Photo of folded and stacked polar fleece fabric
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Back Your Quilts with Polar Fleece: Durable, Light, Warm, Washable

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If you live in a climate where the weather gets cold, you can’t beat polyester fleece as a quilt backing. Fleece is soft, light, warm, and washes and dries well.

Where I live in Northern California, the nights are chilly almost all year round, so I back almost all my quilts with polar fleece fabric instead of the traditional batting and backing layers. There’s nothing that chases away the cold of chilly evenings like a quilt backed with fleece. In fact, I find cotton or bamboo batting a little thin and insubstantial–not quite snuggly enough for true comfort.

Fleece — a Less Expensive Choice

Quilting with fleece can save you some money because it allows you to make a two-layer quilt instead of the traditional three-layer one. The fleece layer replaces both the batting (wadding) and backing layers. Fleece also comes in wider widths than the standard quilter’s cotton most often used for backings, so it’s often possible to back your quilt without having to piece the fleece backing to make it wider. (You can also avoid having to piece your backing fabric by choosing the increasingly-popular 108″-wide quilter’s cotton fabrics designed for backings, though.) The variety of fleece patterns and colors available is practically limitless.

Here’s a rag quilt I made last year that is backed with solid white fleece:

Photo of quilt with fleece backing
Photo of baby quilt with polar fleece backing

And a baby quilt backed with blue fleece in a starburst pattern:

Photo of chinese coins quilt with polar fleece backing

And a Chinese Coins quilt backed with polyester fleece in a chrysanthemum print: 

Five More Advantages of Fleece 

Comfort is even more important than cost to me when I make quilts. Fleece backings have some advantages there as well. Because most fleece fabric is made from polyester, it is (1) warm, even when wet, (2) water-resistant, (3) doesn’t fray at the edges when cut, (4) doesn’t shrink when washed, and (5) comes in a huge variety of different finishes, colors and prints. If you want to make a quilt that involves a commercial character like Winnie the Pooh or Dora the Explorer, you can probably find a fleece print that features the character you want.

Fleece is durable enough to wash over and over, which makes it perfect for a baby or child’s quilt.

Choosing the Perfect Weight for Quilting

Fleece comes in three weights:

  • 100 weight, also called light weight or micro fleece.
  • 200 weight, also called medium weight or blanket weight.
  • 300 weight, also called heavy weight, which is used for cold-climate outerwear.

I like to use 200 weight fleece for my quilts. 100 weight micro fleece is extremely stretchy, so much so that it is hard to avoid wrinkling when you quilt with it, and 300 weight fleece is quite thick and bulky. Sometimes my sewing machine struggles to sew through it.

Does Quality Count?

I’ve quilted with cheap fleece (the kind you can get at big-box fabric stores), and I’ve quilted with the real deal, Polartec fleece made by Malden Mills, which you will probably have to buy online. And I am here to tell you that the Polartec fleece is definitely better. It holds up better when you wash it. It doesn’t pill or start to look worn after a few months. It’s just better.

However, I’ve sometimes had trouble finding real Polartec, so I mostly use big-box fleece these days. Update: I am happy to report that the quality of what’s available there is much better than it was a few years ago. You can now get anti-pill fleece in midweight and extra-plus styles. You can also find 100% recycled fleece and even cotton or wool fleece designed for making sweatshirts. I still recommend Polartec if you can get it.

Dealing with Stretchiness

The biggest challenge in quilting with fleece is its tendency to stretch as you work with it. Here’s how to get the best results:

  • Set your machine to a longer stitch of 7-9 stitches per inch (3-3.5 mm).
  • Use a walking foot.
  • Choose the right needle: 70/10 or 75/11 for micro fleece, 80/12 or 90/14 for medium weight, and 100/16 for heavy weight. Use a universal, ballpoint or stretch needle.

