Psych Me up to Sandwich
 

Calling all motivators, cheerleaders, and bootstrap philosophers. Calling anyone who can talk me into sandwiching this baby quilt that I really don't want to sandwich. It's for my granddaughter (in utero) who is a twin, so it's the first of two. It's not like "when you're done, just think....you're done!"

I want to get it sandwiched and the binding sewn to the front side by tomorrow night so that I can take it on the road. Going to visit my sister, so there'll be lots of car miles and "down time" in which to bind it. The baby shower is Sept 15th and it's my hope that both quilts will be finished so I can present them at that time. If not, it's not the end of the world, but it sure is nice to hear all the "oohs" and "aahs" from handmade gifts, right?

So, how do you psych yourself up to sandwich a quilt? I know it's one of the least favorite things for quilters to do.

Takes me less then 30 min for a king size. I use spray basting or glue basting. If I had to pin or thread baste I'd get a job to pay for a LA.

I just finished quilting 16 quilts about 40 something by 60 or so inches. I sandwiched 2 or 3 a day. Now I am machine sewing on bindings. These are for foster kids in my county to be given at Christmas party. These are about 40 or so for this year. After these are done I plan to make more. I love all parts of quilt making and work on them 5-6 hours a day.

To get yourself moving on just one quilt, tell yourself at least you don't have 15 more to go.

Ok, Zozee, you can do this. It will only take a little while. It's only a baby quilt; not a queen -size one. And keep thinking of all those folks who'd love to see it. Come on, Rah, Rah, Rah, you can do it!! Then you can post pictures here! We would love to see it, too! :)

I try to put together projects to work on when I travel with my DH - I am like you and not crazy about sandwiching quilts either. So just take a deep breath and git 'er done. You will be so happy to have it done and ready to go. Then when they are done - post a picture for all of us to see. Okay?

Well, I did it. It's always worse in my mind. Well, except for a few--they were just as bad if not worse! But this was not bad. I realize now it sounds pretty silly. It's crib size, not queen or king like some of you make. Spray basted (the only way I'll do it ever since I discovered 505 a couple years ago).

Question: do you ever bind before quilting? I don't want to rush the quilting but I want to be able to take this thing with me on Saturday.

not silly at all, from my perspective.
sandwiching is my least favorite step, regardless of the quilt's dimensions.
really, it's like a fork in my forehead. lol?

i'm not sure i'd bind before quilting unless you plan to quilt by hand.
no matter how flat i think i have gotten my sandwich there always seem to be surprises along the way.

Glad you got that part out of the way.

I've never bound one before I've quilted it, but I have added quilting after I've bound a quilt. Perhaps you could do enough to stabilize it and then bind it and then finish off the quilting wherever you're taking it on Saturday?

Watson

Yes, I have bound before completing the quilting. I stitched in the ditch down each element in a grid, then around the outside, I finished the binding, then went in later and quilted more. I did this to my row by row license pate quilt where I needed to add more plates as I collected them, I did not want an incomplete quilt for years as I collected the plates. Worked out great.