We spend a lot of time and effort on our quilt fronts ‒ the patchwork, the appliqué and the stitchery. But when it comes to the back, sometimes it can be a bit of a rush. Often we use what we have to hand, either to use up fabric; because we have a wide width sheet that could do the job; or to make use of sale fabric that we bought for this very moment – but now is actually not big enough. And sometimes, because we have not thought the whole process through, this can affect our experience in quilting the quilt. I still look at a quilt I fine hand quilted many years ago that was sheer labour rather than a labour of love. The backing was great ‒ with its wide width and print that worked well with the front of the quilt. However, it was just slightly too dense a thread count to make the quilting fun, meaning there was so much needle resistance. But you live and learn and this article will hopefully provide some insights into quilt backings ‒ if and when you should piece them and
