Which is a better basting gun? I've been doing research with google and now I'm more confused than when I started. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

I've looked at them in passing, but I dont have an answer for u....

I have the Avery Mark III tagging gun for fine fabrics and I really LOVE it!

Before that, I had either the Collins or Dritz brand and the darn thing almost soured me on tagging guns forever. The needle jammed every time I tried to use it and the little key that holds the needle in place came out every chance it got.

I got the one for fine fabrics along with the tags and extra needles on eBay and it works great. I use the 1/4" long barbs/tags and I put the needle down through the quilt and back up to the top before I pull the trigger so that both ends of the barb are on the top side of the quilt.

The barbs hold better this way and they are easier to remove when you're quilting than when you just stab the needle down and pull the trigger.

This is the gun I bought - this seller also has large lots of 1/4" barbs. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=260701109587

The one disadvantage to these finer barbs is that I can't find them in anything but clear. I would love to use red or orange - some color that would stand out on a quilt top.

I've sewn over quite a few of these things because they "hide," even when you rely on your sense of touch to see if you've gotten them all out of the way.

Fortunately, it doesn't hurt your machine when you sew over them - even the fine needles just punch right through them. They're realllllly a pain to get out when they're sewn in, though! :D

i will have to give that a try

"Microstitch" by Avery Dennison. Very efficient, very small tacks leave no marks. There is a small tool to extract them. I've had mine a long while and use it all the time for basting together. You can get black or white tacks.

http://www.fastener.averydennison.co...ct.aspx?id=222

I just bought the microstitch on Overstock.com. Just $25 incl shipping. Thanks for the recommendation.

Hmmmmm. I've wondered about these things. Very tempting. I'd like to hear more. Are they ez on your hands? do they really keep things together? How far apart do you put them?

Can't speak for other brands, but the Microstitch is very easy to use. I usually put a tack about 2 - 3 ins apart - depends on the size of the quilt and weight. And yes they do keep it altogether. The micro tacks for this are very small so the "bar" on them is very small therefore not allowing movement. I think the removal tool is essential though for removing them. I bought a spare needle when I got mine, but the original is still fine after several years.

I had the Dritz one too, and it never worked right. Mine was always jammed up too!

I wore out 2 dritz guns. That's why I'm trying this one.

Should be fine Purplemem - mine has had very heavy use for 3 years and is fine!

Had one when they first came out, it ended up in the garbage where it belonged. May as well of tried to baste with a knitting needle. Sounds like they ahve improved since I had mine.

The Dritz & the Prym are a total waste of money. I have broke three of them. They work for a little while, then jam or parts fall out. or the needle shoots across the room & you can find it. I am thinking the Avery-Dennison might be better. Going to check it out.

Sounds like they are - I've never had any problems like that with the Microstitch.

:lol: Absolutely!

Katrine, thanks for the link to the MicroStitch. If I break this gun, I will try that one.

I should get one of those removal tools - I pick up one crossbar between my fingernails and snip the darn thing with scissors - the tool would probably be a lot faster.

I use the Kwik Klip (Quik Clip?) with the gun and that helps save wear and tear on your hands. (You can use just about anything including the bowl of a spoon or a nutpick handle or screwdriver.)

You just lay the tool on the top, push the needle down and under the backing and back up through the top and over the tool. Push on the tool to move the fabric all the way up the needle before you pull the trigger.

It takes a lot longer to say it than to do it - you can baste a big quilt in nothing flat.

Yes the removal thingy safeguards against cutting a hole in your fabric - all too easy to do when trying to get the tacks out with scissors!
And with the Microstitch, the tacks are smaller, so you only need to go through the layers once - you do not need to bring the needle back up again, it holds securely with just one piercing. And the tacks are small enough to not leave marks/holes in the fabric.
I have a Kwikclip to use with safety pins, but have never had to use it with the gun.

Thanks for all the info so far it sounds like the Micro Stitch is the way to go I'll check into it.

I use Micro Stitch and find it very good. For a very large quilt I add a few safety pins. Weighty quilt once pulled the tacks apart.

Thank you for starting this thread. I have never heard of basting, much less thought of doing it this way.
Thanks also for the link to the gun otherwise would not have had a clue to what this was about. So it looks like I may have another 'tool' in the box soon!!

I have a Dennison and love it. Also use it to keep stacked pieces together for blocks as I'm cutting for a quilt. Keep track of yardage on fabric stash; measure and record amt. on slip of paper and then tag it. Record new amount if I cut from piece.

Don't those things leave a hole in the fabric?

I have the red one, which ever brand that is. I use it more to hold pieces of cut fabric for each block then I ever did to baste. It works okay for basting but made my fingers sore to use it. One thing I did find very useful is the tag cutting gadget. It saved me a lot of time removing the tags and no fear of nipping the quilt.

I have just purchased a tag gun but he didn't have a removal tool - can someone either post a pic of what I am looking for or a link to where I can get one. Thanks for all the info.

No more so than safety pins - maybe even less.

So far, any "holes" in the fabric from safety pins or barbs has nearly disappeared by the time I'm done quilting and I can't find any holes after I've washed the quilt.

This is the one I bought - the MicroStitch tag removers are apparently only sold in the UK. I didn't find a single web site for a company in the US that sells them.

Check ebay for the removal tools.

Oops, I forgot to put the link in my other message - this is the only barb-removal tool I could find online in the US:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=150542726207

Quiltak has the tak removal tool for 6.95

I use the curved manicure scissors, with the curve turned upward.