Other Handling Factors

  • Don’t bleach or use fabric softener or dryer sheets when you wash fleece.
  • Never iron fleece with the iron set above the polyester setting – it will melt.
  • I have found that fleece is a bit harder to free-motion quilt than a quilt backed with regular quilter’s cotton. It drags more on the bed of your sewing machine. You can still do free-motion quilting on a fleece-backed quilt, but I have found that it’s easier when you use motifs that are fairly large and free-form, like a loose stipple or free-form leaves. Save your small, detailed quilting motifs for cotton-backed quilts.
  • Blog reader Betty C pointed out that the colors on the backing fleece can ghost through the fabric on the quilt top. This is true, especially if your top includes white or pale fabrics. I try to take advantage of the show-through by using a fleece print that harmonizes with the colors on the front. Another fun design challenge!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Backing a Quilt with Fleece 

  1. Find the right side of the fleece. Often it isn’t easy to tell which is the right side and which is the wrong side. Here’s a tip: fleece curls to the right side on its lengthwise grain (parallel to the selvages), and to the wrong side on its crosswise grain (perpendicular to the selvages). Use a piece of tape to mark the side you want to have showing.
  2. If the fleece isn’t wide enough to back the whole quilt, piece it to make it at least 2 inches (5 cm) larger than the quilt top on all sides.
  3. Baste the two quilt layers together. I used to pin baste, but I’ve converted to spray basting because it is so much faster and easier. (Although basting spray does have a nasty smell, and overspray can make your work surface sticky.)
  4. Prepare for basting by putting the fleece right side down on a large flat surface like a bed, dining table, or clean floor.
  5. Lay the quilt top right side up on top of the fleece, then smooth away any wrinkles. Baste with your favorite method.
  6. Stitch in the ditch to secure the quilt layers together, working from the center out. Sew with the fleece side down, against your sewing machine’s feed dogs. This helps keep the fleece’s bulk and stretch under control as you sew.
  7. Add free-motion quilting as desired, then square up the quilt and bind it as you normally would.

If you are bothered by jammed threads or uneven stitches, you may want to try putting a shim under your presser foot. Fold a piece of lightweight cardboard or heavyweight fabric like denim or twill until it is as thick as the layers of fabric in your quilt. With the quilt layers under the left side of the presser foot, put the shim under the right side. This can help the presser foot stay balanced.

Save Those Fleece Scraps

If you’re the kind of quilter who hates to throw away scraps, you can piece together smaller pieces of fleece to make them large enough to use for your backing. This picture shows the back of a rag quilt I made to keep in the back of my car. (I’ll be the first to admit that it’s not the best-looking backing in the world, but since the main one using it was the dog, I thought it was good enough for its target audience.) This backing was entirely made from scraps left over from other quilts. Thrifty!

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Post originally published Nov. 18, 2011. Revised and updated April 25, 2017. Featured photo by See Things Differently, Flickr.com.

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65 Comments

  1. Hi Christine,
    I have often wondered what experienced quilters meant when they say using fleece either as batting or backing.
    Now I know, thanks to your article which is very enlightening especially for learner
    quilters like me. Here in Australia, we do have them as polar fleece but not sure what the weight would be.
    In the future I will try to make a quilt using polar fleece as backing.
    Thanks again. Cheers

  2. Love your tips, especially the info about the fleece backing. I had just thought to make myself a Tshirt throw for my recliner using fleece for the backing. I plan to sew my Tshirt parts randomly onto the fleece. Another benefit of the fleece, you can find pre-made light fleece throws at bargain prices right now (Christmas) in varying sizes, some patterned and some solid colors. I purchased one at Kroger Grocery for $8 and some were available for $5 and I think it will make a great throw while I sit back with the memories of my vacation trips from the Tshirt parts on the top. I’ve never used fabric spray but may try that idea or I may just baste before the final sewing. Thank you for the information.

    1. Thanks for the thrifty suggestion, Caroline. I used to look for fleece blankets in good condition at our local thrift store, which sadly has closed down for good because of the pandemic. I have also bought blankets on sale at big box stores. As you point out, blankets are often a better deal than fleece yardage.

