quilt basting 101

Here it is!  A compilation of all the wonderful tips given by all the fabulous quilters in this post!

I have learned so much from all the suggestions and tips that were given.  I can hardly wait to try a few new things and come up with a method that streamlines how I currently baste.

 

 

Here we go!

• I baste my quilts on a hardwood floor. I do tape the back, put down the batting, then lay down the top and pin. To lay down the top, I figure out where I want the back to line up with the front and sort of roll it out onto the batting. I readjust a few times, but that seems to work well. Jessica

• I baste mine in the kitchen on the tile. I mark the center of each side of the backing and then tape it down really well. Then I lay the batting over it. I mark the centers of each side of the front with straight pins and line them up with the centers of the backing sides when I lay the front down. Does that make sense? Then I pin along that cross, starting in the middle, smoothing and pinning. Then I work out from the center of the cross. The tile floor makes it really easy to get the pins in. I don't close the pins, though, since you have to readjust them so much. When I get all the pins in I go back with a butter knife and close, close, close. It usually works pretty well. 

  Darla

• That is something I have a really hard time with, and I find it really frustrating. I've tried fusible batting, and I like it, but it's a little stiff until you wash the quilt a few times. Also, sometimes I use a spray adhesive to put the layers together. You have to wash it after you quilt it, but it makes the quilting so much easier... Hope this helps! 

  Marybeth

• Hmmm. I don't have a good method. I just pin it and I'm flexible -- I have to adjust sometimes, but I'm just sure to have the back bigger than the front LOL 

  Thimbleanna

• I tape the backing done to the kitchen tile with blue painters tape. Then the batting and then the top. Then I get DH to look at it and tell me if it's straight! The I pin about a million bent safety pins through all three layers and hope for the best.

  I know some people can spray baste but I only use that for small quilts such as wall hangings.

  kern

• I've used my method for a long time, and it works best for me. I've tried them all. What I do now is put my backing on a table, centering it and letting the excess drape over. Then I lay my batting [usually a flannel sheet] on top, smooth it out, and lay the quilt top on that, centering it. I pin baste everything on the table, not closing the pins. When it's all pinned, I pull all three layers to a new spot on the table and smooth it out. The excess hanging off keeps it from shifting. I pin the new section and keep moving the quilt, smoothing as I go. After it's all pinned, I close all the pins and start quilting.

  This method saves my back. I have severe spinal arthritis and can't get down on the floor anymore. The table is a hard surface, so it keeps bubbles out. I can't imagine doing it on carpet - remember I Love Lucy, where she makes herself a dress, and ends up cutting the carpet out with the fabric? I would do something like that. Allie

• I found this tutorial on Youtube and it's a great idea. I haven't tried it yet next quilt I will I hate getting down on the ground and pinning it not good for my back.

  http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=SharonSchamberNet#p/u/48/bhwNylePFAA

   Carol

• I duct tape the backing to the floor and make sure it is tight and smooth, then lay down the batting, making sure it is smooth too, then the quilt top. I have never had a backing that had any real design on it so I guess I have never really worried about the backing lining up just right. Although I do want to make a quilt that has a cool back, like the one you made recently, so I guess I should work on perfecting my skills so that the front and back line up once I do finally make a quilt like that. I like reading everyone else's methods, I am learning a lot :)

  Lauren

• I do it the same as Darla using HUGE safety pins to mark my centers - as long as your back is a little bigger than your batting which is a little bigger than your top, it is really easy to line up. Then pin from the center out. I don't believe in fusible batting or basting spray, but it's a personal choice every quilter needs to make on their own. :-) 

  CitricSugar

• OK. To centre the backing and pieced front, check out this post of Rita's where she gives a clever little suggestion:

  http://www.redpepperquilts.com/2009/11/amy-butler-love.html

  My preferred basting technique is masking tape the backing to the floor, lay out the wadding and the quilt top then pin like a mad woman starting from the outside of the quilt top, pulling tight along the way then filling in the inside.

  Whatever works though!!!!

  Andi

• I use my kitchen table. I stick a round headed pin on the centre point of the table width, then I match the centre points of the width of backing, wadding, and top with that pin. I also pin - lots. from the centre, going out. It saves my knees to work on the table, and I haven't had problems with the quilt shifting about when I do it this way - but I have had problems when I have used the floor. Katy

• I don't normally quilt my own large quilts but...I have table pads on my dining room table (it has a leaf in it too). I lay the backing on the table and tape it down using blue painters tape. I tape opposing sides while smoothing. I lay the batting on top working from the center smoothing it out. Then the quilt top...again working from the center smoothing it out. Then I pin baste...lots of pins. I have gone to the library and used their tables pushed together to baste larger quilts...with the help of friends. When I quilt I usually do some in the ditch quilting to stablize the quilt before doing any other quilting. I remove the pins in section where I'm going to quilt. Hope you get suggestions that are helpful.

