Northcott Stonehenge 108" Wideback Fabric
Northcott Stonehenge is the industry-standard quilting cotton backing fabric — the mottled, granite-like texture that coordinates beautifully with virtually any quilt top. At 108" wide, a single yard of Stonehenge wideback covers the full width of a queen quilt back with minimal or no seaming, making it the choice of longarm studios and customers who want the cleanest, most professional-looking backing possible. The same texture in piecing width is covered in the Stonehenge 45" guide; the tonal alternative is Moda Grunge 108" and the true-solid option is Bella Solids 108".
Stonehenge Collections Available
Linda's carries Stonehenge wideback in multiple collections and colourways:
- Stonehenge Surfaces — the classic mottled granite-look in solids (White Snow Crackle, Natural Cream, Natural Brown, Cool Grey, Slate Ombre, and many more)
- Stonehenge Multi Mixers — variegated multi-colour versions (Blue Lagoon, Brown Oxidized Earth, Multi Pastel, Blue Calypso, Purple Night Shade, Grey Mountain Mist)
- Stonehenge Basics / Bliss — tonal blends with subtle texture (Blue Twilight Bliss)
Why 108" Wideback?
Standard 44" quilting cotton requires piecing a quilt back — either two lengths sewn side by side with a seam running down the centre, or three widths for king quilts. A 108" wideback eliminates centre seams entirely for queen quilts and minimises seaming for kings. For longarm studios doing production work, wideback fabric reduces preparation time, waste, and the chance of backing tension issues caused by backing seams.
How to Buy
All Northcott Stonehenge wideback is sold by the yard at 108" wide. Order as many yards as your quilt back requires, typically quilt length plus 8–12" for longarm leader loading.
Shop All Northcott Stonehenge Wideback
Frequently Asked Questions
How many yards of 108" wideback does my quilt need?
Quilt length plus 8–12 inches for longarm loading, divided by 36 — a 96"-long queen needs about 3 yards. The 108" width covers quilts up to roughly 100" wide with no piecing at all.
Why do longarm quilters prefer Stonehenge backs?
The mottled texture hides minor tension variation and needle events that a flat solid would broadcast, loads square, and coordinates with essentially any top — which is why it's the default recommendation when a customer says 'you pick the backing.'
Should I prewash wideback fabric?
For longarm work, most studios load widebacks unwashed — the sizing helps the fabric stay square on the frame, and quality quilting cottons like Stonehenge shrink uniformly with the top in the first wash, producing the classic gentle crinkle.