  3. I am using the extra fluffy fleece with cotton quilt top, no batting. I am going to tie the quilt. I sewed front to back wrong side out. Flipped it right side out. Now the two materials are clinging together. It took me two hours to get it smooth. I have used basting pins to hold until I tie the quilt. Now I am afraid to finish it for fear of when I was it will it lay flat or is it suing to be a clinging mess in-between where it is tied. Should I cut top quilt off bottom and start over?

    1. That’s a tough one, Patty. Without seeing your quilt as you have it basted, it’s hard to guess whether it will stick or not. I’d say that if you put a lot of work into the quilt and would be very distraught if it doesn’t turn out right, it makes sense to start over with a method that you feel more confident will work. If it’s a no-big-deal quilt, if it were me, I might go ahead and try this to see if it works.

  4. Hi Christine, I just wanted to thank you for your amazing tutorial! I’d also like to let you know about a DIY basting spray solution that worked well for me. I just finished my first fleece backed quilt, and it turned out beautifully! I used all Kaffe Fassett fabrics in rainbow colors, and made a strip and flip oversized lap quilt (the same size as the top of a queen mattress!). I wanted to use the 200 gram Polar Tech fleece you mentioned for the backing, but was unable to find it online for a reasonable price, so I ordered a Malden Mills Cal King sized Polar Tech fleece sheet set (say that three times fast!), planning to use the extra yardage for future projects. However, when it arrived, I discovered that the Polar Tech fleece used for their sheet sets must be the very stretchy lighter weight fleece you warned us about. Eeeek! Also adding to my worry was the fact that I am absolutely unable to use any of the commercial spray basting products because I have severe asthma and allergies (I can’t even go outdoors to use the sprays outside, either).

    That’s when I came upon a DIY basting spray solution, and it worked!!! I used a recipe found online: you boil 2 cups water with 1 tsp salt, and in a separate container, mix 1 cup water and 3 heaping Tablespoons of flour to form a smooth “slurry.” Once your salt water is boiling on the stove, you pour the flour and water slurry into the pot to combine everything, then continue to cook the mixture on a slow boil, stirring constantly until it forms a kind of gel (I just boiled this for a few minutes, until it thickened and coated the back of a spoon). Then you remove the mixture from the pot, allow to cool completely and then transfer into a large spray bottle using a funnel, then add 1 cup rubbing alcohol (or even vodka) to your bottle. Shake well before using, and throughout the spraying process. I had to prime the spray bottle with a few sprays into the sink, but it did spray eventually (though mine only sprayed out as a stream). I sprayed this on top of the wrong side of my fleece, and onto the wrong side of my quilt top and smoothed everything out, just as you would with regular basting spray. My fabrics were evenly wet/damp, but not completely soaking wet or dripping wet. Then I waited overnight til it was completely dry (supposedly ironing can speed up the drying process, but I REALLY didn’t want to disturb my quilt sandwich).

    The next morning, my quilt sandwich was dry, and the layers were stuck together! I probably could have pulled them apart if I’d really tried, but they felt secure, and just slightly stiffened, almost like a heavy starch. But because my fleece was EXTRA stretchy, and I’m also not an experienced quilter, I decided to go ahead and lightly pin baste with curved safety pins, just for some added security. I used a walking foot for machine quilting and for adding the binding, and had no puckering or wrinkling at all! The fleece and cotton combination quilted like a dream! I had no issues with my machine’s needles gunking up, no breaking threads, no flaking or residue in my machine, no issues with fabrics shifting/separating, or with my fleece stretching. I just wanted to share this, in case someone finds their fleece way too stretchy to work with, and can’t use (or can’t afford) the commercial basting sprays or those special fusible interfacings. The extra spray is being stored in the fridge for another project, but I plan to make another batch if it’s been stored for more than a week or two, since the mixture could possibly thicken up, or eventually mold, if left long enough. Also, because there is some flour in the DIY basting spray mixture, it’s very important to wash the quilt after finishing to avoid attracting critters in the future. But since I would be washing my quilt soon anyway, this wasn’t a problem I worried about at all! I’m typing this while sitting under my super soft and snuggly fleece backed quilt right now! I’ll wash it soon, I swear!

