I am often asked this question, mainly because crocheted and knitted blankets are not usually backed, unlike quilted blankets.
You might be more familiar with the term lining which serves the same purpose as backing. For twiddle mats this means, attaching an additional cover to the back of a mat or blanket to make it warmer, sit better on a lap, and to protect the stitchings (threads) on the back of the main piece.
Backings (linings) can be crocheted or knitted; made from flannelette or flannel; or other materials such as calico. I rummage around in remnant bins and find pieces that I can use.

If I am using flannelette or flannel, I place the twiddle mat on top of the flannel and cut around the flannel leaving about 1 cm extra to hem the material. I sew around the edge using my sewing machine. Sometimes I will use the sewing machine to sew directly onto the twiddle mat. If I am away from home, or feeling like doing some rhythmic hand stitching, I will hand sew the backing on using blanket stitch.
If the blanket is large, I only back the middle area where I have attached twiddle items.


Often I make a backing from old jumpers or discarded knitted /crocheted pieces. Leftover granny squares are good for this. I am more likely though to just crochet or knit a piece to use. I attach it to the main piece with single crochet stitches. Regardless of the type of backing I then have fun crocheting a border. I use these opportunities to learn new crocheting techniques.



It really is over to you, and what suits you best at the time.
Happy creating everyone!
Sandra @ Project Twiddles