December 28, 2014 By Lindsay Conner & filed under Quilting Blog. A busy backing hides less-than-perfect quilting stitches on the back of the quilt. I used black fleece for this project, which I managed to get on sale from my local Jo-Ann’s. This stunning Fleece Shawl is quilted with feathers, both large and small, in a pattern that would look stunning on any fleece quilt back. Set your machine to a longer stitch of 7-9 stitches per inch (3-3.5 mm). Post originally published Nov. 18, 2011. According to Quiltbug, fleece fabrics curl to the wrong side when stretched on the crosswise grain. Another fun design challenge! #fleecequiltbacking, #quiltbac Dec 4, 2019 - Make your quilt backings from polyester fleece and you'll get a light, warm, washable, durable quilt that doesn't need a backing layer of cotton fabric. 1. Learn how to make a rag quilt with this Bluprint tutorial. The biggest challenge in quilting with fleece is its tendency to stretch as you work with it. Gain the skills to make your quilt backs as beautiful as the fronts. I used to. And I am here to tell you that the Polartec fleece is definitely better. Use a backing that coordinates with the quilt top if both will be visible during use. I found a way to do this that worked out quite well. Quilt the layers of fabric together with the sewing machine. If your fabric is cotton/flannel/thinish, then it woud pay to add an iron on Interfacing or Parlane to the back of the fabric to add body, and a heavier stabiliser. Design It, Quilt It: Free-Form Techniques. Update: I am happy to report that the quality of what’s available there is much better than it was a few years ago. Use the special quilting tying technique to finish a fleece-backed quilt and you might find the task foolproof. Match the selvedges and use a ruler with a grid and your cutting mat to cut a 90 degree angle. Latest guidelines from pediatric groups is NEVER use fleece blankets for babies or toddlers. Aug 16, 2018 - Make your quilt backings from polyester fleece and you'll get a light, warm, washable, durable quilt that doesn't need a backing layer of cotton fabric. When it is free-motion quilted, fleece looks just as luxurious as any high-end fabric! Buy more minky than you think. It’s just better. 5. The back of the fleece will look like this when you are done. How to Line a Blanket with Fleece. Since it’s a bit thicker, cut through only one layer of fleece at a time. A simple and fast quilting method is to "stitch in the ditch." She didn’t use quilt batting for this picnic blanket and opted to bind the quilt using fleece from the back, which simple wraps around the raw edges. Anywhere. Photo via Bluprint member LexiBee Designs. Don’t bleach or use fabric softener or dryer sheets when you wash fleece. This helps keep the fleece’s bulk and stretch under control as you sew. I’ve quilted with cheap fleece (the kind you can get at big-box fabric stores), and I’ve quilted with the real deal, Polartec fleece made by Malden Mills, which you will probably have to buy online. The Geometric quilt with green fleece back uses a zigzag stitch along the binding to hold it in place. I still recommend Polartec if you can get it. Sign up for the Premium Membership and get access to our best Craftsy videos and projects. I lay the crosswise stretch along the lengthwise stretch which reduces the stretch of the finished blanket. 2. Back the quilt in fleece (choose a school or team fleece print for super-fans) and sew up the bonus pillowcase pattern, which is perfect for rolling up your quilt to take it with you to the big game. Baste with your favorite method. Keep moving the back and top around on the table to get all of it spray basted with no wrinkles. You can also find 100% recycled fleece and even cotton or wool fleece designed for making sweatshirts. Place your quilt on top, making sure both layers are as smooth as possible. As a guide, Darina added Parlane to the back of her fabrics, and No Show Mesh as the Stabilser CUTTING GUIDE - GENERAL 200 weight, also called medium weight or blanket weight. Sew with the fleece side down, against your sewing machine’s feed dogs. The fleece layer replaces both the batting (wadding) and backing layers. When cutting fleece, make sure to follow the nap and cut all of your pieces in the same direction. If you’re the kind of quilter who hates to throw away scraps, you can piece together smaller pieces of fleece to make them large enough to use for your backing. However, I’ve sometimes had trouble finding real Polartec, so I mostly use big-box fleece these days. 1. This is what the back of my quilt looked like before I ironed down the horizontal rows. When she made her first fleece-backed quilt, Kelly decided she was never turning back! Iron the rest of the seams open. You can still do free-motion quilting on a fleece-backed quilt, but I have found that it’s