When I was 30 and putting the 'sandwich' together, I sat on the floor, taped the backing down, laid out the batting and then the top and then I basted all while on my hamds and knees. Well, now, almost 40 years later, I do not sit on the floor for much -- my knees are not what they were and my dining table is not large enough. I have been know to use the tables at the church hall and to beg help from friends with more table room than I, but that is not always convenient.
Yesterday I laid a twin size quilt across our bed (a double), slid a smooth piece of wood under it and basted -- OK, but not ideal. Others must be in this position -- any ideas?

Mary

I have always used the floor for my quilts. I use safety pins.

I too once knelt on the floor and like you have knees that would weep if I tried that these days.
I distribute the blocks on the floor and move them around with a long dowel til I have an arrangement I like.
Better is when the large conference room at my library is not being used and I can shove a bunch of long tables together.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhwNylePFAA
This might be of interest.:)

I use our pool table. My husband has it covered with a board so the felt is protected. Haven't played much pool lately, though because the board is heavy.

I have always used to floor, it is a killer I know.
JulieM

Some pin it to the wall :D:D:D

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It sure is interesting to me. I have some long pieces of plastic baseboard that would work nicely for this on my bed. I usually put a big pice of cardboard on it first. Biggest flat space in my small house, except for the floor which my knees refuse to do.

OK, here goes, this works for me. Even though my dining room table is not always large enough, I work from the center out when pining or basting. Once the center is stabilized I pull it whatever direction I need to go to finish the sides, top and bottom. Remember to put something on the table to protect it from pins and needles.

I use the kitchen table too. It has two leaves and is pretty long, of course not wide enough; but I make it work as the floor and knees are not for me.

Ditto...I use my mom's pool table for bigger ones. It's perfect and mom loves seeing what I'm doing. Besides, she lives right next door!

I use the wall in the hallway I do not care if there are pin marks!

I have six, 6 ft. tables that I push together to prepare my quilts for quilting. I always leave two of the tables up in my sewing room and store the other four in a closet until I need them. I purchased them for $36 each at Target when they were on sale. They are awesome for quilting and for using as buffet tables during the holidays when the entire family comes together. :)

Another idea that my cousin used is to buy a piece of plywood (I think she used 1/8 inch) paint it the color of her wall and lean it up against the wall at an angle so it stands by itself. She than uses painters tape to hold the layers on as she sandwichs. She lives in an apartment so this works for her, she can move it with her and no pin holes in the wall.

I bought a cutting table at Joannes when it was 50 plus percent off. I love, love it, it folds nicely. I should have bought two of them. It would be perfect. I paid 39.99 after coupons...its not on sale now....http://www.joann.com:80/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?pageName=search&flag=true&PRODID =xprd830869

I do this as well. It works well for the days when my arthritis is too painful to be crawling around on the floor. I still use the floor on good days but I just use painter's tape to hold it in place on the table.

here is a good idea...and she put the board under her rug when not in use. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1cfZ4mqhbo

I use a banquet table I bought 2nd hand just for basting. I use bull clamps and painters tape to hold the edges as I center it. After I have the center pinned then I unclamp the edges and slide the quilt to one side and pin that one then the other side etc. It works well and no more bending or kneeling.

My DH is a pastor and the church is really really close. We go over there, push a few tables together and he helps me sandwich them. No getting on the floor. If we do a lot, the table are height adjustable and we adjust the height.

I have a Grace EZ quilter no baste frame. Used for handquilting. I load the quilt on that and instead of handquilting I baste it. For smaller quilts/wallhangings I put two fold out tables together (bought at Lowes and stores easy when folded in a closet) and baste with Pinmoors. Basting is the hardest and most dreaded part of making a quilt so I figured out the best way for me to get it done and over with. I found a longarmer who actually knew how to baste a quilt with her machine. She bastes most of my bigger quilts for me now. I had one LA baste some for me and she had puckers and pleats all over it and used a small basting stitch. What a mess.

Dakotamaid is totally right!!
Tape a toothpick on each END of your dining room table in the middle of the width of the table (to mark the middle point).
Fold your backing in half to find the middle and position it precisely onto the toothpick. Match the middle of the quilt back (at both ends of the backing fabric) to the toothpick. Put the right side down, of course.
Let extra fabric fall on either side of the table.
Now put your batting onto it.
Now put your quilt top onto it. Match the middle to the toothpick.
Each time, for each layer, make sure the middle is matched to the toothpick for each layer.
Smooth out, pin with lots of safety pins, or baste with extra large stitches. Move from the center to the sides. It's very easy.
You have sandwiched your quilt -- ready for quilting it!!

