What This Fabric Is
The Blue Navy Bandana Wideback Cotton Fabric, sold by the yard at Linda's Electric Quilters, is a 108-inch-wide, 100% cotton fabric made by Windham Fabrics. Its bandana-inspired design brings a classic paisley-style pattern and a deep navy colour to an extra-wide format, so the back of a quilt can carry real character instead of disappearing as an afterthought.
That combination is useful. Navy is a strong, forgiving ground that pairs well with red-and-white tops, denim-look quilts, patriotic projects, vintage-style piecing, and scrappy tops. A bandana print also looks intentional when a quilt is folded back or draped over a sofa. The product notes point to uses beyond backing, including curtain panels, tablecloths, and bedspreads, and note its soft texture can suit clothing such as skirts and shirts.
How Much Backing Do You Really Need? Top Plus 8 Inches
Start with the standard rule: your backing should measure your quilt top plus 8 inches in both directions — 4 extra inches on every side. That overhang gives a longarm quilter room to load, pin, and clamp the layers, and gives a home quilter room to baste securely and quilt to the edges while the layers shift slightly under the needle.
Then do the math for this 108-inch width. A throw top at 60 by 72 inches needs a 68 by 80 inch backing, which fits easily in one panel. A queen top at 90 by 96 inches needs a 98 by 104 inch backing: the 98-inch side fits within the 108-inch width, and you would order enough length to cover 104 inches. Divide 104 by 36 and round up, and that is 3 yards. The real advantage is what you avoid — piecing standard-width fabric together, matching a print across a centre seam, and hoping that seam stays straight on the frame. With a wideback, check that your narrower backing dimension fits the usable width, order length for the longer dimension, and you have one seamless panel.
Cotton, Minky, or Flannel? Choosing the Right Feel
Cotton is the stable, breathable default. It presses crisply, does not stretch, feeds evenly, and shows quilting stitches clearly — all helpful when a patterned backing will be seen up close. Minky is a plush polyester: wonderfully soft and warm, but it has stretch and pile, so it needs gentler handling and more pinning. Flannel is brushed cotton, warmer than plain quilting cotton and good at gripping batting, but it can shrink more and adds bulk in the seams. Choose this navy cotton wideback when you want a crisp, durable, easy-to-handle back with a classic look, minky when cuddliness is the whole point, and flannel when extra warmth matters most.
Working Tips: Pressing the Fold, Prewashing, and Longarm Loading
Pressing the fold: Widebacks arrive folded, and that centre crease can be stubborn. Unfold the fabric promptly, press from the wrong side in sections, and let it hang overnight if a fold line still shadows through. A busy bandana print is forgiving here — a faint remaining line is far less visible than it would be on a solid.
Prewashing: Decide before you cut. If you prewash the backing, prewash any unwashed fabrics in the top the same way so shrinkage stays consistent. A deep navy is also a good candidate for a colour catcher on the first wash. Dry, press, and then re-check your top-plus-8 measurements before trimming.
Longarm loading: Load with even tension — snug, not stretched — keep the grain straight, and confirm your 4-inch overhang stays even on all four sides. Check the direction of the bandana motif before you start, too, so the pattern runs the way you intend on the finished quilt.
Care
For the finished quilt, wash in cold water on a gentle cycle and tumble dry low or line dry. That gentle routine helps protect the quilting stitches and keeps the deep navy looking rich, so the back stays as handsome as the front for years of use.
Shop the Blue Navy Bandana Wideback Cotton Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
