I am no stranger to pieced quilt backs. I find that they’re a great way to use up yardage, fat quarters, and orphan blocks. After I had completed the top to my second Plaid-ish quilt, however, I knew something a little more special than my usual pieced back was called for.
The front of this Plaid-ish is busy. (See what I mean here. I tried to count how many different prints it showcases but gave up once I hit 50!) The back, then, merited something simpler—a creation that was would complement, and not compete with, the top.
For this task, I turned to Kelly Young’s most recent book: Perfectly Pieced Quilt Tops.* You may already know Kelly from her blog, My Quilt Infatuation, and her previous two books, both of which feature patterns and techniques for improv quilting. Perfectly Pieced Quilt Tops is something altogether different. It offers instructions for 30 different quilt backs, and its designs run the gamut from those that bust through tiny scraps to those that incorporate large cuts of yardage—and everything in between.
Because I had so many smaller bits leftover from piecing Plaid-ish, I chose to follow the instructions for Every Little Bit, a design that creates a vertical swath of improvisationally pieced fabrics. Every Little Bit took more time than my usual quilt back, but it wasn’t a big time commitment, either. I chose to sew my column of improv slowly over a week when I needed breaks from all the computer work I had to do. In the end, I can say I enjoyed the process and am in love with the results.
Even though I am a seasoned quilt-back piecer, there is a place for Perfectly Pieced Quilt Tops in my library. I may not need its inspiration tomorrow or next week or next month, but I am glad to have it at the ready for those times when I feel stuck with the quilt back at hand.
And there’s a lot to like about this book. I’m a fan of how the patterns are organized, separating the designs that require small scraps from those that reply on larger cuts of yardage. I also like how each of the 30 designs is accompanied by instructions for three different sizes: lap, twin XL, and queen. The next quilt I make may not fall neatly into one of those categories, but the fabric requirements and sewing instructions provide a good place for me to start.
If you’re new to quilting, this book will check off even more boxes. Kelly makes a good point that these backs themselves are interesting and engaging enough to serve as a quilt top, and she supplements her pattern collection with basic information about building a quilt sandwich and finishing your beauty.
I have to share one more important point: The book comes with patterns for the 18 quilt *tops* peppered throughout its photographs. These patterns are all for lap-size quilts and are downloadable (they’re not contained in the book). In my mind, this is not a bonus—it’s a whole other book!
Perfectly Pieced Quilt Tops is available at all the standard book retailers. For a signed copy, go to Kelly’s Etsy shop.
To see what I made from Kelly’s first two books, visit this post and this post.
A small army of bloggers have created something from Kelly’s book. Check out their perfectly pieced backs ...
* I’ve been reading My Quilt Infatuation for 10 years. I checked out this book because I think Kelly is a talented quilter and designer, and because I enjoyed her previous two books. I will not profit from any purchases of her book made from this post, and this review is my own opinion.
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Great quilt back solution to a wonderfully scrappy top, Michelle!!! Kelly's book has something for everyone! Or maybe I should say, a quilt back for every quilt!
ReplyDeleteI love your quilt (and back!!) so much, Michelle! thank you for helping me with the book launch!
ReplyDelete:) Kelly
I think the backing is the perfect compliment to the quilt top. A bit more minimally stated but a great way to use up the scraps and create interest on the back. Kelly has done a beautiful job with this book!
ReplyDeleteEvery little bit is the perfect back for your quilt! Love it!
ReplyDeleteI love your quilt, and the back, too. I love that every piece of the fabric gets used. The little tiny pieces cost just as much as the big pieces! This looks like a great book-- I'll have to check it out. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteLove the backing you picked to make. It seems a fabulous book and I can't wait for mine to arrive.
ReplyDeleteI’m a big fan of pieced backs and like yours so much paired with the plaidish front—truly a fun two-sided quilt.
ReplyDeletePretty pieced backing, I love it!
ReplyDeletePerfect pieced backing choice for this quilt, Michelle, and I agree with you -- those 18 bonus lap quilt patterns in Kelly's book would have made for a whole separate book worth paying for!
ReplyDelete