I use the livingroom floor as a "design floor". It has carpeting, so a bit easier on the knees. However, when I sandwich, I use the tile floor in the greatroom because it is a large space and I can tape the backing to the tile to ensure it is smooth. Depending on the size of the quilt, I sometimes need to continue to lay it on the tile and re-smooth between quilting sessions. I use the kitchen island for smaller quilts. I am approaching 50 and so far have had not had problems with knees and getting up and down from the floor, but I imagine those days will come soon enough!

I'm lucky to have a longarm....no basting, layering or pinning required.

I know some older ladies who get the long arm quilters to baste their quilts together. Then they take it from there.

i do the same the floor and my knees do not like each other!!!!

Same just a table and work out

I go down to the library and use their auditorium. Just have to call ahead to see if it is booked for the day. Its free to use the room. Large tables sure make it easy to pin baste the quilts.
In summer time, I have 4 saw horses and lay a sheet of plywood on top, then do spray basting on it. Do this on a day there is no wind as I set it up in the back yard. I don't spray baste at the library because I am afraid it will over spray and get on the table or floor.

MarySews,
I do understand. Even though I am not quite 50, I cannot crawl around on the floor-surgeries on feet and ankles. So, what I recommend is what you are doing now, with a twist.

What I do is slide the board under-then use clamps (you can get them from any hardware or walmart) with the rubber ends-three sides to get some tension. Then start basting.

Hope this helps.

We live in a motorhome FT. Barely room for sewing machine. I use the big tables in the community center to sandwich my quilts.

I just read that someone uses a clothes line...this is a wonderful idea. I will try that next time...and do it outside. Now I just need a clothes line...project for the hubby....

I use a double bed, too. It works for me although I do have to take breaks now and then to ease my back. A friend uses a folding table but she puts the legs into risers that she had specially built so that the table is at a height that doesn't strain her back when pinning.

I use the kitchen table also. I tape a toothpick down as a reference point for top center, middle, side center etc. with reference points made on the quilt,backing and batting. A fold lengthwise and crosswise is usually good enough. I think the weight of the quilt, batting and backing hanging off the table helps keep everything squared away. I pin starting from the middle.

I am also a Sharon Schamber fan...

I have a small table that is sitting on a wooden box to make it the right height. I start in the middle and move as necessary.

I use my design wall which is two 4x8 sheets of insulation bought at Lowe's. and I use spray basting---no more pins for me! Both ideas were from members of this board.

It works great. Pin the backing up, spray; add the batting and spray again; then add the top. Smooth everything as you go along.

Roxanne

I havent tried it yet but I was going to suggest the tables put together too. I have the tables and will hopefully try it soon.
Judy

Our LQS had a good setup for putting your quilt back, batt and top together. She had 4 1x2's that she wrapped with a long piece of fabric (I think there was batting underneith). She clamped the corners together to form a square and put the corners on the backs of 4 chairs. It looked like a huge square hoop at waist level. Then you could pin the backing on one side, go to the other side and pin that side. Then you'd do the same on the remaining 2 sides. Once you had the backing stretched you added the batting.... then the top. Once it felt right you would tack the three layers together with safety pins or a gun that put in plastic tacks.

It worked great. I don't know if there are any videos out there like it but I would call to reserve the frame boards and go lay out my quilt when I needed to sandwich it together. Finally, I made a set for myself.... pretty cheap... 4 boards, 4 clamps! I already had the chairs and safely pins.

Now I have a quilting frame set up in my basement..... love it!

I do the same thing, but I use a large foldable table. I lay the quilt centered on the table, tape down and pin, then untape, move the quilt to one side or the other, retape, then pin that section. It works for me and saves my knees. Couldn't get down on the floor with my knees.

There use to be a basting frame sold in catalogs. I haven't seen one listed for years though.

I used to use the floor too, but at 67 and after having had 5 back surgeries, I can not do that without a lot of pain. I either use the church tables or I pin it to the top of my queen size bed . My bed is tall and the matress is in a waterbed frame so it is tall.