Can I combine a pieced cotton top with a fleece backing?

[Robin G.]

I am making a baby quilt for my yet-to-be-born granddaughter (first one, due in Sept.). I have a lovely collection of pink and green cottons that match the paint chips for "Charlotte's" room. However, today I spotted a wonderful piece of fleece - PINK CHICAGO CUBS LOGOS. My son and his wife are avid Cubs fans and I think it would be great to combine sweet little-girl stuff with sports passion on the back.
What are the potential problems that I might have combining the cotton with the fleece? I will not use a batting. Any and all suggestions are welcome, including what thread I should use.
Thanks.

[Robin G.]

Sure, I do it all the time, especially for kids quilts.

I usually use a piece of flannel for batting so it won't be so thick. But I've done it without batting also. Your stitches can get lost in the fleece so you might want to lengthen your stitch. Machine quilting right? I wouldn't try hand quilting with this.

You're binding can be a problem also. You can make a wider binding, to help with the thickness, you can fold the fleece backing over to the front and not use a separate batting, or once I put that wide satiny baby binding on with a zigzig stitch, fast!! and looked great!! :-) )

[Keith D.]

Fleece probably slides better than flannel, huh? The flannel back on one of my quilts doesn't slide at all and that really surprised me. I think it was both a weight and a surface thing. On a small quilt, the slide factor might not matter that much though. Have fun!

[Keith D.]

I recently made a purse using cotton for the exterior and lining, with flannel in between to give it some weight. I used a featherweight fusible interfacing to attach the flannel interlining. It is not stiff at all. So, I think you could use a featherweight fusible to prevent slippage and sliding, when that's a problem.

[Keith D.]

I am late to this party. But I have used fleece for backing for lap quilts...the quilts don't slide off the lap.

I have never had a problem using fleece as a backing.

FW

[Betty D.]

I often use fleece for the backing on quilts. I don't use any batting, but do use binding. The weight is great for lap robes! Betty D

[Keith D.]

Opps! My bad, sorry. ops: I had just been quilting and it was on my mind...

While quilting the project, the flannel back did not let the quilt slide well on my table surface. The sandwich stayed together and didn't get distorted, but I had more trouble moving the quilt through and around my machine.

I was hoping that fleece would slide better on top of Robin's table while she was quilting it than the flannel did for me.

[Keith D.]

Oh dear! ops: And I assumed her top was pieced and the fleece was for the back...

I don't have a clue about piecing fleece or anything else with cotton.

Maybe I'll just go back to lurking again for a while...

[Keith D.]

Binky's! I call that style of blanket a binky....cotton or flannel on the top and fleece on the back. They go over well with any age. I usually tie them with fun pearl cottons or ribbons.
An idea for the binding is to use fleece strips. Since fleece doesn't unravel or fray, all you need to do is pin the binding (single layer) on in one step (front and back pinned through together) and sew through.
Makes for a nice soft binding.

[Keith D.]

Large quilting stitches so if you have to take out--but they don't show on the fleece that much and it is a baby quilt so I wouldn't worry about taking out. The only thing that might give you fits is stretching but I use the spray adhesive and then really don't have too much trouble with that--especially if I use a walking foot. I don't use any batting or flannel in-between.

[Robin G.]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm going to go out tomorrow and buy the fleece fabric. Even if I end up not using it to back the quilt, I can always make one of those fleece blankets, where you just fringe the edges and knot the fringes together. A first grandchild can't have too many blankets, right?
I will definitely use basting spray and I have a Super Slider, so that may make quilting a little easier.
Maybe the pieced one will be for "good" occasions and the fleece one for spitting up on, etc.

[Keith D.]

The fleece was for the back, huh? I get confused so easily these days... :?

[Robin G.]

Another thought just occurred to me - can I use an iron-on fusible interfacing to keep the fleece from stretching?
Robin

[Robin G.]

I have decided to use flannel for the batting and backing, just one layer instead of two! The front is pieced, I was going to quilt it, but have spent 2+ hours trying to get the front on smoothly, seems ok, but when you turn it over the flannel has bumps in it. It grips the top so will be good when you quilt, but it has to be smooth beforehand! HELP!!! plus, would it be better to tie rather than quilt, will it not ruffle underneath even with a walking foot????? Always seems a good idea until you start these things. :?
Lynn in very warm and wet UK

[Robin G.]

Based on all the suggestions I got from TQS members and a little experimenting on my own, I decided to give up on the idea of backing a regular quilt with fleece. The problems were many and, frankly, my frustration level was just getting too high! The quilt is done, with cotton all around. The compromise was that I made a fleece blanket that turned out just fine (the no-sew, just tie knots kind).
I guess there are just some things that sound good in your hear but just can't work out well enough in practice. Another lesson learned.