    Thank you for this tutorial! I couldn’t have made my quilt without you!

    1. What a terrific story! It sounds like the method the people in the Little House on the Prairie books would have used if they ever heard of basting spray. I’m so glad it worked for you.

  5. Gracias por este articulo tan interesante sobre el acolchado con polar, lo estaba planeando en una de mis colchas para clima frio, pero tenia muchas dudas, aquí contigo las he despejado, gracias

  6. Hi Christine,
    I am recently retired and learning to quilt.I purchased your book and have started a strip quilt. I am at the point of adding the edge trim strips but was confused about the instructions regarding sewing the corners and snipping them.
    The instructions say to sew” to the new edge ,stop 3/4 from edge , rotate 90 degrees and continue stitching on the new strip”. However in the photo it doesn’t appear to have been done that way. You also state the you clip the corners at an angle but I’m not sure exactly how to do that.
    I like your idea of enhancing the edges with xtra fabric strips. So would like to try it.

    Do you have any video Instructions on exactly how to do it.
    Thanks Ivette

    1. Hi Ivette,

      It’s exciting to hear that you’re making a rag quilt! Re your question, how I treat the corners when adding edge strips has evolved over time. If I remember right, the method I used when I was writing the book was more or less like the first diagram below. I laid the second set of edge strips right on top of the first set going around a corner, then sewed around the corner from the old set onto the new set. blank

      These days, I am more often cutting the ends of both sets of edge strips at a 45-degree angle so they but up against each other but don’t overlap. Then I sew around the corner on both strips, like the second diagram shows. blank

      Re snipping around the corners, when I get within an inch or so of the corner, I start angling my snips so that there isn’t a cut right at the corner. See below. blank

      I hope that helps.

      1. Hi Christine,
        Thank you so much for your quick response and illustrations . They are very helpful and I will try your suggestions .
        Sincerely,
        Ivette

  7. Just made a full fleece quilt today (with batting), turned out well, only did straight lines for the quilting, had to pull the fabric through a bit more even with my walking foot because it was so thick. Will be a nice warm quilt though! Finished it with self binding.

  8. HI I was wondering I don’t pre-wash my cotton fabric for the top of the quilt. Would that be a problem sine it will shrink and the fleece on the back doesn’t shrink.

    1. Hi Debbie, I have made fleece-backed quilts with prewashed fabric and with fabric that has never been washed, and it hasn’t been a problem at all. Washing changes the look of the cotton, but not in a way that looks like a mistake at all.

  9. Hi, Thanks for sharing your top-notch article. I think fleece fabric is the perfect choice if you’re looking for something durable, soft and ecologically friendly. Because it can be made in endless colors and imprinted with countless designs, fleece fabric is the perfect choice for the tiniest teddy-bear lover or the biggest NFL fanatic.

  10. Thank you for the tutorial…I am in the process of making a collage t-shirt quilt (just t-shirts no borders)…I didn’t want to use interfacing, but guess I’d better. I plan to sew all the top together. use polar fleece backing…..face to face sew the front pieced top and fleece tog on all sides leaving an opening to turn it right side out, hand stitch opening, then quilt in the ditch, and some hand quilting where needed. I have never used basting spray…..so if I use it, should I spray just the wrong side of top or bottom ….or both or not at all? Loved the idea color of thread and needle choices…it’s those little ideas that mean a lot!!

    1. Hmmm… this is the first time this question has come up. I think that if you’re going to sew the quilt pillowcase style, turning it right side out and then quilting afterwards, using basting spray would just cause a sticky mess: the side you’d need to baste will be on the outside until you’ve sewed around the outer edges of the quilt, and it would just stick to everything. So I wouldn’t recommend that.

      I guess what I would do is sew the front and back sides of the quilt together as you’ve suggested, turn the quilt right side out, press the whole thing to make it as smooth and flat as possible, and then use a few basting safety pins to hold it together while I stitch in the ditch along the lines between blocks. Thanks for your comment, Jimmie.

