Ok I have a very basic question. How do you put your quilts together? I think it is called sandwitching? How do you keep the three layers together to machine stitch or stitch in a hoop?

I sandwich my quilts with 505 basting spray. It is a temporary, washable spray that will hold the 3 layers together while you sew them.
I take my quilts over the the church and push tables together and my Dh helps me spray and sandwich them.
Let me look for a link I posted a while back about using a wall in your home to do this....

http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/blog.php/blog_id/2566

http://www.ehow.com/video_4437824_ma...ich-quilt.html
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-32653-1.htm
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-1580-1.htm
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-18347-1.htm
I don't have to sandwich my quilts, but these looked helpful.

I have a large craft table. First I find the center of the backing fabric and place a heavy pin in the exact center (on the right side of the fabric). Then I lay the backing, right side down on the table and and clamp or tape this fabric to the table. Make sure the fabric is taut (not tight, but taut).

Then lay the batting on top and spread it out. I often clamp the batting to the table, too. Lastly, center the quilttop on the backing-and-batting piece. Make sure the quilt top is facing up. Locate the center of the top and match it up with the pin on the right side of the backing fabric. This will ensure that your rabric is square on the back and batting. I don't clamp the top, but take care to spread it out evenly.

Once your fabric is secure in layers, start pinning from the center out. First pin the center. Then pin parallel and perpindicular across the center of the quilt, making sure the top is hand smoothed for taughtness and location (make your lines straight). After your cross lines are pinned, start pinning in each section. Make sure your pins are less than a hand print away from each other (you should feel at least one or two pins when you lay your hand flat).

Pin all the wayout to the border. You may find yoy need to adjust the border pins a bit when you get to the border, but that's okay.

When your whole quilt is pinned, remember to remove the lare pin on the underside of your quilt. It can damage a needle if sewn over accidently.

I machine quilt, so from here I quilt and take the pins out as I go.

I then sew much the same way. First I sew an anchor stitch the width and length of the quilt. Then I stitch whatever pattern in whatever sequence tht makes sense.

Hope this helps someone.

sounds exactly like what I do

just go to www.sharonschamber.com--------wonderful!!

I lay mine out on my living room floor. First tape down the backing (wrong side up) Then I spray that with basting spray. Lay your batting on top of that and smooth out any wrinkles. Spray that with basting spray. Then lay the top out on that (right side up) and smooth that out. Ready to go. If you would rather pin or baste it layer it the same way but tape down the batting and top also. Than pin it. Use lots of pins.

Does the basting spray hold it enough on its own without using pins? I am just learning to machine quilt and I am doing small things just to get the hang of it. I sprayed the layers and did not pin. But since it was so small it was fine. As I am getting the hang of meandering, I am thinking the pins would make it hard to stop and start.

Well Thank you for your answers!

I spray baste with KK 2000.... awesome spray... in a small can but just as much there as the bigger cans and a green safe product. Will not hurt the ozone. do not have to spray it out side, take very little. http://www.sulky.com/adhesives/index_adhesives.php

A very nice product and great to use for appliques also. or to hold trim to stitch and dosen't gum up the needles.

All I can say IS TRY IT YOU WIll Like IT LOL

Just couldnt resist OL

ConnieF