(Quilt) back to normal

I'm not a massive fan of Christmas - it's OK but I quickly get fed up with too much food, too much TV and too much stuff ( on sofas, on the stairs, on the kitchen table) so one of my favourite things about Christmas is getting back to normal. OK I know that's really sad - but it's how I am. One of the things I like best is cooking up the leftovers in a variety of ingenious dishes (chicken and ham pie and sprouts today!). I like the fact that I haven't got to go shopping and also that I haven't got to spend money on food after some pretty big Christmas shops. So it's all things frugal - and I like that.

Following on from my post Christmas parsimony I am going to talk about quilt backs today as it seems to fit with my less is more mood. Choosing a quilt back is one of my favourite bits of quilting. I like to choose something that goes with the front but looks good in its own right. The one above is from the shades of black collection by Me and My Sister for Moda. This was an extravagant purchase ( £12 or £13 a metre I think) as I needed 4 metres. It's funny how quilt backs make you realise how much fabric costs because you have to buy a large quantity in one go.

However I often choose something much more economical for a quilt back to limit the overall cost. I usually  use a shop in Southampton called Fabric Land. This sells really economical cottons. Lots are very bright patterns, but if you look carefully there are several small patterns that are perfect for backing quilts.The cotton is quite lightweight, but I am not expecting this quilt to be washed much so I don't need it to be tough. The fabric above which is tiny maroon leaves on a taupe background was priced at £3.69 a metre. I did the same for the quilt pictured below too.

It's just a simple red and white dot - another bargain at £3.69! But it's a perfect foil to the very busy front. The dotty pattern also hides a multitude of sins in the quilting.

I know some quilters like to use a big statement pattern on the back of their quilts as it can be the only opportunity to use some of the lovely large scale patterns such as the floral fabrics by Philip Jacobs. The closest I got to this was the back of my first quilt below.

As you can see, I chose a bold and very complex design of water lilies, and though I love the fabric in its own right it really doesn't work as a quilt back.

So I guess you live and learn. I'm making the most of the slightly quieter time at work between Christmas and New Year, fitting in some more quilting - so lots to show you over the next few weeks.