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. It’s like Step #5, except do the long horizontal seams. I have done a couple crib size quilts using fleece for the backing--no batting and pieced flannel blocks for the top. When it is free-motion quilted, fleece looks just as luxurious as any high-end fabric! The result is warm, light, tough, and easy to wash. Next smooth top of quilt over the fleece lining up the centers, etc. An idea for the binding is to use fleece strips. This stunning Fleece Shawl is quilted with feathers, both large and small, in a pattern that would look stunning on any fleece quilt back. Back Your Quilts with Polar Fleece: Durable, Light, Warm, Washable. Learn how to quilt with fleece fabric as the back of your quilt! (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.) Buy more minky than you think. However, I’ve sometimes had trouble finding real Polartec, so I mostly use big-box fleece these days. Often it isn’t easy to tell which is the right side and which is the wrong side. Use a backing that coordinates with the quilt top if both will be visible during use. 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. 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. The biggest challenge in quilting with fleece is its tendency to stretch as you work with it. #fleecequiltbacking, #quiltbac Fleece is soft, light, warm, and washes and dries well. 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. Baste with your favorite method. Thrifty! If you want the soft texture of fleece on the quilt front and back, you might want to make a rag quilt! 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. Gain the skills to make your quilt backs as beautiful as the fronts. Clean out your machine often when sewing with fleece, because it can deposit fuzz into your machine’s parts. When she made her first fleece-backed quilt, Kelly decided she was never turning back! Arm your sewing machine with a new, 80/12 or even 90/14 machine needle if you have one. 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. 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. Lay the quilt top right side up on top of the fleece, then smooth away any wrinkles. 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. I still recommend Polartec if you can get it. Use the special quilting tying technique to finish a fleece-backed quilt and you might find the task foolproof. This is true, especially if your top includes white or pale fabrics. 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. How to Line a Blanket with Fleece. If you live in a climate where the weather gets cold, you can’t beat polyester fleece as a quilt backing. 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). Pin the folded fleece in place around each edge, folding the corners in neatly. I used black fleece for this project, which I managed to get on sale from my local Jo-Ann’s. Makes for a nice soft binding. Set your machine to a longer stitch of 7-9 stitches per inch (3-3.5 mm). Baste with your favorite method. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. According to Quiltbug, fleece fabrics curl to the wrong side when stretched on the crosswise grain. Adjust the pressure as you normally would. It’s for this reason that you shouldn’t feel limited to quilting cottons for your quilt backs. 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. 1. 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. With the quilt layers under the left side of the presser foot, put the shim under the right side. I found a way to do this that worked out quite well. I used to. Photo via Bluprint member LexiBee Designs. The Geometric quilt with green fleece back uses a zigzag stitch along the binding to hold it in place. Anywhere. (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.) A busy backing hides less-than-perfect quilting stitches on the back of the quilt. A simple and fast quilting method is to "stitch in the ditch." 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. 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. It drags more on the bed of your sewing machine. 3. The Geometric quilt with green fleece back uses a zigzag stitch along the binding to hold it in place. This backing was entirely made from scraps left over from other quilts. Iron the rest of the seams open. 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. Quilt the layers of fabric together with the sewing machine. Step 2 Cut a piece of batting the same size as the blanket. 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. 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. 100 weight, also called light weight or micro fleece. Starting in the centre of the quilt, insert pins through both the quilt top and the fleece. I lay the crosswise stretch along the lengthwise stretch which reduces the stretch of the finished blanket. 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. 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. When washing a finished fleece quilt, use a low-heat setting and steam to press your seams. Use sharp scissors, or a larger blade rotary cutter (2-inch diameter) when cutting. I usually measure the length of the quilt and add 8”, and then measure the width and add 8”. It holds up better when you wash it. December 28, 2014 By Lindsay Conner & filed under Quilting Blog. In fact, I find cotton or bamboo batting a little thin and insubstantial–not quite snuggly enough for true comfort. To quilt the quilt, follow the blocks on the fleece and "stitch in the ditch". You can find the nap by running your hand over the fabric. 5. 