March 15, 2024

Tale as old as time…You’ve finished a new quilt top. It’s beautiful. It’s elegant. But—truth be told—you’re all pieced out! You're eager to finish this project quickly and easily.

May we suggest wide quilt backing?

Wide backing fabric saves time, effort, and money. No seams. No pattern matching. No wrangling unwieldy yards that must be pieced together. Just inches and inches (and inches) of uninterrupted fabric, ready to back your quilt in one fell swoop.

Our new QuiltTown 110" wide backing fabric by Missouri Star Quilt Co is a dream come true. Traditional wide quilt backing is 108" wide, but we’ve added a couple extra inches to give you a little wiggle room.

Standard fabric yardage is 44"/45" wide. Of course, that’s not wide enough for anything but the smallest quilts. So for generations, quilters have pieced quilt backs with one long seam—a process that can feel cumbersome and time consuming.

Wide quilt backing eliminates the need for pieced quilt backs. You can buy less yardage, do less cutting, and get right to the fun of finishing that quilt.

110" backings are smart money savers, though the per-yard price is higher than 44"/45" yardage.

Let’s run the numbers on Natalie’s 80x95 Prism Path quilt:

Back it with a 44"/45" fabric, and you’ll need 8 ¾ yards. At $8 a yard, you’ll spend $70.

Use a 110" wide back, and you’ll only need 2 ½ yards. At $20 a yard, that’s just $50—and you won’t have to stitch a single seam.*

* Dollar amounts used are for informational purposes only. Actual cost may vary.

Not sure how to calculate and cut wide backing fabric? We’ve got expert tips to guide each snip!

Download our FREE Cheat Sheet for Calculating Quilt Backing to learn how to get a perfect fit each and every time. (Bonus: This guide includes tips for calculating pieced quilt backs, too!)

110" wide quilt fabric is perfectly suited to back large quilts, but that’s not all it can do. Whenever you need A LOT of yardage, wide backing fabric is ready to help!

Dress your table with a quick and easy tablecloth. Try your hand at whole cloth quilting. Use those extra inches to make a Self-Binding Quilt. 

Use wide backing fabric to make quick and easy curtains. Create beautiful custom curtains with sleek, metal grommets. (Try our Wide-Striped Curtains for an elegant, two-color look.)

Piecing a quilt top is a lot of fun; finishing that quilt is a triumph. As true fabric lovers, we treasure all yardage. But for ease, value, and convenience, wide backs just can’t be beat.

Take a peek at our ever-expanding collection of extra wide quilt backing, and find the perfect fit for your quilt.

Published by Danae M.