:oops:

I hate this part too. But I just keep telling myslef it will soon be over.....it will soon be over.....it will soon be over....

I do the same thing! I hate crawling on the floor to baste, so I use a couple of card tables. I just purchased a larger folding table, so hopefully that will be even better.
Blessings,
MaryAnna

Who has a table large enough!? I took my project up to my church's fellowship hall and put together several tables to get a large enough surface. Then I climbed on top to get to the center to start basting. I'm 60 years old - not so young and not so old. It still was a challenge but I got it done. I don't think I'll be making anything as large as a queen-size spread again, though!

It's my least favorite part because of the back ache I get.

Here is the link for spray basting on the wall, by Patsy Thompson. This is what I will be doing, but I am going to put the foam insulation 4x8 sheets. http://www.patsythompsondesigns.com/free-video/

I have a big laundry table. It is long but it is not wide. I center the backing material, and clip it to the table with big clips (I think you could get some at staples) After I get it all smooth, I put on the batting, and the the top, pin the top, and then move the quilt along each side (one side at a time) I works out pretty well, but I do hate it too.

:D I also have a space problem and have used my king sized bed successfully. However it still kills my back leaning in to the center to pin when making a queen or king quilt. I have asked my local library if I can use their meeting room if it is available and they usually have workshop tables that I can put together. This works the best for me. Also I too, have switched to spray. It's been fabulous. I don't have to used too much and it really holds well. I then place a few strategic pins for extra security. It cuts down my "sandwiching" time by 75%. I also use masking tape to tape the backing and batting down to the tables. This make it much easier as well.

Hate making quilt sandwiches also. :twisted:

Sandwiching is definitely my least favorite part. My DH usually helps me with the larger quilts.

Oh boy do I hate it. I always end up with it crooked somehow. Sigh. I have a king size bed also but it kills my back to use it too.

I do not like it either. In fact I hate it. I can't stand up for more than 2 or 3 minutes, I can't crawl on my knees and the whole process just makes me out of breath (COPD)as well. So now I have decided to quilt in sections that I can handle easily, QAYG type thing.

Go to susan shamburg.com She has a terrific method of sandwiching the quilt. Doesn't take up much room. I've done this with my last 3 quilts and it's wonderful. Goes very quickly - uses no tape - no stretching of the fabric.

Oh, I forgot to add that I am thinking of using my Flynn frame just to baste the quilt as well. That way I can do the whole quilt at the same time and then put it on my hoop. I don't want to use the Flynn frame to quilt on, because I like the fact the the hoop swivels and so it is easier for me to hand quilt with these poor arthritic hands of mine. And believe me, I don't want to use the frame to machine quilt. blech

I too have a lot of quilt tops to sandwich but don't have the room to do it. I feel bad with so many "quilts-in-waiting" that I could gift for family. I don't belong to a church or and organization to where I could use their long tables for that purpose. Maybe start going back to church again. Think maybe there's a devine message in there for me? :roll:

Maybe I'm a whimp, but I let the sandwiching up to my quilter - she provides the batting I want - and she does the work when she machine quilts my top and backing! No problem! :)

EasyPeezy - That's how I baste my quilts except I thread baste. Hope you will enjoy the process as much as I do. I find it very relaxing.

Add me to the list. I have more tops than quilts.
I use the same method as EasyPeezy, but I start in the middle. I have a JoAnn 60"X30" table. I use metal office clips to hold everthing to the table. If my hands work, I hand baste. But if the hands are hurting, I pin baste. Then I move from side to side to finish. It takes me a whole day (12 - 14 hours). I do mostly bed size quilts - full to king size.

Not sure if another member has already posted this but I've found the only way I can put a sandwich together is on a large bed which I cover with about 3 yards of the heaviest vinyl Walmart sells. It is pretty wide and the sandwich slips around to come to me as I spray and/or pin baste it. I use my rolling office chair instead of my wheelchair to get around the sandwich when I need to. For me, this works well and the spray (used sparingly) does not coat the floor or bed.

Oops, dbl post. Sorry.

I hate sandwiching almost as much as binding. Truth be told I'm not that fond of quilting either. The children's quilts I can manage on my JoAnn's table. I used to pin the larger ones on the tables at my adult ed's quilting class but all personal enrichment classes have been cancelled because CA is broke. I have 2 30x60 folding tables to put together and elevate on bed risers to do larger quilts. Because this has to be set-up in the living room, I can't finish quickly enough for my husband.

I go to my church and use tables in the fellowship hall. It makes it easier. I usually do three or four while I am there. That means a I have a lot of safety pins, but I don't mind. My DH even goes and puts the tables on blocks so that I don't have to bend as much.

I don't like doing big ones either. I guess that's why I have had four quilt tops hanging in a closet for several years.

It's not too bad. I get on the floor. I use fusible batting and pins and then iron it while it's on the floor on one side and then iron the other side. I leave the pins. Ironing helps with the puckers on the back. Each time I've done this, there were no puckers.

I use my dinning room table, prefer the 'hard surface' over the bed. Sometimes it is so easy, I laugh at myself...and other times it can take me days, because for whatever reason nothing squares up and I have nothing but wrinkles. Weither it be the quilt top, the batting, the backing or my frame of mind (?) nothing works...thats when I step away and go do something else....some times for a day or two, and when I go back....everything is ok....I think a lot of us expect the sandwiching to be a quick and simple event, and it is not...you need patience to get everything flat and smooth...

I just like the sewing and putting the blocks together, after that not much happens, unless I send it out for machine quilting. I used to hand quilt but that takes too long.

Not only my cat but the dog too! She (dog) thinks she's helping to hold it down for me when she sits on the quilt, but her tail wagging messes up the layout. the cat just thinks he has new toys to run into/on/under to attack the dog. :)

it hurts my back no matter where I do it...even when I put it on a bed.

About the time I'm crawling around on the floor trying to sandwich my quilt is about the same time I'm swearing "this will be the last one of these things I ever make!" But then time passes and I see too many cute things on this board. Working on the bed sounds like a much better idea.

I bring mine to work and spray baste, then I can lay it over my long table and pin/hand baste. I don't have a floor big enough at home.

I tape the backing to the floor, then put on fusible batting and the top. I iron the sandwich while it's still on the floor, let it cool so that the fusible batting fuses properly and then turn it over and iron the other side, from the middle out. I've discovered it works well for me, as long as the felines don't "help" me too actively!

That sounds like a great way.
Thanks for the suggestion.

I usually take mine to my sister's house. She has a ping-pong table in the basement that works well and she always helps me, but it is still my least favorite thing to do.

The same for me........
But still it's the part I like least

;-)

I hate spray basting, but it is better than the alternatives. I accidentally turned the nozzle the wrong way and basted my left arm to my side. To funny

For those of you who baste on a bed - how do you get it to be tight enough? (I use pins - maybe I couldn't do that on a bed.) But it still doesn't seem that a bed is solid enough to smooth and smooth and smooth on. hmmm...

That's one of the reasons I bought my LA...I can't do the floor deal either.

You are right, it isn't solid enough. I can smooth the middle ok but not the edge. So I quilt the middle then reposition the edge on a harder surface. I need a bigger area to do all this spray basting. I think I will call the community center and see if I can use a couple of their tables next time.

I use the bed too. Works for me.

WOW---good hints!

I make the top and hand it over to my long-arm quilter