With Magdelan in mind, and an invitation to other quilters to throw in their two cents also!
I have made many, many quilts and until recently all of them were quilted by hand.
Hand quilting adds months to complete a project and when I made my first king size quilt, I knew there was no way I could ever get that thing quilted all by myself. I relented and took it to a long arm quilter. I had already spent 9 months piecing the top, it easily would have been that much more hand quilting.
Long arm quilting adds between $100 up to $260 or so to the cost of a quilt, depending on size and other factors. That's on top of the $200 to $300 you've spent on fabric, batting and backing already. SO what you gain in speed with the long arm, you pay for with a more costly project.
To cut corners cost wise, I have started combing thrift stores and Value Village for cotton queen and king flat sheets to use as backing. I can get a sheet, 100% cotton, for $20 or less, as opposed to paying $80 - $120 for yard goods. Then with the yard goods you have to cut and piece and hope the seam is straight and not wobbly and weird looking like mine tend to get. (I've made a LOT of quilts, didn't say I was good at it!)
Now some hard core quilters would never consider using a sheet, especially a used one! Meh, it's the back! Granted, if I'm making some show piece quilt with 900 pieces then I want to have a 'perfect' fabric on the back. But for your average bed quilt, a sheet that has already been washed and preshrunk and is in good shape, works just fine. Who cares if it's not the perfect color, it's the BACK!
However, not all sheets are created equal for this use. You DO NOT want a very fine, high thread count sheet. They are usually smooth and lovely and SLIPPERY and your quilt will slither right off the bed. I used one such sheet and that quilt NEVER stays on the bed. For backing, a slightly coarser, less high count sheet works better because it's a little 'grabbier' fabric and will help keep your quilt in place, on the bed. Leave the 450 thread count for actual use as a sheet, not a quilt back.
A quilt is costly both in time and money. If I use a sheet now and then, it brings the overall cost of the project down, and makes me feel less guilty. Money saved on backing fabric, can be spent on some lovely print for the top of your next quilt!
Keep your eyes peeled for sturdy, not too slippery, neutral coloured cotton sheets. Great penny stretchers for quilters!
I have made many, many quilts and until recently all of them were quilted by hand.
Hand quilting adds months to complete a project and when I made my first king size quilt, I knew there was no way I could ever get that thing quilted all by myself. I relented and took it to a long arm quilter. I had already spent 9 months piecing the top, it easily would have been that much more hand quilting.
Long arm quilting adds between $100 up to $260 or so to the cost of a quilt, depending on size and other factors. That's on top of the $200 to $300 you've spent on fabric, batting and backing already. SO what you gain in speed with the long arm, you pay for with a more costly project.
To cut corners cost wise, I have started combing thrift stores and Value Village for cotton queen and king flat sheets to use as backing. I can get a sheet, 100% cotton, for $20 or less, as opposed to paying $80 - $120 for yard goods. Then with the yard goods you have to cut and piece and hope the seam is straight and not wobbly and weird looking like mine tend to get. (I've made a LOT of quilts, didn't say I was good at it!)
Now some hard core quilters would never consider using a sheet, especially a used one! Meh, it's the back! Granted, if I'm making some show piece quilt with 900 pieces then I want to have a 'perfect' fabric on the back. But for your average bed quilt, a sheet that has already been washed and preshrunk and is in good shape, works just fine. Who cares if it's not the perfect color, it's the BACK!
However, not all sheets are created equal for this use. You DO NOT want a very fine, high thread count sheet. They are usually smooth and lovely and SLIPPERY and your quilt will slither right off the bed. I used one such sheet and that quilt NEVER stays on the bed. For backing, a slightly coarser, less high count sheet works better because it's a little 'grabbier' fabric and will help keep your quilt in place, on the bed. Leave the 450 thread count for actual use as a sheet, not a quilt back.
A quilt is costly both in time and money. If I use a sheet now and then, it brings the overall cost of the project down, and makes me feel less guilty. Money saved on backing fabric, can be spent on some lovely print for the top of your next quilt!
Keep your eyes peeled for sturdy, not too slippery, neutral coloured cotton sheets. Great penny stretchers for quilters!
. I love to hear these quilting threads and read them all. I never realized how costly quilt making was, I knew of the time to make one, but wow, so much money. worth their weight in gold, with the love to make them, the time to make them and the money to make them. Beautiful. Interesting about using a lower thread count so it doesn't slip. I get that for surely. Awesome post Uno, have a most wonderful day, CynthiaM.
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