Hey everyone! Today we're making a cozy lap quilt, and I'll show you how a bold wideback backing can turn the back of your quilt into a second finished side.
Here we go.
Meet the fabric
This is the Backings No.5 Bold Cotton Wideback Fabric - 3 yard bundle from Northcott.
It's from the Backings No. 5 collection. It was designed by Anna Maria Parry for Northcott.
It's 100% cotton, a high-density base cloth at 145 g/m², with a silky-smooth hand feel and really nice draping.
The width is 108 inches. That's a true wideback width, folks.
And this one comes as a 3-yard bundle, so you get a big, generous piece to work with.
The style listed for this one is Bold, a flowing multi-colored stripe with painterly textures and vibrant movement.
So this is not a quiet, hide-it-on-the-back fabric. The whole idea is that the reverse side is a second canvas. Flip this quilt over, and it still looks finished. Just like that.
The project: a lap quilt with a second-canvas back
We're making a lap quilt that finishes at 48" by 60".
That's a good couch size. Good for a lap, and good for a kid dragging a favorite quilt from room to room.
You can piece the top any way you like. Simple squares, big strips, or a panel with a border all work. We're not reinventing the wheel here.
Why does this fabric suit it? A lap quilt gets flipped and folded more than almost any other quilt. People will see the back. A lot.
That 108" width matters, too. For a 48" by 60" top, you want your backing about 4" to 8" bigger on every side for quilting. Call it 56" by 68" to be safe. One cut from this bundle covers that easily, with no pieced seam in the backing.
No seam means no extra bulk, and it loads smoothly for domestic quilting or longarm ruler work and freehand work.
Materials
- 1 bundle of Backings No.5 Bold — 3 yards at 108" wide, for the backing; you'll use about a 56" by 68" cut for this lap quilt and have plenty left over
- About 1 3/4 to 2 yards total of fabric for the pieced top, cut to finish 48" by 60" before quilting
- Cotton batting, cut about 56" by 68", same as your backing cut
- About 1/2 yard for binding — enough 2 1/2" strips for all four sides
- Thread to blend with your top, and one you like against the bold stripe for quilting
- Rotary cutter, ruler, and mat, plus pins or clips and an iron
Brief steps
One. Piece your top to 48" by 60". Press your seams well. Flat seams will quilt so much easier, y'all.
Two. Cut your Backings No.5 backing to about 56" by 68". Before you cut, look at that flowing stripe. Decide which direction you want it to run. Lengthwise is classic. Crosswise is completely up to you.
Three. Layer the backing right side down, then the batting, then the top right side up. Smooth from the center out. Pin, clip, or spray baste, whatever you prefer.
Four. Quilt it. A simple meander or echo quilting looks really really good over a busy top, and it won't fight that painterly stripe on the back. Use a size 80/12 needle and a 2.5 mm stitch length, about 10 stitches per inch. Slow down on thick seam crossings. Slow down or the needle snaps, and nobody wants that.
Five. Trim the backing and batting even with the top. Then bind with your 2 1/2" strips, using a 1/4" seam allowance.
Full honesty. My first wideback quilt, I didn't square the backing first. One corner drifted, and I had to add a little patch. It still kept somebody warm. It doesn't have to be perfect, folks. You're your own worst critic. Take your time. It's not a race. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Practical tips
Press the wideback before you cut it. A piece this big can hold a fold crease, and a good press saves a headache later.
Check the stripe direction twice, cut once. I still say it out loud every time.
If you're quilting on a domestic machine, roll the sides instead of bunching them. This cotton drapes well, so let it flow. Don't fight it.
Save your leftover backing, too. That extra is perfect for a second small backing, or for bold binding strips. Super duper fun, and nothing goes to waste.
Alrighty. Thanks so much for sewing along with me today. I hope your lap quilt gets flipped over often, because that back deserves to be seen. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Backings No.5 Bold Cotton Wideback Fabric - 3 yard bundle at Linda's Electric Quilters.
