Originally Posted by Diana Rainer
Thank you, Prism! I did read something about spray starch, but it must not have stuck in my head. I'll find it again, and reread! Also, I do use polyester batting. So you're suggesting starching both top & bottom, using the spray adhesive, and then the water soluble thread?
I've never used that particular combination but, if I were going to try it, that's what I would try. You might want to find someone here who has actually done it that way -- or at least used spray basting with starched backing and top and polyester batting.
Any chance you would switch to an 80% cotton batting? My softest, longest-lasting quilts were made with 100% cotton batting so I'm very partial to it. I'm one of those who doesn't like Warm 'n' Natural for comfy quilts, though -- too stiff a drape. It's great for wall-hangings because of its stability (the needlepunched scrim), but I like old-fashioned 100% cotton with no scrim for quilts that are going to get heavy use. With a cotton batting, you wouldn't need to machine baste with invisible thread; basting spray loves cotton batting. I have never had a shifting problem with basting spray even when the backing has been heavily starched, but I think the reason is that cotton batting.