Karlsruhe, Germany.

Since I've been quilting, I've ended up piecing the good majority of the backings for my quilts. Somehow, stitching two big pieces of plain fabric together, with a seam smack dab in the middle, was never very appealing to me. However, I find that I piece my backings often for quite another reason than putting orphan blocks to good use, although this is a fantastic way to give even those rejects a piece of the pie... this one for example.

  
Back of my "Chrunstile" quilt... I actually sleep under this one.

Often I might not have large quantities of a single fabric on hand that match my current project, and if I don't want to eat up all one favorite fabric "just" for the back, then I find that piecing is a good option. I'm always taken aback when people tell me that they actually like the back of my quilt better than the front, but I'll just leave that in the "things-that-make-you-go-hmmmm" category.

"Facing East" backing... this one actually got the "I like the backside better" comment.

... and perhaps we should just leave the topic of double-the-price fabrics that one pays in Germany on the backburner. This coupled with high shipping cost, and long waiting times, pushes me again in the same direction of pieced backs.

Back of my "Swell" quilt... another one that adorns one of my beds.

The stars are the "star" of my Penny quilt, but a simple backing was a good choice for a pieced backing.

I've always like adding just a little bit of the unexpected...  it's a little bit like ordering a crossiant at the bakery, getting it home, and realizing that it's filled with chocolate when you bite into it.

I was able to use up even more scraps not only for the front of my Scrappy Windmill quilt, but the back too!

So how about if I end things by sharing a little things-yet-to-come backing... the back of my Whirly Girl quilt. Just a little more quilting, and I'll be ready for my big reveal!

Looking for some more quilt backing inspiration? Check out my favorites on Pinterest.