Hopefully it's ok that I'm asking several questions this weekend! I'm anxious to finish my quilt but afraid that I'm putting holes in it.

I spray basted the quilt but it's not staying basted along the edges, so I thought I would pin it until I can get the quilt tied. I put in several pins and then decided to move one. When I pulled the pin out, I was rather surprised at the hole it left. Will that be permanent or will it disappear after washing it?

I have Prym Creative brass basting pins bought from Walmart. They are labeled Size: 3 - 2" 51mm. Do I need smaller basting pins or should I not worry about the holes? I know I'm too much of a perfectionist for my own good but this is a gift!

Thank you!
Cassandra

The holes will disappear with washing. However, I would suggest investing in much smaller pins. Mine are about 1/2" long brass pins (brass doesn't rust, just in case one of my UFOs lands in the lap of a great-grandchild many decades from now). The pins are too old for me to remember the brand. I think I bought not the very smallest size, but the second to smallest. Years ago this was the size pin recommended in the quilting books I was reading. This size has been big enough for all of the battings I have used over the years, but I never did use a high-loft poly. Would think even that one would work, but not sure.

The holes should disappear after you wash it. I have the same problems with my edges when I use spray basting so I machine baste around the edges.

Ok, thank you! I will find some smaller basting pins and then not worry about the holes.

The smaller pins make smaller holes because they are thinner. Also, because they are thinner, they tend to be easier to slide into the sandwich.

AT most major fabric stores, you can find quilting pins that have a slight bend to them. Small, sharp, made just for the purpose of quilting. I ONLY use warm and natural batting since it is 100% cotton, is great & almost 'flat' - not a huge fluff in it. The pins are put in as you have a friend help you 'sandwich, pull, straighten, pat it with love, and then pin. Take a stroll down the quilting aisle - don't be afraid to ask questions of someone who is either a quilting shop clerk, nor someone who is a oldie quilting maker. Read all you can - library books help a lot! Most of all sing a lil'song, do a lil' dance as you sew along, making 'love' for someone to smile, think of you and just the feeling of 'ahhh!' Sorry that I'm so 'windy!'

I have used the brass pins in all my quilts & never had a problem with holes remaining. Not sure of the size at the moment, but I know they are bigger than 1". However, my quilts were mostly made with higher quality fabrics & I steam press my quilts after quilting. I don't know about the cheaper Walmart, JoAnn's fabric that seems to be of lesser quality now a day.

I have found that the bigger pins are harder to put into the quilt. I have tons of the quilters pins that have a small bend in them and find that they are easier to put in and close. I don't use pins too much any more as I love love spray basting.
Sue

I agree I put just a few just around the borders to help keep it all together, and I also find that I often need to re-spray by the time I get to my borders. BTW I use whatever safety pins I have to hand :twisted:

I too was concerned about the holes that the basting pins made in my quilts. I use the curved ones that are brass, I think. But once I was finished with the FMQ and the binding, somehow the pin holes were gone. It must have been all the squishing and pushing while quilting:) I don't use spray baste, don't like to use sprays.