  11. Thanks for the information. I’ve been looking for how to use fleece for a quilt . I would suggest that you buy anti-pill fleece. Polartec sounds great.

  12. Since fleece is color on both sides it will shadow through the quilt top and make the top fabrics be a little off-color, if a person doesn’t mind that.

    1. That’s very true, Betty. Thanks for bringing it up — I think I will add that to the text of the blog post. The backing can especially show through when you have white fabric on the front. I try to take advantage of the show-through by making sure the print on the backing fabric harmonizes with whatever is on the quilt top. One of the kids’ quilts in A Beginner’s Guide to Quilting has pink-and-white polka dot backing that shows through the white squares on the front of the quilt in a way I really love.

  13. I’m wondering if you cut the fleece for the strips in the tag quilt and sewed the layers together like normal or did you make a rag top and see it to a fleece backing?

    1. Hi Tina, the quilt I think you’re asking about is a rag quilt, so it’s made differently from a standard quilt. It has a top layer of cotton and a bottom layer of fleece. For a complete guide to how to make this quilt and other rag quilts, see our book, Rag Quilting for Beginners (110 five-star reviews on Amazon.)

  14. Excellent article. The only way that I quilt now. I love the way that fleece backed quilts drape. Love the lack of shrinkage and the snuggleness.

  15. I’m a hand quilter, and wonder what it would be like to hand quilt a fleece backed quilt. Has anyone tried it?

    1. I have not tried it, either. I want to try big needle quilting so maybe a fleece-backed quilt would work for that.

    2. Hi! Yes, I always hand quilt and it is very easy to stitch a fleece backed quilt. I minimally spray baste, then use safety pins to secure about 10″ apart, and quilt using a slightly larger needle than usual and Gutermann quilting thread. However, I have only made several children’s single bed sized quilts in this way, about five years ago for grandchildren. They seem to get washed frequently and the fleece does get much thinner over time. Also I would not use this method again with appliqué, as it tends to pull the stitches and I have had to repair one. The finished quilts are definitely not as sturdy.

  16. I use my fleece backing as a binding, too. I cut my fleece backing an inch larger on all sides than the top, fold the fleece to the front(top) and use a decorative stitch to sew the fleece down. Nice since the fleece doesn’t fray.

    1. That sounds like a really great idea, Cindy, and one we haven’t tried! It’s going on the to-do list. Thanks for your suggestion. So many people have a hard time with the binding step, and this sounds a lot easier. Question for you: how do you handle the corners? I’d love to see a photo.

      1. Hi Christine! I cut diagonally across the corners then fold them inward onto the top to form a sort of miter. I say ‘sort of’ because I don’t measure angles. I just eyeball it. The fleece can easily be manipulated so that edges match, then I either run my decorative stitch up into the corner to close it or hand-stitch it later, either butting the two edges or slightly overlapping. I took sample pics but don’t know how to post pics here.

  17. I am having issues with skipping stitches & breaking thread. HELP! Using a walking foot & changed out to a new needle. Is my issue that I am sewing a design stitch on the machine? Or, something else that I can try, machine sewed fine for about 50 inches.

    1. Hi Diane,

      When I have those troubles, I first rethread and change needle and reseat the bobbin, just to make sure there aren’t any obvious issues. If that doesn’t solve the problem, I make sure I am using the same thread in both top and bobbin, and switch to a heavier needle. For decorative stitches that move the needle from side to side, I find that a 90/14 or even 100/16 needle works best. Best of luck!

    2. Decorator stitches that have side to side movement cannot be used with a walking foot. The walking foot can move back and forward but the teeth gripping the fabric prevent the lateral stitch from forming properly, hence distorted or broken stitches.

      1. That’s interesting, Caryl. My walking foot is definitely set up to allow for side-to-side needle movement and decorative stitches, but what you say makes sense. The pulling action of the walking foot only goes forward and back, not side to side.

