Thread: Layering your quilt

Originally Posted by Prism99

Before I had the gun, I pin-basted the quilts I intended to machine quilt and thread-basted the quilts I wanted to hand quilt. To do these quilts, I mounted them on my homemade frame. This is simply 4 2x4s to which I stapled doubled-over fabric leaders and marked measurements from the center out to each side. I used C-clamps to fasten the 4 wooden pieces to each other, propping the ends on kitchen chairs. I pinned the backing to the leaders first, matching middles, and created my sandwich from there. I actually liked this system, but it was time-consuming because of the rolling and re-pinning needed for a bed-sized quilt, and ultimately it became too much for my back. It worked best for small quilts. Twin-sized quilts had a tendency to sag in the middle.

Can you post a picture of this? I think I can picture it in my mind, but a photo would speak much louder. I'm still pinning my quilts, but crawling around on the floor kills me and I find I get sloppy just to get off my hands and knees.

I started out pinning my quilts. Oh my poor knees. The last three I have used basting spray. I will never go back. It works up faster and holds great. I love it.

I know the feeling auntluc. lol

Thank-you everyone for your advice and information. It was very helpful.

[quote=b.zangCan you post a picture of this? I think I can picture it in my mind, but a photo would speak much louder. I'm still pinning my quilts, but crawling around on the floor kills me and I find I get sloppy just to get off my hands and knees.
[/quote]

You mean a picture of my 4x4s? Actually, I'm not techie enough yet to know how to post pictures, plus I would have to find the 2x4s in our freezing garage. My setup is similar to old-time frames that quilters used, I think. There may be some resource on the web that has a picture of a similar setup; if I can find one, I will post it.

We just got the straightest 2x4s we could fine at the lumber yard. I used staples to attach doubled-over fabric to the frames -- maybe 8-10 inches of fabric doubled over to 4-5 inches extending beyond the wood. Used a Sharpie marker to mark the center of each wood piece, then marks every foot out to the ends. The markings help with both centering the backing on the cloth leaders and with clamping the 2x4s together so they're not all whacky. C-clamps are simple, inexpensive clamps you buy at the hardware store; just make sure they can handle a double thickness of 2x4s. A lot of my learning was trial and error once I had the 2x4s with leaders and the clamps.

I baste my quilt on the sewing machine using water soluble thread in the bobbin and on top. I sew a large X pattern through the whole quilt and I can smooth out any puffiness with just a spray of water and then baste each part of space in between the X as close as I want. I can then machine or hand quilt using regular thread. I don't pay any attention to the basting thread. It dissolves in water leaving the machine quilting. :D

Time to recruit my DH into making what I need. Thanks for the description of your pinning frame. Never having tried spray, and being reluctant to do so, I'm still pinning although this discussion is giving me pause for thought.

Originally Posted by b.zang

Time to recruit my DH into making what I need. Thanks for the description of your pinning frame. Never having tried spray, and being reluctant to do so, I'm still pinning although this discussion is giving me pause for thought.

If you machine quilt, I'd try the spray basting first. Since I discovered spray basting I haven't used my frame setup at all. I haven't hand quilted anything that has been spray basted, so not sure if you might benefit from a frame setup for that.....

Originally Posted by BellaBoo

I baste my quilt on the sewing machine using water soluble thread in the bobbin and on top. I sew a large X pattern through the whole quilt and I can smooth out any puffiness with just a spray of water and then baste each part of space in between the X as close as I want. I can then machine or hand quilt using regular thread. I don't pay any attention to the basting thread. It dissolves in water leaving the machine quilting. :D

What a wonderful idea! How big a quilt have you basted this way? I am wondering if it works for larger quilts.

Thank-you for the info. I did not know that you could get it layered at a long quilter. I'm too cheap to pay anyone to do work on a quilt