Tuesday, June 28, 2011

What Fabric?

Chris gave me a wonderful compliment when my sampler quilt, Letters From Home, arrived at her house for quilting. "I've gotta hand it to ya," she said, "You didn't drop the ball on the back." I used a Kaffe Fassett fabric for the back, and included a cat emoticon. I've never forgotten what Chris said, and I try to find the perfect fabrics for the backs of all my quilts. Here is the fabric I have chosen for the Black Rules:
I like to use large prints on the backs of my quilts. The back of a quilt is a big area, and if you use a small scale print, it just looks... boring. I like BIG prints. I simply adore a lot of the Westminster fabrics, and the large Kaffe Fassetts, and Jane Sassaman, who designed this fabric.

Yeah, I know these colors are not quite perfect for the quilt, but they match the feel of it, and it's my quilt, so I can break the rules if I want to! I had to piece two lengths together to get the backing wide enough (the quilt is 50" wide, and the backing has to be 12"bigger...) Fortunately the repeat wasn't big, and I was able to match the pattern with no loss. Woo hoo!

The quilt is flying to Chris in Tennessee today for quilting. I can't wait to see what she does with it!

7 comments:

lindaroo said...

I LOVE the Jack-in-the-Pulpit print with the No Rules quilt! It's perfect!

Clare said...

Very William Morris'y and goes very well with the quilt.

Helen said...

I have an old (as in I've known her for ages, not that she is old! LOL) friend who is a painter and she told me once that the back of the canvas, how you sign it and how neat it is, that is just as important as the front. I've always remembered that and tried to apply it to my quilts, as you do. :)

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh! You did it again! What an amazing, stunning fabric! LOVE it!

I should have it tomorrow, I am so excited!

Quiltdivajulie said...

I've loved gorgeous quilt backs from day one.

I'll never forget the LQS owner who asked me, with a look of near-horror, WHY I was using expensive quilt fabric for the back of my first batik quilt (GO FIGURE - her loss all around).

YOU get it!

Em said...

I was giggling as I looked closer at the fabric because I thought they were forks at first...he he he! Love the quilt. The anticipation is so fun when waiting for a quilt to be returned from the quilter!!! I remember the feeling when Green Fairy still accepted quilts from me.

Motor Home Cats said...

That fabric is beautiful, and it's only fitting that you "break the rules" on a quilt that has a saying about breaking the rules.

Tara