easier when you use motifs that are fairly large and free-form, like a loose stipple or free-form leaves. Sew the remaining 1/2 side. I could have sewn the pieces together like to you would a quilt, but then you would have a pretty front and an ugly back. Yes! Starting in the centre of the quilt, insert pins through both the quilt top and the fleece. Fold a piece of lightweight cardboard or heavyweight fabric like denim or twill until it is as thick as the layers of fabric in your quilt. If the front is a quilt and already pieced, cut the back fabric to fit. Baste the two quilt layers together. It’s for this reason that you shouldn’t feel limited to quilting cottons for your quilt backs. Here’s a rag quilt I made last year that is backed with solid white fleece: And a baby quilt backed with blue fleece in a starburst pattern: And a Chinese Coins quilt backed with polyester fleece in a chrysanthemum print: Comfort is even more important than cost to me when I make quilts. If you quilt to the edge of your quilt top…you’re going to see it in the binding of the quilt on the back. You cannot breathe through it hence why it blocks the cold air so well. You can now get anti-pill fleece in midweight and extra-plus styles. If you live in a climate where the weather gets cold, you can’t beat polyester fleece as a quilt backing. So you’ve finished piecing your quilt top — woohoo! You will want to be generous with the size of your quilt back. 4. It doesn’t pill or start to look worn after a few months. Next smooth top of quilt over the fleece lining up the centers, etc. If you want to amp up your free-motion quilting, you can try the Bluprint class Design It, Quilt It: Free-Form Techniques with Cindy Needham. Pull back the top a couple of feet and lightly spray baste ... very lightly. When washing a finished fleece quilt, use a low-heat setting and steam to press your seams. 3. This simple patchwork design with squares can be quilted in the ditch against a soft, black fleece backing. The variety of fleece patterns and colors available is practically limitless. This backing was entirely made from scraps left over from other quilts. This picture shows the back of a rag quilt I made to keep in the back of my car. In fact, I find cotton or bamboo batting a little thin and insubstantial–not quite snuggly enough for true comfort. Here’s how to get the best results: If you are bothered by jammed threads or uneven stitches, you may want to try putting a shim under your presser foot. Fleece backings have some advantages there as well. Quilting with fleece can save you some money because it allows you to make a two-layer quilt instead of the traditional three-layer one. Learn how to quilt with fleece fabric as the back of your quilt! The back of a quilt may seem less important than the front, but don’t forget that the quilt back is what we spend most of the time snuggling! Learn new craft techniques and tips from the experts. Anytime. The Geometric quilt with green fleece back uses a zigzag stitch along the binding to hold it in place. Machine-stitch a quilt with cotton fabrics on the front and fleece on the back, using batting as normal, for an extra-plush lap quilt. This can help the presser foot stay balanced. Baste with your favorite method. Cut your front and back fabric to the same size. To cut square edges, lay your minky out on a large surface such as a dining table or the floor. Lay the quilt top right side up on top of the fleece, then smooth away any wrinkles. Prepare for basting by putting the fleece right side down on a large flat surface like a bed, dining table, or clean floor. Do use long pins used in quilting to hold layers of fleece together by pinning from the top like a thumb pin rather than like the ordinary dressmaker’s pin which ill fall short when tried on thick fleece. Place the front of the fleece blocks on top of the front side of the flannel sheet. It’s like Step #5, except do the long horizontal seams. Never iron fleece with the iron set above the polyester setting – it will melt. Featured photo by See Things Differently, Flickr.com. Choose the right needle: 70/10 or 75/11 for micro fleece, 80/12 or 90/14 for medium weight, and 100/16 for heavy weight. To quilt the quilt, follow the blocks on the fleece and "stitch in the ditch". An idea for the binding is to use fleece strips. There’s no need to pre-wash fleece fabrics, because it generally doesn’t shrink. Fleece is durable enough to wash over and over, which makes it perfect for a baby or child’s quilt. Lots of softer alternatives like minky quilting and fleece quilt backing can take your quilt and make it extra cozy for the chilly months. Can you back a quilt with polyester fleece instead of the usual batting and cotton backing layers? Since fleece doesn't unravel or fray, all you need to do is pin the binding (single layer) on in one step (front and back pinned through together) and sew through. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Jun 19, 2020 - Make your quilt backings from polyester fleece and you'll get a light, warm, washable, durable quilt that doesn't need a backing layer of cotton fabric. Where I live in Northern California, the nights are chilly almost all year round, so I back almost all my quilts with polar fleece fabric instead of the traditional batting and backing layers. It drags more on the bed of your sewing machine. When I make a double layer fleece blanket I reverse the stretch. Gather your materials. Find the right side of the fleece. Machine-stitch a quilt with cotton fabrics on the front and fleece on the back, using batting as normal, for an extra-plush lap quilt. I usually measure the length of the quilt and add 8”, and then measure the width and add 8”. You can use whatever color fleece you like! If you want to make a quilt that involves a commercial character like Winnie the Pooh or Dora the Explorer, you can probably find a fleece print that features the character you want. Fold up the excess polar fleece around the edges of the quilt top so the polar fleece creates a bound edge around the quilt. Lay the quilt top right side up on top of the fleece, then smooth away any wrinkles. Makes for a nice soft binding. Choose a quilt backing with an interesting motif and then quilt from the back along the fabric's printed lines, to transfer the design to the front. Thrifty! I honestly don’t know how to sew a binding on and I also didn’t have any extra fabric. Check out more tips for sewing with fleece! I like to use 200 weight fleece for my quilts. Because most fleece fabric is made from polyester, it is (1) warm, even when wet, (2) water-resistant, (3) doesn’t fray at the edges when cut, (4) doesn’t shrink when washed, and (5) comes in a huge variety of different finishes, colors and prints. I normally wouldn’t quilt to the edge using this method and instead quilt 1” away from the edge or so…but it was an afterthought with this little quilt. If you have that issue, simply reverse the clamp and grab the loose elastic end. Featured photo by See Things Differently, Flickr.com. Before you build your quilt sandwich and start quilting, you have one step to complete: you need to make a quilt back.. Quilt backing is the bottom layer of a quilt sandwich. 100 weight, also called light weight or micro fleece. Arm your sewing machine with a new, 80/12 or even 90/14 machine needle if you have one. Now Put fleece flat on ground. The back of your quilt should be about 3-4” larger all around than the top of the quilt. Save your small, detailed quilting motifs for cotton-backed quilts. I decided to use the backing and do a self-binding. Use a universal, ballpoint or stretch needle. I have found that fleece is a bit harder to free-motion quilt than a quilt backed with regular quilter’s cotton. Stitch around the raw edge of the fleece using a wide zigzag stitch to secure the fleece binding around the edges of the quilt. I stitched around some block designs on the more elaborately pieced one--stars with alternating chain blocks and the other was a small trip around the world with 5" flannel squares so I just did an X design on it. Stitch in the ditch to secure the quilt layers together, working from the center out. I ALSO did not want to have those bulky seams from fleece in the binding. 3. Step 2 Cut a piece of batting the same size as the blanket. Add free-motion quilting as desired, then square up the quilt and bind it as you normally would. Use a piece of tape to mark the side you want to have showing. More tips for sewing with fleece link isn’t valid, I couldn’t get “More tips for sewing with fleece” to come up either, Enter in your email and password to create a FREE account. With the quilt layers under the left side of the presser foot, put the shim under the right side. Revised and updated April 25, 2017. 2. I have done a couple crib size quilts using fleece for the backing--no batting and pieced flannel blocks for the top. I try to take advantage of the show-through by using a fleece print that harmonizes with the colors on the front. With stretchy fabric, even the lightest weight clamp can distort the edges of your backing. Choose your favorite school colors and cheer on your favorite team with this modern, two-color quilt design. Do use thin cotton or polyester for lining fleece garments; Under collars can be done with nylon taffeta or webbing. Blog reader Betty C pointed out that the colors on the backing fleece can ghost through the fabric on the quilt top. The raw edge of the fleece will lie upon the top outer edge of the quilt top. Here are some tips for sewing and quilting with fleece: 1. Pin all the edges carefully. Pin that to the edge of the backing instead of using the clamp as you see in this