  Stephanie 

• I'm a newbie to quilting on machine, having in the past either sent to a long arm or done by hand with my Grandmother in which case she created the sandwich on the huge strecher that was put together with c-clamps to adjust to size and lowered from the ceiling with pullys. She hand basted the sandwich. I participated, but later found out she always re-did anything I did.

  Now I am using spray baste, but have not done any large items yet, so I am reading the ideas here to formulate my own plan.

  Diane

• You are headed in the right direction. Just remember that the pins should only be a hand width apart. Yeh, I know, that's a lot, but it keeps things from shifting so easily.

  Arlene

• Like some of the others, I baste using a table but... I'm lucky in as much as my LQS has a big, big (double quilt size) cutting table. Once a month, they have a quilt event where anyone can use their facilities for free. I take advantage of that to spread my backing on the table, smooth the fabric, tape it down, layer on the batting (warm & natural), smooth, then layer on the top, smooth...(like crazy - I'm fanatical about this), then pin-baste leaving about 2-3" between each pin.

  I love the table because it's much easier on my back and also because you can bend down so that your eye is level with the quilt and see if any blocks need straightening out - it's a handy way to see if they've gone a bit wavy or if the top to bottom, side to side lines are straight as an arrow.

  I've often thought of trying to baste using my kitchen floor so I'm not at the mercy of the LQS schedule, but I'm still a little intimidated. Maybe I'll try it for a smaller project like a baby quilt - and use the tips your other noters have left (thanks to all of them!). Karen

• ooh the things I am learning from you women. I have had bad experiences with bunching as I have tried to emmulate what my grandmother taught me to baste a quilt. She made perfect quilts and used the bed, but that has NEVER worked for me, nor has the table. I am going to try taping to the floor next time. my next quilt is going to be a quilt for my son out of my husband's old (or stolen from the closet...he'll never know until it's done) dress shirts.

  karineyh

• I generally go pin baste my quilts at my bee that meets at a church. They have long portable tables that can be put together to pin baste any size quilt (even king). I tape the back down with painters tape, next is the batting (start smoothing it out from the middle, then comes the quilt top. I smooth from the center and I pin very close (3-4 inches of the width of my fist). I usually get one of my girlfriends to help me pin. It sure makes it go alot faster. I make sure my backing is about 4 in larger than my backing and I don't worry about getting the center of the top and bck perfectly aligned. Happy pin basting!

  shelly

• 
  

  I have a piece of plywood that is 3/4 inch thick and cut 4 x 6 feet. I painted one side with 3-4 coats of clearcoat to seal it. I have a table that I keep in the garage and I place the plywood onto the table. I marked the center with a black marker before putting the sealer on so I know where the center is. I have jumbo clips that I use to secure the backing, then place the batting on and smooth it out, then the top. Then I pin baste all the layers together. I have never had a problem with things shifting but I use lots and lots of pins. When I am done, I just take my plywood down and lean it up against the wall in front of my car.

  Good Luck!

  Diane

• I baste with pins... I smooth the backing out on whatever floor space is big enough and just fiddle with everything til it looks acceptable. I never worry too much about perfection on the back. wendy

• Now I am a bit spoiled since my mother has a long arm and lets me use it after I say "you are the best mom in the world". When I did baste my quilts I used to stretch the backing over my island, use large binder clips to clip the fabric to the edges and then stretch the batting and top on and clip them down. When quilts were too big for the island, I did the same process but stretched the backing on the floor and used blue painters tape to hold the backing in place so that it didn't pucker up. I have enjoyed reading all these comments and learning a bunch!

  jessica

• I used to baste mine with a method similar to yours on my wood floors. Then a friend of mine told me she uses this spray adhesive (for quilts) and she absolutely loves it. I caved and finally bought a bottle. I have made 2 baby quilts and I am currently putting together a twin size quilt. I used the glue on the baby quilts and i LOVED it. It didn't make my fabric move, the fabric didn't bunch and when you wash it, the glue washes out. I will be trying it on the twin size tonight- I'll let you know how it goes. Apparently I can glue up to 4 queen size quilts with one bottle. We'll see though. Anyways, I put my batting down and i spray the top half, then I put my top down and continue to spray as I go. Once everything is sprayed, I smoothe it out to make sure there are no bumps and then I flip it over and do the same for the back. It seems to work great for small quilts!! Also... this is a two person job.. I've done it alone and it takes forever! I have nominated my husband as my little helper! Kati

• I use a trick I read about in an early Harriet Hargroves (Hargreaves?) book on machine quilting. I haven't seen anyone mention it here. It is for aligning the layers on a table that is too small for your quilt to lay out completely flat. Tape a pencil to the centre point of each side of the table you are using, so that the eraser end is just poking off the edge of the table. Use a safety pin to mark the centre point of each side of the quilt top. When you lay the backing and batting down, they will go over the side of the table, but you can feel where the centres are by the pencils -use them to align the quilt top by matching the pins with the pencils. Does this make sense? Then baste as desired - using any of the techniques posted above. Before I used this pencil trick I had several experiences with pin basting the whole quilt only to find out I was off the edge somewhere, and had to redo the whole thing.

