the back side of the quilt - how to make it behave
#11
Pinkcastle - do you "paint" over the whole area - or it is a hit and miss approach? Since I have been doing a lot FMQ on my domestic - I'm seriously thinking of using this method and I dislike stopping to remove pins too. Thanks.
#15
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Sonoma County, CA
Posts: 4,299
For me, when I get puckers it means I didn't tape my backing down well enough. I'm not as young (or as light) as I used to be and doing all those deep-knee bends to tape down and then baste a quilt just kill me after awhile so I start skipping steps and then I get puckers. I'm going to switch my methods and try something I learned from a Leah Day class on Craftsy - she bastes up on a pair of folding tables and uses lengths of elastic wrapped around the legs to give tension - she pins the elastic to the backing so the elastic is keeping things nice and taut.
#16
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 16,042
I haven't had a wrinkle or pucker worry since I started using Elmer's School glue. The fabric isn't going anywhere and it's so simple to pull apart and if I need to. I had quilt basted with the glue for over 3 months. I decided I didn't like the backing so just pulled it right off, re glued the backing I wanted. The glue washes out completely, non toxic. It's really a heavy starch product.
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Reno, Nevada
Posts: 794
ONE THING THAT HASN'T BEEN MENTIONED: (Often we overlook the obvious) You are working from the center out, aren't you? There is no getting around that and it automatically accommodates the miniscule adjustments that might be needed.
Hope this helps.
#19
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
I too would advise changing from safety pins for basting to either basting spray or Elmer's glue. Think about spray basting. When you use this, all three layers are continuously "glued" together. With pins, no matter how closely you pin, the three layers touch only where the pins are. No matter how careful you are, each pin is bound to take up a little more or a little less of one of the layers. For basting, you really cannot beat having continuous contact between layers.
Another thing that helps tremendously, even if you pin baste, is heavily starching the backing fabric before layering. Starch stabilizes the backing fabric so it is much less likely to stretch or move as you handle it. I recommend a 1:1 solution of Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch and water (the heaviest starch I have been able to use efficiently). What I do is "paint" this solution onto the backing fabric using a large wall painting brush (the kitchen island works great for this job), wait a couple of minutes to make sure the fabric fibers have had an opportunity to absorb the starch, toss in the dryer, then iron with steam.
Another thing that helps tremendously, even if you pin baste, is heavily starching the backing fabric before layering. Starch stabilizes the backing fabric so it is much less likely to stretch or move as you handle it. I recommend a 1:1 solution of Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch and water (the heaviest starch I have been able to use efficiently). What I do is "paint" this solution onto the backing fabric using a large wall painting brush (the kitchen island works great for this job), wait a couple of minutes to make sure the fabric fibers have had an opportunity to absorb the starch, toss in the dryer, then iron with steam.
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 781
I still use pins and clamp to a table. I have yet to have a wrinkle on the back. But then, I don't stretch things really tight either, probably because it's more work.
I can't bring myself to baste with adhesives, neat as it sounds, because I am not convinced that some glue doesn't end up in the batting after washing.
Hugs,
Charlotte the skeptic
I can't bring myself to baste with adhesives, neat as it sounds, because I am not convinced that some glue doesn't end up in the batting after washing.
Hugs,
Charlotte the skeptic
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marsye
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06-10-2010 03:59 PM