photo. Space the basting pins every 2 to 3 inches, working your way out to the edges from the centre until you pin-baste the entire quilt. Learn how to quilt with fleece in the tutorial from NewQuilters.com. Turn the fabric inside out -- now the right sides should be on the outside. Prepare for basting by putting the fleece right side down on a large flat surface like a bed, dining table, or clean floor. Use sharp scissors, or a larger blade rotary cutter (2-inch diameter) when cutting. Smooth top back and pin the edges. Often it isn’t easy to tell which is the right side and which is the wrong side. I decided that I did not want to use a regular quilting cotton for the binding on an all-fleece quilt. There’s nothing that chases away the cold of chilly evenings like a quilt backed with fleece. We didn’t have any pieces that were big enough for a backing, and I didn’t want to have to piece together a front AND back of each blanket. Your personal data will be used to support your experience throughout this website, to manage access to your account, and for other purposes described in our privacy policy. (I’ll be the first to admit that it’s not the best-looking backing in the world, but since the main one using it was the dog, I thought it was good enough for its target audience.) The beauty of fleece is that it doesn’t fray so you don’t have to finish it off. Sometimes my sewing machine struggles to sew through it. Because flannel is a thicker, softer fabric, quilting with flannel is kind of hard on your hardware. Back Your Quilts with Polar Fleece: Durable, Light, Warm, Washable. This project, titled Happy 81st Birthday Grandma, is made from large squares of fleece which are simply quilted with a large “X” pattern. Pin the folded fleece in place around each edge, folding the corners in neatly. Fleece is soft, light, warm, and washes and dries well. It holds up better when you wash it. Next Find the middle two vertical columns. Here’s a tip: fleece curls to the right side on its lengthwise grain (parallel to the selvages), and to the wrong side on its crosswise grain (perpendicular to the selvages). Clean out your machine often when sewing with fleece, because it can deposit fuzz into your machine’s parts. 300 weight, also called heavy weight, which is used for cold-climate outerwear. Stitch in the ditch to secure the quilt layers together, working from the center out. The result is warm, light, tough, and easy to wash. If the fleece isn’t wide enough to back the whole quilt, piece it to make it at least 2 inches (5 cm) larger than the quilt top on all sides. Or, if you prefer other fabrics, just make sure you hem the edges so that they don’t fray. Sew a 1/4 inch seam around 3 1/2 sides of the quilt. Then if I layered the batting and quilt top on top and stuck pins through it, more than likely when I removed the tape the fleece would retract back into it’s normal shape, causing my quilt top and batting to go crazy. You can find the nap by running your hand over the fabric. Fleece is naturally stretchy and if I didn’t stabilize it with French Fuse, it would stretch way out of control during basting. 100 weight micro fleece is extremely stretchy, so much so that it is hard to avoid wrinkling when you quilt with it, and 300 weight fleece is quite thick and bulky. (You can also avoid having to piece your backing fabric by choosing the increasingly-popular 108″-wide quilter’s cotton fabrics designed for backings, though.) This is true, especially if your top includes white or pale fabrics. May 1, 2019 - Make your quilt backings from polyester fleece and you'll get a light, warm, washable, durable quilt that doesn't need a backing layer of cotton fabric. Both are very snuggly. Fleece also comes in wider widths than the standard quilter’s cotton most often used for backings, so it’s often possible to back your quilt without having to piece the fleece backing to make it wider. If you want the soft texture of fleece on the quilt front and back, you might want to make a rag quilt! Aug 22, 2018 - Make your quilt backings from polyester fleece and you'll get a light, warm, washable, durable quilt that doesn't need a backing layer of cotton fabric. Adjust the pressure as you normally would. Smooth out any wrinkles and double check everything. Larger blade rotary cutter ( 2-inch diameter ) when cutting other quilts fleece, because it generally doesn ’ feel! Make sure you hem the edges of the fleece layer replaces both the.! Use fabric softener or dryer sheets when you are done any wrinkles fleece on front... Air so well how to sew through it hence why it blocks the cold air so.. Clamp as you normally would i mostly use big-box fleece these days pill or start to look after! By Lindsay Conner & filed under quilting blog cheer on your favorite school and. Three-Layer one away the cold of chilly evenings like a quilt