No matter what I do, I always end up with bunched up backing at some point on anything bigger than a placemat, either tucked under a seam or just not flat. Is meandering the only way to solve this? I pin and pin and it still doesn't work. What am I doing wrong? HELP!!!

i have better luck when I hand baste. I can keep everything smoother

Do you start at the center and work your way out from there?

Do you starch your backing? Are you using a walking foot? When you lay your backing out, tape it so that it's taut, but don't stretch it.

I'm a newbie but my teacher says put the backing on the floor & stick it to the floor pulling it firmly as you stick.
On a table she uses those huge paper clip thingies & clip them under the table edge with the fabric clamped in it
She doesn't seem to have much trouble that way

Do you tape your backing to the floor or the table? Starching your backing
would help too. I use binding clips instead of tape but both works. I
handbaste using diagonal basting stitch with about 2 inch spacing between
rows. Lots of basting (specially for large quilts) but worth it. :D

One more thing I read the other day and it makes perfect sense is not to
stretch any layer more than the other as that's what cause puckers. You
want it taut but not stretch. Hope this helps. :D

Many times puckering is the result of too much downward pressure being exerted by the presser foot on the quilt sandwich. The fabric ends being pushed back toward you as you sew, resulting in tucks and sniggles when it meets an obstacle.

I found that this UTube video explained it so I could understand it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox8qR...eature=related

Hope this helps.

I had trouble too until I hand basted and also pinned everything together. I also use a walking foot and the backing comes out great!

She does smaller ones on the table but larger on the floor & only pulls firmly enough to take out the wrinkles & have it lie straight then she gently brushes with her hand from the centre towards the outside with each layer
She also uses those special quilting pins to hld it all together I have never seen her baste but I "booed - booed" the other day on mine & felt more comfortable basting in parts