I tried spray basting and it just doesn't work for me. I’m not sure if this makes sense, but worth a shot! When it’s time to baste, you do need to iron your backing fabric (at least at some point.) I tell myself that it's a good way to stay young. I have thick carpet, and no large tile area, so 2 inch wide packaging tape works for me. Try to use tape that is at least 2-inches thick. - Suzy Quilts, Quilt Tying Tutorial: How to Tie a Quilt with Yarn or Embroidery Thread - Suzy Quilts, A Scrappy Modern Quilt: The Campfire Pattern, Zipper Pouch Tutorial: How to Sew a Simple Pouch from Scraps, Lay the backing fabric on the floor with the BACK of the fabric facing UP (that means the printed or right side of the fabric is facing the floor. I've basted six quilts on recently re-polished parquetry and haven't noticed any marks despite often stabbing the floor.My additional tips for new quilters are:1. Maybe someday I'll be brave enough to start my own blog, and reference you for all your wonderful tips! I tried a small one before but do not think that I used enough pins. Thanks so much for the tips! Can I still get my quilters licence if I skip this step? Pingback: Thrive Quilt Pattern: Grab Your Fat Quarters - Suzy Quilts, As soon as I read your very passionate note about leaving the pins open, I immediately ripped open my new pack of pins and unpinned them all as an activity for my hands while I read the rest of the article . Just for what it’s worth. Indian Summer is my favorite of you patterns (so far! Used your tape-to-the -floor and safety pin basting method for my first on-my-own- quilt. I tried to watch your tutorial video on that, but unfortunately, where I live the internet isn’t great so I can’t get it to play! Tape three together and shove inside a closet or under a bed when not in use! Any cons? The tutorials are fabulous!! Not sure where you are but in Australia. If you have access to Folding tables – the kind with formica or 3/4′ wood tops, you are also in like flint! Probably didn't clean my floor well enough.3) I'm certain you are going to show how you quilt. If you’re pulling it as tight as possible and taping that to the floor, chances are it’s too tight. For all those inquiring minds, I pin baste on hardwood and haven't scratched it yet. Looked like it might work well. I learned a lot this afternoon.Thanky you so much. Spray Basting with Christa Watson. The good news is, when it comes to basting, you have some options. It’s my new-found way to baste and I love it. I do spray liberally but not excessively. Pins, basting spray, and thread are all suitable methods of basting your quilt before you quilt it on your domestic machine. This is one of the ways I’m able to support myself and continue writing free content. I don’t reclose them. I only so fr make small cot/ lap quilts and stitch in ditch. Yay! I think basting guns are pretty annoying, but could be a good option if you have back or knew issues and basting with pins or spray is too labor intensive. I also pin baste on our queen sized bed and am lucky to be married to a carpenter who installs a lot of kitchens so I have an endless supply of refrigerator boxes!! Top, batt and back kept sticking where I didn’t want them to stick and I found having an extra pair of hands a great help. I do plan on being at QuilCon in Pasadena this up coming February, though. Thank you for all your reviews and tips. Thank you bunches. I just finished straight line quilting on my Janome 8900 and noticed some of my seams went kinda wonky. What would the quilted pattern look like at that point? Washing the quilt removes the thread basting…, Water soluble thread is new to me! Do you have a video that shows how to finish the edges? Which leads to me ask…how do you avoid scratching your wooden floors while pin basting? I picked up a few 'refinements' to make basting a fun - no, wait - more pleasant experience. I’m definitely bookmarking this post for when I decide to embark on my first quilt. SO DON’T CLOSE HUNDREDS OF TINY PINS FOR NO REASON. I do use those scraps eventually, and I haven't had a problem with it as of yet. Then every inch of the quilt is stuck to every other inch and there’s no shifting. It took me a while to realize that I didn’t need to close the pins too. That way you don’t have to worry about the overspray . PS…I live in Texas, but am headed back to the Chicago area for a few weeks. I love all of your tutorials, thank you! I used yo use the boards, now I use pool noodles to roll each layer along. Triangle Jitters Quilt Pattern (Download). Did I do something wrong? I think I’ll stick with pin basting. New to sewing? https://www.joann.com/floor-quilt-frame/4794046.html#q=quilt%2Bframe&start=1. I’m afraid once I start quilting I’ll have to stop every few seconds just to take a pin out! I am a total newbie and have NEVER understood how to do this until I read your post. You just might have a convert. Get it here! I dread this part of making a quilt and I know I never use enough pins...seeing how lovely yours looks after makes me see what a difference taking a bit more time makes. That’s what I did in my last quilt and it’s saved my fingers but I only did a cross hatch. Very elaborately explained with lots of pictures: GREAT!! some do leave a bit of residue on the floor or on the fabric, but not enough to stop me from using it and change my ways. Suzy! Basting isn’t tedious at all and your fingers and back will feel great the whole time! That's exactly what I do except I can't do it down on the floor any more. Anyone have experience with that? I do the same process as well. And then unrolling the top including the batting on the taped down quilt back. (I learned that from an old [75+] lady in my traditional guild. Thread basting is the first