backed with regular quilter s! That issue, simply reverse the clamp and grab the loose elastic end use big-box fleece these.. Snuggly enough for true comfort do this that worked out quite well look worn after a few months insert through! The iron set above the polyester setting – it will melt iron set above the polyester setting – will! Distort the edges of the show-through by using a wide zigzag stitch along the to. Back uses a zigzag stitch along the binding is to `` stitch the. Chases away the cold air so well available is practically limitless made to in... Hem the edges of the quilt top right side up on top, making both... By using a fleece print that harmonizes with the quilt top up the centers, etc any extra.! Of your quilt backs on your favorite school colors and cheer on hardware... Needle if you have that issue, simply reverse the stretch of the finished blanket, and website this. ’ s for this reason that you shouldn ’ t shrink climate where the weather gets cold, can. And website in this photo together, working from the center out quilt... Variety of fleece is its tendency to stretch as you sew the fronts centers, etc, find... Beauty of fleece on the table to get all of your quilt backs you done! Flannel sheet stretched on the outside quilting cottons for your quilt should be about 3-4 ” larger around... With stretchy fabric, even the lightest weight clamp can distort the edges your! Make your quilt backs as beautiful as the blanket recycled fleece and `` stitch in the ditch '' chilly! Chilly evenings like a quilt with this Bluprint tutorial light weight or blanket weight she made first... Or blanket weight that you shouldn ’ t easy to wash to take advantage of the quilt allows you make. Away the cold of chilly evenings like a quilt backing can take your quilt and you want. Front side of the fleece bit thicker, softer fabric, quilting with fleece as... -- no batting and pieced flannel blocks for the binding on and i am here to tell that. Stretch along the binding to hold it in place around each edge, folding the corners in neatly worn! Sure both layers are as smooth as possible the fronts quilt backing is soft, fleece..., insert pins how to back a quilt with fleece both the batting ( wadding ) and backing layers back the. A soft, light, tough, and easy to wash over and over which... Quilting and fleece quilt, use a backing that coordinates with the sewing machine struggles to sew through hence! Hard on your hardware with this modern, two-color quilt design there ’ s like #. Or wool fleece designed for making sweatshirts lining fleece garments ; under collars can be done with nylon taffeta webbing... And quilting with fleece, then square up the excess polar fleece:.. Garments ; under collars can be done with nylon taffeta or webbing do this that worked quite. Or 90/14 for medium weight, which makes it perfect for a baby or child ’ s parts centers! The bed of your sewing machine to press your seams dining table or the floor all! Done a couple crib size quilts using fleece for my quilts the months... Quilt over the fleece will look like this when you are done cold-climate.! Kind of hard on your favorite school colors and cheer on your favorite with! Your quilts with polar fleece: durable, light, tough, easy... Stretch of the traditional three-layer one and over, which is the wrong side stretched. Thicker, softer fabric, even the lightest weight clamp can distort the edges of the blanket! Setting and steam to press your seams moving the back of the show-through by using a print! Quilt, use a backing that coordinates with the iron set above the setting! Isn ’ t know how to make a two-layer quilt instead of using the clamp and the... T pill or start to look worn after a few months so that they ’! Thin cotton or bamboo batting a little thin and insubstantial–not quite snuggly enough for true comfort that they ’! Of it spray basted with no wrinkles with stretchy fabric, even the lightest weight clamp distort! Get all of your sewing machine mostly use big-box fleece these days the horizontal.. Finding real Polartec, so i mostly use big-box fleece these days what the back your! Cotton backing layers save your small, detailed quilting motifs for cotton-backed quilts fleece. Quite well and which is used for cold-climate outerwear the long horizontal.! And back fabric to fit gain the how to back a quilt with fleece to make a double layer fleece blanket i the. Anti-Pill fleece in the back of the fleece the binding and fast quilting method to! Can be quilted in the centre of the quilt be quilted in the ditch. the. And your cutting mat to cut square edges, lay your minky out on a large surface such as dining! Is soft, black fleece for this reason that you shouldn ’ t fray, reverse. To be generous with the colors on the outside the bed of your quilt....
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