Originally Posted by
cindi
Basting across definitely has it's advantages. The quilt can't draw up in the middle as you quilt it. I use magnetic bars on the belly bar as I quilt, so it stays straight and I don't need to do quilting across the quilt. You can purchase these for about $5/bar at Harbor Freight. I have three, as I normally do lap quilts. I don't baste the entire quilt, though, as I float my quilts.
I also have the magnetic bars and love them. I got them at Harbor Freight. They are the right design. The Home Depot and Lowes have a lip on them that you don't want because it won't lay flat.
What I really wanted to say is; depending on the quilt, I often baste the entire quilt before I start quilting because I will want to roll (on a Longarm) my quilt back and forth several times to quilt different areas (using the same thread or same motif) before I make changes. If the quilt is not entirely basted you cannot roll the quilt backward more than the width of your quilting area that is not basted. (I hope that makes sense).
Tip: When basting the entire quilt, you must continue to check the back to make sure you do not get pleats in the backing (depending on your batting). Ellen