quiltingfan

Hi Everyone, Once again I need some advice. I am getting ready to hand quilt my grandmothers quilt. My great started it and her daughter finished the top, and now I am going to finish it up. by sandwiching it and hand quilting it. My question is should I pin or bast (?) it together?

amma

If it is going into a smaller frame, I would baste it and make it easier for re-hooping it.

You are so lucky to have such a wonderful heirloom :D:D:D

quiltingfan

I guess I should explain I have a little lap frame that I am going to use, to quilt it on. It will be in my living room so that I can move it around and quilt it at night while watching tv. Does that make a difference? I don't know>.... Thanks for all your help. I am addicted to this web site.

janRN

I'd baste it. I'd be afraid to use pins in an older quilt plus, like Amma said, it's so much easier to re-hoop and not have to worry about pins.
Good luck-please post pics when you're done.

Prism99

For hand quilting, I prefer to thread baste. (I think that is what everyone else is saying too, when they say to baste. Use an easily breakable thread, large needle, and large stitches.) You need to re-hoop often when hand quilting, and the hoop can catch on pins used to pin baste and stress the fabric. Pin basting is more suitable to machine quilting.

Spray basting could be an option too. I have never hand quilted a spray basted quilt, but I have read here that others have. Thread basting would be a more appropriate technique for a vintage quilt top, though.

Gal

I hand quilt with a hoop in front of telly, I would be in a huge 'pickle' if I tried to use pins rather than to baste. I am turning the hoop often and have the quilt in and out of the hoop a I work my way out to the edges, I am sure you would come into difficulty when the pins are near or on the edges of the hoop, not saying it can't be done just saying I don't think I could manage it, I feel very secure in the knowledge that my quilt will not pucker or move when I have taken the trouble to baste.

Gal

quiltingfan

Thank you everyone. I will be basting it then, thanks for all the great advice. Beth