  Lesly

• I have two tables set up in the garage (when it's warm!), then I put short PVC pipe on the legs to raise them up about 12 inches. The tables measure about 60 x 60, put together. I lay my backing down, using the center of the tables as the center, and clamp or tape the backing down taut but not tight. Then batting, using the centers as a quide, then top. If I have basting spray, I use it, then pin. Anything that hangs over the edges I will shift about after the center area is pinned well.

  I have just purchased a Dritz "basting gun" and have not yet used it. It requires a grid mat that moves about under the quilt top, so one has something to press the gun against. It leaves little plastic tabs IN the fabric, which are slender, but the gun needleitself is a little large for my taste and I wouldn't use it on a batik or on fine, solid color fabric. I'm sure the hole will disappear with a little mist spray, but again, not tried on batik. So, this is my next experiment, when weather warms up so I can do this in the garage. THan I take down the tables and fold them away, etc.

  Little bubbles that might show up in the layers are smoothed out and stretched out with my hands as I machine quilt on my domestic sewing machine - no stitch regulator. So far, I've not had puckers.

  One time I tried giant machine basting stitches with water soluble thread after pinning, just to try it out, and took the pins out after machine basting. I washed it after regular machine quilting and the soluble thread 'goes away.'

  Elaine Adair

• I hate basting. I have finally decided to pay a longarm machine quilter to baste my full-size quilts because otherwise the pieced tops never get turned into quilts.

  For baby quilts or wall-hangings that I'll machine quilt, I spray baste and safety pin, but that's rare. I've tried the basting gun (too many jams and really doesn't stop the small puckers - plus picking them out later is a pain). I used to have a full-sized quilt frame when I was married and would layer right onto the frame and roll it along while working, which seemed to work fine, but gave it (and most of my sewing room contents) up when I moved after the divorce.

  To me it's worth the $0.005 per square inch to pay someone else for the headache.

  Heartanchored.blogspot.com

• Lots of interesting ideas. I've basted on the floor a few times, but that kills my knees and my back. I've used a table with the extra hanging over a couple times too. I like that and will probably do it more, but since it's my wood dining room table, I need to be careful with the pins. Most of the time, I use my queen size bed. I remove all the blankets, top sheet and pillow then I lay the backing out and smooth it down. I put on the batting, smooth it and finally lay on the quilt top. I have had problems getting it centered, so I will start marking centers with pins to help. Then I can kneel on my carpeted floor and I reach up under the quilt and smooth and pin from the center out. Most of the time, this works well for me.

  Tammy from quilt-pictures.com

 

Thank-you once again ladies for all your input!

 

~Penny

 

 

Comments

[jessica]

So, so helpful! There is always something new for me to learn in quilting!

[stephanie]

Penny, I meant to share this earlier but life got in the way. :) I have recently discovered 505 Adhesive - it is specifically made for fabric basting and it is incredible. I found some at a quilt shop - it doesn't seem to be available at Joann's or Michaels. A little goes a long way and it is non-toxic and doesn't smell at all. I tape the backing down, lay the batting on top of it, and fold half of the batting back. I spray the batting and fold it back down. Then I do the same thing to the other side so the batting is now basted to the back. I repeat this for the top and I can baste an entire throw-size quilt in about 10-15 minutes with NO pins. I left one quilt basted like this for 3 months and the adhesive was still perfect. No gummy needles, and it washes out perfectly in the first wash. LOVE THIS STUFF!! I can't say enough good things about it. :)

[Marybeth]

Hi, Penny! Thank you so much for posting all of these ideas - there is a lot of good advice in this post... I want to try that stuff that Stephanie mentions in the comment before mine - that sounds great and easy!

[CraftyCripple]

Wow what an amazing list of information. I have never quilted, in fact I am starting a course in the New Year. I am sure that this information will be so helpful when I have my first try.

[Thimbleanna]

Wow! You got some great tips there Penny -- thanks so much for taking the time to post them for us!

[Allie]

Holy cow - these are great! No matter how long I quilt, I still find so much new to try, and there's a lot here I'd like to try! Thank you for posting this!

[amylouwho]

oh man. I need to get basting.
And I don't mean a turkey. :)

[Kathi D]

Thank you for collecting all this wisdom and putting it in one place!

[Dee]

No time now, but wow! Can't wait to read through them all and garner some great tips! Thanks for doing this!

[Anne]

So many great ideas. Thanks for posting this in such an easy to read way!