  18. I am making my first quilt for my grandson from his others grandmas shirts. I was thinking of 2 layers of fleece for the backing. Have you ever done that?

    1. No, I haven’t ever done that. I don’t think I would want to try machine quilting two layers of fleece in the ordinary way — too much chance of slippage or wrinkling between the layers. I think it would probably work if you hand tie or machine tie the layers. That will be one warm quilt!

  19. Would these hold up to being tied? I don’t think I have a walking foot and not experienced with quilting. Thanks.

    1. Yes, they would. I think you would have to tie them at pretty close intervals to counteract the stretchiness of the fleece, but fleece itself is tough and durable. If you want to tie by machine, I would use either the stitch on my sewing machine that is usually used to sew on a button, or if your machine has decorative stitches, set the machine so it only sews one stitch at a time and use one of your decorative stitches. Good luck, Michelle!

    2. I’ve been sewing fleece backed quilts for years and just use my regular machine. I use decorative stitches or regular straight stitches and the best part is you don’t have to stitch too close. Most of mine have maybe 8” rows or even just a few borders and a diagonal through a center panel. My mother has 6 of them and she is obsessive about washing so they are washed weekly and they have held up pretty well! Good luck!

      1. Fleece backing is one of my favorite quilting discoveries. I much prefer fleece to cotton batting. Thanks for the comment, Chandra.

  20. Question regarding using fleece, (I’m using chenille type fabric)as the backing on a baby quilt…
    How should I secure the two layers together? My machine is a low end Brother & I’m worried it might not let me do stitch in the ditch I normally do. I don’t want to ‘tie’ it as it’s for a new born.
    Any suggestions, PLEASE???

    1. Thanks for the question, Sharon. Here’s what I would do: spray baste the layers together, then use a walking foot on my sewing machine and stitch all the seam lines in the ditch. If you don’t have a walking foot or think the layers are too thick for your machine to handle, you can still “tie” the quilt by using the stitch on your machine that is ordinarily used to sew on buttons. Just put the button stitch in all the locations where you would have tied the quilt with yarn or embroidery floss. The stitches will be safe for an infant and will secure the layers. Hope this helps.

  21. For lap size quilts I buy the Fleece blankets and use them as backing for my quilts. They are perfect for backing quilts. Way cheaper than buying fleece fabric. Love the blog.

  22. I have made a number of tshirt quilts and fleece seemed to be a natural backing. They all went to grandchildren in the north. Unfortunately, I also used batting. They will be extra warm.

    1. Could you tell me how you finished off the edges of your t shirt quilt/ fleece.. I can’t decide if I should bind it or just wrap the fleece around front and stitch. Thx…. Would love to see some pic of your quilts…this is my first one to make!

  23. I have been making quilts for only 2 years, mainly Lap size,for Charities, & Queen size for family gifts, I have ever only used Polar fleece for the backing. I have 2 methods that i use, For the Lap size I use the ‘flip & sew “method, & the Queen size is always QAYG, I have made more than 200 quilts with these methods, Possibly 150 Lap, & 50 Q.S These methods are SO easy with polar fleece, I just LOVE using it. I ALWAYS wash it before use, as it will shrink differently to the 100% cotton top, (I always wash all my fabrics first) I love the bright bold colors, & designs of the fleece. I also live in a cold area, which the fleece is so cozy to snuggle into. I also have found out that the Charity quilts that I have donated are much appreciated as the new owners, just love to wrap themselves in a beautiful quilt, some feel the love, & some feel the extra warmth. I have never used batting, & cotton backing, only ever polar fleece, & i just LOVE IT!

    1. Thank you! I have a baby quilt that I need to have done in a week. I have never used fleece but the mom wants it. Thank you for you post. It answered alot of questions.

  24. Thank you for this article. I have a quilt that my granddaughter help pick out material for her mother. She is only six so she picked out fleece because it is so soft. Well quilt top is done and waiting to be put together but I was unsure, do I put batting or not. Now I know. Thank you so much for the information. No batting Nana.

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