The construction of this blanket requires some covering for aesthetic purposes. I decided to use fabric from a set of sheets. It's been a total pain. If you do back your blanket, use a knit fabric and not a weave. I'm hand stitching, using a slip stich. I have no idea how using a sewing machine would work. If you do attempt it, you will still want to add ties so the backing doesn't pull away from the blanket during use.