Frustrated...
 

I have puckers on my backing :( ARGH!!! *Deep breath* How can I prevent this in the future?

Maybe use more pins when you baste? Start quilting from the center, if you can. Make sure your 3 layers of the sandwich are "pulled tight' before you begin pinning. Hold your tongue just right and chant..."No puckers," three times.

I am sure you do all of this already, though the chanting may be new to you. :) I really can't help, but I thought I would try. I have puckers sometimes too, but I think I am going to, unless I send it out to a LA to be quilted, and I am too cheap for that.

Funny, my husband just brought me hot tea, and he saw this thread was about puckers. He said..."What's wrong with puckers, and puckered up for a kiss." He's fun...

Dina

more details would be needed in order to offer solutions/advice.
how did you put your sandwich together?
did you thread, pin or spray baste?
are you using a walking foot or hopping (free motion foot)?
are you starting in the center and working out toward the edges of the quilt?
are you smoothing/checking often to ensure everything is smooth & taut?
have you practice,practice, practiced on small practice pieces before starting on a whole quilt?
did you lengthen your stitch length a little bit & loosen the tension?
details on how you did these things and pictures of trouble areas will make it possible for people to offer solutions.

Dina.....I loved your hubbies response! ckcowl....you brought up some very great questions! Astramorgaine...I am so glad that I am not a perfectionist, I end up with puckers more often than not. I have tried pinning, thread basting and spraying. The only method that I have ended up with the least amount of puckers is when I use Elmers Washable School Glue to baste. It is the method that I started using about a year ago and my quilting just continues to improve.

I hope that you find the solution you are looking for! Have fun and try not to get to frustrated, remember that quilting in all stages should bring us happiness and joy.

There are two things I do to prevent puckers.

First, I heavily starch the backing fabric before layering, using a 1:1 solution of Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch and water. I "paint" this on with a large wall painting brush until the fabric is saturated, toss in dryer, then iron with steam. This stiffens the backing fabric so it is unlikely to stretch or distort, and makes it difficult for the fabric to fold over itself.

The other thing I do is spray baste with 505. This provides an all-over connection for the three layers unlike, say, pins at every 4". This continuous "glue" prevents the layers from shifting.

If I don't use fusible spray or Elmer's glue I tape the backing Dow to something before pinning. No puckers.

Thank you all so much! I always practice with a scrap sandwich but I haven't tried the basting spray yet, something I plan to soon. I am going to try the starch, tape it taught, re pin and get it right today :) I will let ya'll know how it goes.