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. If the front is a quilt and already pieced, cut the back fabric to fit. Fold up the excess polar fleece around the edges of the quilt top so the polar fleece creates a bound edge around the quilt. I ALSO did not want to have those bulky seams from fleece in the binding. The variety of fleece patterns and colors available is practically limitless. I honestly don’t know how to sew a binding on and I also didn’t have any extra fabric. Or, if you prefer other fabrics, just make sure you hem the edges so that they don’t fray. I decided to use the backing and do a self-binding. 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. Fleece is durable enough to wash over and over, which makes it perfect for a baby or child’s quilt. 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. So you’ve finished piecing your quilt top — woohoo! 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. 200 weight, also called medium weight or blanket weight. You cannot breathe through it hence why it blocks the cold air so well. I like to use 200 weight fleece for my quilts. Cut your front and back fabric to the same size. Gather your materials. To cut square edges, lay your minky out on a large surface such as a dining table or the floor. Sew the remaining 1/2 side. Pull back the top a couple of feet and lightly spray baste ... very lightly. 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. This picture shows the back of a rag quilt I made to keep in the back of my car. Use a piece of tape to mark the side you want to have showing. 2. Add free-motion quilting as desired, then square up the quilt and bind it as you normally would. Design It, Quilt It: Free-Form Techniques. It doesn’t pill or start to look worn after a few months. 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. Both are very snuggly. 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. Now Put fleece flat on ground. I decided that I did not want to use a regular quilting cotton for the binding on an all-fleece quilt. Learn how to make a rag quilt with this Bluprint tutorial. Here are some tips for sewing and quilting with fleece: 1. Featured photo by See Things Differently, Flickr.com. 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. Match the selvedges and use a ruler with a grid and your cutting mat to cut a 90 degree angle. 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. Smooth top back and pin the edges. 300 weight, also called heavy weight, which is used for cold-climate outerwear. Pin that to the edge of the backing instead of using the clamp as you see in this photo. Update: I am happy to report that the quality of what’s available there is much better than it was a few years ago. Choose your favorite school colors and cheer on your favorite team with this modern, two-color quilt design. As a guide, Darina added Parlane to the back of her fabrics, and No Show Mesh as the Stabilser CUTTING GUIDE - GENERAL You can use whatever color fleece you like! 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. Never iron fleece with the iron set above the polyester setting – it will melt. 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. Turn the fabric inside out -- now the right sides should be on the outside. Baste the two quilt layers together. You can now get anti-pill fleece in midweight and extra-plus styles. 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. When I make a double layer fleece blanket I reverse the stretch. This can help the presser foot stay balanced. Keep moving the back and top around on the table to get all of it spray basted with no wrinkles. The raw edge of the fleece will lie upon the top outer edge of the quilt top. Don’t bleach or use fabric softener or dryer sheets when you wash fleece. The back of your quilt should be about 3-4” larger all around than the top of the quilt. Can you back a quilt with polyester fleece instead of the usual batting and cotton backing layers? Sew a 1/4 inch seam around 3 1/2 sides of the quilt. Fleece backings have some advantages there as well. 4. Lots of softer alternatives like minky quilting and fleece quilt backing can take your quilt and make it extra cozy for the chilly months. Stitch in the ditch to secure the quilt layers together, working from the center out. Yes! Prepare for basting by putting the fleece right side down on a large flat surface like a bed, dining table, or clean floor. Place the front of the fleece blocks on top of the front side of the flannel sheet. Smooth out any wrinkles and double check everything. Since it’s a bit thicker, cut through only one layer of fleece at a time. Pin all the edges carefully. I have found that fleece is a bit harder to free-motion quilt than a quilt backed with regular quilter’s cotton. 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. Because flannel is a thicker, softer fabric, quilting with flannel is kind of hard on your hardware. This helps keep the fleece’s bulk and stretch under control as you sew. Sign up for the Premium Membership and get access to our best Craftsy videos and projects. There’s no need to pre-wash fleece fabrics, because it generally doesn’t shrink. Another fun design challenge! Prepare for basting by putting the fleece right side down on a large flat surface like a bed, dining table, or clean floor. 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. Sometimes my sewing machine struggles to sew through it. 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. Place your quilt on top, making sure both layers are as smooth as possible. This is what the back of my quilt looked like before I ironed down the horizontal rows. 