Backings: Using Sheets
Ah, another age old quilting debate - ‘Can I send you a sheet for my backing?’ The very short and easy answer here is YES! However, I encourage you to continue reading for some thoughts on using sheets as well as what and how to send to ensure we are all set up for success and avoid issues and additional costs. Ready? Set? Let’s go!
Can sheets be used as quilt backings?
I’ve consumed a decent amount of blog posts, articles, and videos addressing this and ultimately they all end with two conclusions. Number 1: It’s up to you. And number 2, if you are sending your quilt to a longarmer, check to make sure they will accept sheets.
Here are a couple of the resources I used that address this overall question. All of these are relatively short, and all of them basically come to the conclusion of ‘if you understand what you are using for the backing and how that affects the finished quilt, go for it!’
Cheryl from Meadow Mist Design has a great quick article that will help you feel good about making that yes decision. Eliane from Patchwork and Poodles breaks down several types of sheets and duvets to help decide what exactly might or might not work for your project. Leah Day shares about using all sorts of fabrics within a quilt, not just as backing. She’s a little sassy about the ‘quilt police’ and her overall message is ‘you do you!’ which I love. Patchwork Posse puts the question to real life every day quilters and they share their first hand experience in their answers. And if all of that isn’t enough for you, the one and only Pat Sloan discusses it in this video. Head about 14:30 into the video to get her take on the pros and cons of using sheets.
I’ve had lots of folks you might recognize use sheets on the back of their quilts. Jennifer Jones from Penelope Handmade sends them regularly. Christina from Kindred Quilt Co used one on the back of her Scrappy SAL project. Donna from XOXSew shared this about her frequent use of them:
“A bed sheet is a great alternative for quilt backings because its purpose is to help promote comfort. After all, just like a good mattress, a bed sheet was made with sleep and relaxation in mind. There's a particular softness to it that complements so well with the front of the quilt. Besides that, I often don't plan ahead after my quilt top is pieced and frankly, I'm just not a big fan of sewing large pieces of fabric to make the backing. With a bed sheet, there's no extra piecing involved nor additional time planning the perfect coordinating backing fabric (although I personally love this part when I'm not in a time crunch). I just give a neutral-colored bed sheet a good press, ship it along with my quilt top to Lilo, and call it a day. ;)”
Will TCQ Accept Sheets as Quilt Backings?
As mentioned above, I’m game!
With that being said, I’ve learned enough in my several years of experience to know there are ways to do it right, ways to do it wrong, and ways that will influence how much I may love you when it’s all over with. :)
Let’s discuss, shall we?
Yes, TCQ will accept sheets as backing to your quilt tops. I’m going to trust that you have done your research and know how what you have chosen to use will affect the use, longevity, and look of your finished quilt. None of that is for me to dictate to you. (No quilt police here!) My expertise is in making sure what you’ve sent me will behave well enough on my machines to work as well as how to reduce issues that might prevent us from having a successful outcome or end up costing you extra in fees on my end.
We will accept sheets of various thread counts and fiber blends. As you’ve likely read, most folks prefer 100% cotton in a lower thread count, often lightly used and washed so it’s nice and soft. From a longarm viewpoint we’ve not had any trouble working with higher thread counts or fabrics like polyester, microfiber, and flannel. It should be noted that we will not accept knit fabrics as it has too much stretch.
We will love you most if you send an untrimmed flat sheet. I’ve spoken with several of my longarming colleagues and we agreed this is our ideal sheet scenario. While it’s true that the seams can sometimes create bulk we need to avoid, I would rather handle that on my end if necessary than have you attempt to trim and square it. Sometimes using it as is works just fine and negates the need for that extra step. It also avoids as any issues caused from a sheet that is not trimmed or squared correctly. (I have total confidence in YOU, it’s the other guys I worry about.) While you might be tempted to use the fitted sheet, know that my longarm buddies and I agree that it is rare for us to receive a fitted sheet that doesn’t need some extra love (aka: an extra charge) on our end for it to work.
We do encourage customers to wash sheets before sending them. This combats funky smells/chemicals/unknow substances from the factory or Goodwill rack. It also helps relax creases that may linger due to the packaging. Pre-washing can also help loosen the fibers up a tad so needle punches heal a bit better in higher thread counts. Washing is particularly encouraged for flannels as they shrink at a much higher rate than typical quilting cottons. It’s better to have that happen before it is permanently attached to your quilt top. We know some folks prefer not to wash new 100% cotton sheets to keep the shrink rate similar to that of the fabrics in the quilt top, and that’s understandable. This is our recommendation, not a requirement.
Remember to double check that your sheet is still big enough after washing and drying which is a nice transition into our next point:
Size of Sheet
This is a good moment to remind everyone that even when using sheets, our sizing requirements for the backing remain the same as if it were a regular backing. We ask that all backings be a minimum of 4” larger than your quilt top on all 4 sides of the quilt. This equals a minimum of 8” total longer and wider, but with the expected usable space being in the middle. You can read the full blog post about our sizing requirements for backings and why we have them here.
Be sure to double check the measurements of the sheets before purchasing and also to lay your finished top on the sheet (after washing) to ensure it is indeed large enough. Remember, too, that we don’t want to include any of the sheet’s seams in the quilt top. These can be included in your overage measurements, but should not fall within the space that will end up in the finished quilt.
Example 1 shows a backing with not enough space on the sides. Example 2 shows a backing that’s too tight all around AND includes the seam at the top of the sheet. Example 3 is what we are looking for. Plenty of room on all 4 sides without running into any seams. If you have doubts about your quilt fitting properly on your backing, buy a sheet size larger or contact us.
So! There you have it. If you’d like to use a sheet we’d love to accommodate you. Hopefully the information above will guide you on when that is the appropriate backing to use, as well as how to send it our way for a successful quilting experience. As always, reach out with any questions or concerns, we are always happy to help!
-Lilo and the TCQ Team
