Why can't anyone come up with a better way to baste?

I bought the fusible batting this week and tried it, it was awful! :twisted: Just when everything was smooth and ironed and stuck together, I started quilting in the center and the whole thing came apart! Yikes! :evil:

I use basting spray (505) but it is difficult to control the spray.

I pin baste small projects, we know the chore to take the pins out.

I haven't sew-basted because I think all those long stitches would drive me bonkers!

I think someone needs to invent a paint on glue substance to baste with - something that washes out but will hold the layers together...

I've asked my local longarmers about basting a quilt for me and they just laugh! It seems this is just Not Done in this neck of the woods :shock:

Any more ideas????

thats a shame that your longarmers dont baste,My sister just gave her king size quilt to a lady her that is an award winning longarmer and she took it no problem,my sister is going to hand quilt this one.Have you asked the members on the board here who are longarmers if they baste? I hate basting too,just did a small lap quilt not fun

I find hand basting relaxing. I put on good music or a movie and baste away. I do it right there at my breakfast bar where there is lots of light. I work on one section at a time and before I know it, half the quilt it done. Then I do the other half in another session. It is a pain to remove the basting, but it's worth it. I just hate the safety pins and the plastic basting gun. When it's time to baste, I grumble and complain, but once I get started, it's relaxing.

Good morning. Looks like we are in for some rain today. Might be a good day for couch sitting and browsing the quiltingboard? You think?
I really don't mind basting. I use pins (the curved safety pins). It is a lot of work but it gives me what I need to get the sandwich on the cutting board. Then I put just one edge on the cutting board and let the rest fall to the floor or bed. I then use straight pins on the section I am ready to stitch. Stitch it, check for wrinkles, and move it back to the cutting board to pin another section. It does take awhile but I really don't mind the process.
Do you hand quilt or machine quilt?

I do both, depending on the quilt and my mood :roll:

Has anyone tried the washaway basting thread. I like the option of not doing the whole quilt at once, that would improve things.

I use the spray (505) and some curved pins. I do it on the kitchen table which I cover with broken down cardboard boxes taped together. I can't stand to do it on the floor (kills my back)..so first I lay down the back..square it to my marks...then I tightly clip that sucker to the table with those big notebook clips from the Dollar Store. Then I lay the batting on top..square...then I peel back a section and spray it lightly and smooth it back down..I work my way around the table doing this...then I do the top the exact same way. I then flip it over and smooth any wrinkles that appeared, then flip it back and pin any "critical" parts. It goes pretty fast and holds together extremely well. Of course, I do grumble the entire time.......

I use the washaway thread when I'm doing trapunto and it does wash away really well when you soak it in water...lightly swishing it around...I don't know how it would work for basting. I think it might be pretty expensive, but might be worth it?? :roll:

I use safety pin covers and a Kwik Klip when I pin bast (no more sore fingers). I use the Kwik Klip to close the pins and to open them when I remove them. It's one of the best quilting investments I've ever made. The clips are tedious to put on, but once they are on you never take them off. I also always store my safety pins open. When you are ready to pin just shake a clump of pins over the area you are working on and they fall right apart. The first site below shows how they work, but the second site has better prices. If you pin baste, you'll wonder how you ever got along without these tools. :D :D :D

http://www.patchworks.com/fingertips.htm

http://www.quiltinaday.com/shoponlin...lay.asp?i=1621

Did you try the Micro Stitch basting tool? I prefer basting with thread but many quilters here use this too.

Maybe you should try the spray again. I've used it with good luck on smaller quilts, but not on a full sized one yet. Many on this board and at my local quilt shop swear by the 505,

Try using some old sheets under the quilt for any overspray and then just throw them in the washer

Hey Minda...I use a grapefruit spoon or crochet hook to open and close my pins...it seems to work. These tools really DO help!