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. Learn how to quilt with fleece in the tutorial from NewQuilters.com. 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. There’s nothing that chases away the cold of chilly evenings like a quilt backed with fleece. Next Find the middle two vertical columns. This simple patchwork design with squares can be quilted in the ditch against a soft, black fleece backing. You will want to be generous with the size of your quilt back. I try to take advantage of the show-through by using a fleece print that harmonizes with the colors on the front. Revised and updated April 25, 2017. Use a universal, ballpoint or stretch needle. Blog reader Betty C pointed out that the colors on the backing fleece can ghost through the fabric on the quilt top. 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! Fleece is naturally stretchy and if I didn’t stabilize it with French Fuse, it would stretch way out of control during basting. Lay the quilt top right side up on top of the fleece, then smooth away any wrinkles. Save your small, detailed quilting motifs for cotton-backed quilts. Anytime. Stitch in the ditch to secure the quilt layers together, working from the center out. Sew with the fleece side down, against your sewing machine’s feed dogs. 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. This project, titled Happy 81st Birthday Grandma, is made from large squares of fleece which are simply quilted with a large “X” pattern. With stretchy fabric, even the lightest weight clamp can distort the edges of your backing. And I am here to tell you that the Polartec fleece is definitely better. 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. Do use thin cotton or polyester for lining fleece garments; Under collars can be done with nylon taffeta or webbing. Stitch around the raw edge of the fleece using a wide zigzag stitch to secure the fleece binding around the edges of the quilt. Check out more tips for sewing with fleece! If you have that issue, simply reverse the clamp and grab the loose elastic end. Featured photo by See Things Differently, Flickr.com. Learn new craft techniques and tips from the experts. The beauty of fleece is that it doesn’t fray so you don’t have to finish it off. Find the right side of the fleece. Post originally published Nov. 18, 2011. Latest guidelines from pediatric groups is NEVER use fleece blankets for babies or toddlers. You can also find 100% recycled fleece and even cotton or wool fleece designed for making sweatshirts. 1. 2. The back of the fleece will look like this when you are done. 3. 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. It’s just better. 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. Layers under the left side of the quilt layers together, working from center... Double layer fleece blanket i reverse the stretch of the presser foot, put the shim under the left of! Side you want to make a rag quilt i made to keep in the ditch to secure quilt! A wide zigzag stitch along the binding to hold it in place fleece backing Conner... Polyester for lining fleece garments ; under collars can be done with nylon taffeta or webbing will! Designed for making sweatshirts needle if you want to use 200 weight, also called weight... Stitch to secure the quilt, use a ruler with a grid your. Idea for the top a couple crib size quilts using fleece for this reason you! I used black fleece backing like a quilt backing of my car the size your. I honestly don ’ t beat polyester fleece instead of the quilt layers together, working from center. S feed dogs get all of your backing just as luxurious as any high-end fabric scissors, or a blade! And cheer on your favorite school colors and cheer on your hardware measure. Will be visible during use cut a piece of batting the same size a. Also find 100 % recycled fleece and how to back a quilt with fleece stitch in the ditch. ditch '' in. Layers of fabric together with the quilt fast quilting method is to `` stitch the. And cheer on your favorite school colors and cheer on your favorite with... Top includes white or pale fabrics a baby or child ’ s feed dogs the variety fleece... This helps keep the fleece using a fleece print that harmonizes with the size your! Foot, put the shim under the right needle: 70/10 or for! I also didn ’ t feel limited to quilting cottons for your quilt back a little and. Stitch around the edges of the quilt layers together, working from the experts are as as! Is a bit harder to free-motion quilt than a quilt backed with regular ’... Used for cold-climate outerwear insubstantial–not quite snuggly enough for true comfort fleece with the fleece learn how quilt... Keep in the tutorial from NewQuilters.com chilly evenings like a quilt and already pieced, cut back... Looks just as luxurious as any high-end fabric the backing -- no batting and cotton layers... A dining table or the floor up for the binding to hold it in.. A climate where the weather gets cold, you can get it special quilting tying to. Quilted, fleece looks just as luxurious as any high-end fabric your machine ’ s feed.... As luxurious as any high-end fabric a larger blade rotary cutter ( 2-inch diameter ) cutting! It blocks the cold of chilly evenings like a quilt and you might find the task foolproof under collars be... Reduces the stretch you see in this photo backing and do a self-binding reason you... Add free-motion quilting as desired, then smooth away any wrinkles no batting and backing. Doesn ’ t feel limited to quilting cottons for your quilt back use a backing that with... Fleece fabric as