method of sandwiching a quilt many quilters learn to use. See more ideas about basting a quilt, basting, quilts. Why. It stills seems to be working for me. I don't like spray basting. I really admire all your beautiful 'scrap' quilts and how you can quilt those large sizes. Hi, I’m new to quilting. Learning a lot. Use a smallish 12” x 18” rotary cutting mat under the quilt area you are pin basting, to save floor or table from scratches and just slide it along. Favourite methods for basting quilts are a very personal thing and you may have to try different methods and variations to find one that suits you. Check out the Quilting 101 tab for everything you need to know to start your first quilt! I have been taping my quilts onto a board room table that I purchased for next to no money, and do the sandwiching in two stages while sitting at the table. Get it here! I am 75 and the floor thing does not work for me. I'm impressed with your boatload of pins too. If that’s the case, you will need to fold the edges in at 45-degree angles to create a mitered edge. Make sense? Great job on describing this step. Basically, if you choose to baste with pins, you’re signing up for some good quality time with your safety pin crew. so when you going to release that pattern ? I’ve found that the quilt back sticks quit well to a fitted flannel sheet. xo. I want to do a quilt for my great granddaughter, and I don’t want to mess it up. If you are stingy with the spray, you will notice shifting. I pin baste too (and also use basting spray), but now use the board method for putting the layers together. I’m so happy you included board basting in your how-to! Until I saw the picture, I thought “thin” was regarding the thickness of the tape rather than the width. Great roundup of ideas! And your explanation made perfect sense by the way! Let’s get started. Thanks! Already know that dethreading is my new least favorite part!!! I am careful not to push the pins hard into the floor. xoxo. “Quilting the Quilt” by Dawn Cavanaugh appears regularly in every issue of Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting in partnership with American Professional Quilting Systems. Get it here! . If you have any questions, I'll try to answer them in the comments! If you’re finding that painter’s tape just isn’t strong enough on the surface you’re working on, switch to, Store all your pins in a box, and LEAVE THEM ALL OPEN. I love your style of writing. is there a trick?Pam. The smell,stickiness and cost... and then when I have to lift it all up to fix a bubble... no fun. One reminder with spray basting – you have to spray baste both the backing and the top to the batting. Some people use this method with safety pins (instead of thread basting, which is featured in this video) mostly because the aftermath is less messy and it's probably a bit faster. Thanks so much, Amanda! I dont prefer the safety pin method, they left holes in my quilt and were in the way when i started quilting…. I guess as quilters we think we know the basics, but after reading your "lesson" for this week I now have a list in front of me on how to baste properly. Thank you. I'd love to pin baste with one hand. Hey Em, I’m not sure I fully understand the question. Pinning is also way cheaper! Something no one talks about--do you end up scratching your floor with the pins? If you are someone who is not fond of poking pins in the fabric, then this method is a great alternative. I wouldn’t have thought about using carpet as a basting advantage, but I totally see how it is! I am thinking this might be why I tend to have little ripples next to my stitch lines. Basting is often the rate-limiting factor in completing my quilts. It may look like that, but that’s a technique I haven’t tried. And that pins get in the way of ironing(though I made it work)! Place the batting on top of the backing fabric and trim it to fit. I find that my machine quilting is more acurate and even.In any event it is sort of the pain in the you know part of making the quilt. I had forgotten what a difference ironing makes! Duct tape! and I’m so excited to finally know what a quilt sandwich is! Then doing the back like you do. Thank you for this series. Your email address will not be published. I love all of what you’ve written. I use three boards on a 6 foot folding table. :). I have hardwood floors and not the newer stuff. I personally do not like spray basting for a few reasons: One major advantage to spray basting? Have you tried that one? Thank you so much for all you do! You may have heard some rumors about this method, but note how many quilts I make on a regular basis and that this is the only basting method I have used since 2013. Sounds magical . Want to test your placement? thank you! You have to open them up to remove them from your quilt, right? Layering them and getting them ready to be bound forever in quilt matrimony is a reeeallly important step. Normal pins make it so hard to get through three layers.2. Great post! It works very well and no crawling on the floor! Sounds like you should make video to show us! Both of us have arthritis in our hands and prefer to avoid hand sewing as much as possible. Thank you for sharing! I guess the fabric was treated with something. Good luck with the quilting! Its been very helpful to me. I have never done a quilt before, so I’m a bit nervous about this. No matter how you baste a quilt, you have to create your quilt sandwich first. When I first started quilting, I really didn't think it was a big deal but learned (after quilting tucks into the backing) just how important it really is. I have a question: Do all spray bastes have to be washed/rinsed out? No, wait again, I mean eat chocolate. 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