My DH was watching me baste with safety pins yesterday. The quilt is 102' x 118" so as you can imagine, I used alot of safety pins. DH looked at me for a minute and asked " Why do you use so many? Isn't there a faster, easier way to do that?" Well, I was dumbfounded. I knew he supported my passion, but, didn't realize, he actually paid attention. I answered " I suppose, but, it would require basting spray, which, stinks, and I really don't have the space to do it in here and have proper ventalation." I have always used safety pins, and other than chipping fingernails, I don't mind it. I have never basted with thread and am leary of the sprays. Do any of you have other suggestions, as to basting quilts?

I only use the safety pins. I don't like the idea of spraying more chemicals on quilts or in my house.

I stick with the pins or pay my LA'er to do it. I try not to use unnecessary chemicals, so the spray is out.

I've only used just the safety pins(that's how my DM does it too). I'm sure if I used the spray, I'd find it's easier it and probably like it(from other comments on this board), but I have bad lungs.

I pin all my big quilts...I use spray on the small ones (twin size or smaller).

I use to have a basting gun, but I never used it...I gave it away to another quilter, so I don't know if those work or not, maybe someone else could speak about those.

There's a thread going on currently about basting guns - I use mine all the time
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-87219-1.htm

I have always pinned and basted. Don't like the chemicals in the sprays and would not use them. Now I wonder if I could just use more pins and not baste????

I used to pin. I now spray.

Have you seen the video by Sharon Schamber on Hand Basting?
I think it looks easier but haven't tried it yet. did buy the boards
today at menards.

I was in one of Sharon's classes at Quilting in the Desert and found it was very easy to hand baste even with my hand arthritis. If I wasn't doing a quilt with a LA I'd consider either spray basting or this. BTW, the 505 doesn't bother my asthma and worked really well.

ali