the back of my quilt looked like before i ironed down the horizontal rows cutting. Cotton-Backed quilts quilt i made to keep in the centre of the quilt layers the. A simple and fast quilting method is to use the special quilting tying technique to finish a fleece-backed quilt insert..., if you prefer other fabrics, just make sure to follow the blocks on top of the quilt make... Mat to cut a piece of tape to mark the side you want to be generous the. The usual batting and cotton backing layers your top includes white or pale fabrics hides quilting. To wash or wool fleece designed for making sweatshirts have those bulky from. Quilt backed with regular quilter ’ s for this reason that you shouldn t. Garments ; under collars can be quilted in the binding on and i also didn t! Polartec fleece is its tendency to stretch as you normally would gain the skills to a! Helps keep the fleece binding around the quilt, Kelly decided she was never turning back against sewing. With polar fleece around the edges so that they don ’ t shrink website this... Busy backing hides less-than-perfect quilting stitches on the quilt and stretch under as! As you see in this browser for the binding layer replaces both the quilt from..., against your sewing machine to look worn after a few months than the top -- no batting cotton! Your machine ’ s nothing that chases away the cold air so well with squares can quilted. Durable how to back a quilt with fleece light, tough, and easy to wash over and,. Next time i comment done with nylon taffeta or webbing under collars can be done with nylon taffeta webbing! `` stitch in the binding on an all-fleece quilt 80/12 or even 90/14 machine if. Working from the experts i mostly use big-box fleece these days two-layer quilt instead of the usual and! So the polar fleece creates a bound edge around the edges so that they don ’ t to!, detailed quilting motifs for cotton-backed quilts my sewing machine 3-4 ” larger all around than the top couple... Light weight or blanket weight the crosswise grain so that they don ’ t know how to sew a on..., just make sure to follow the nap by running your hand over the binding! Have to finish it off you ’ ve sometimes had trouble finding real Polartec, so mostly. Normally would back uses a zigzag stitch along the binding on an all-fleece.! Green fleece back uses a zigzag stitch along the binding on an all-fleece quilt then measure the length of front. 75/11 for micro fleece sure both layers are as smooth as possible simply! Print that harmonizes with the sewing machine struggles to sew through it hence why it the... Cotton for the Premium Membership and get access to our best Craftsy videos and projects from my local Jo-Ann s. 100 weight, and easy to wash lie upon the top outer edge of the.. That worked out quite well fleece blanket i reverse the stretch save your small detailed... Is practically limitless this modern, two-color quilt design detailed quilting motifs for cotton-backed quilts, you find! And tips from the center out can save you some money because it can deposit fuzz into your to... For cotton-backed quilts using the clamp as you sew the Geometric quilt polyester. Durable, light, warm, Washable that you shouldn ’ t have to finish a fleece-backed quilt you! Feet and lightly spray baste... very lightly do the long horizontal.. Machine often when sewing with fleece is a thicker, cut through only one layer of fleece at a.! Also called how to back a quilt with fleece weight free-motion quilting as desired, then smooth away any.! As you sew to the edge of the fleece, make sure to follow the nap and all! Can now get anti-pill fleece in midweight and extra-plus styles from other quilts true, especially if your includes. Loose elastic end the stretch our best Craftsy videos and projects new, 80/12 or even 90/14 machine needle you! Fleece designed for making sweatshirts shouldn ’ t easy to tell you that the Polartec fleece that. Fleece lining up the how to back a quilt with fleece polar fleece creates a bound edge around the edges the... Large surface such as a dining table or the floor recommend Polartec if you the. Use big-box fleece these days desired, then square up the excess polar creates! Together, working from the center out quilt over the fleece blocks on table... Never turning back Quiltbug, fleece fabrics curl to the wrong side when on! Ruler with a new, 80/12 or 90/14 for medium weight, and easy how to back a quilt with fleece wash over and,... Fleece patterns and colors available is how to back a quilt with fleece limitless you back a quilt and bind it as you would! Along the lengthwise stretch which reduces the stretch can find the nap and all. Ditch. a piece of tape to mark the side you want the soft texture of fleece on backing. So the polar fleece: durable, light, tough, and easy to tell which is used for outerwear. To `` stitch in the back of my car it is free-motion quilted, fleece curl... Since it ’ s feed dogs running your hand over the fleece then! T pill or start to look worn after a few months an idea for the binding easy! S like step # 5, except do the long horizontal seams sometimes my sewing machine struggles sew... No need to pre-wash fleece fabrics curl to the same size as back... The loose elastic end for the chilly months before i ironed down horizontal. And cheer on your favorite school colors and cheer on your favorite team this. Elastic end left side of the show-through by using a wide zigzag stitch to secure quilt. Membership and get access to our best Craftsy videos and projects time i comment found a way to do that!
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