I love piecing and quilting and binding....I just hate making that sandwich. I wish I had a wall to do it on. My cutting table just isnt big enough to lay it all on, and I cant work on the floor because it kills my back. I dont have room for a larger cutting table. I think that may be the hardest part...at least for me...but then I am not good enough to do really complicated quilts.

I have a king size bed and lay them out on that to sandwich....I put down an old flat sheet and use basting spray....I will never do another quilt on the floor again and no more pins!

I'm not a big fan, either. I have to sandwich my neice's quilt here pretty soon, so I am thinking of going to the lqs and using their tables to do it. Usually I am down on my knees on the floor. Blech

I can't handle the floor, either. I don't make really large quilts so this works for me. I lay as much of the quilt as will fit on the table and tape it down. What doesn't fit gets taped to the underside of the table. I pin what is on the table and then I remove the tape, move the quilt over for the remainder and tape again. It seems to work pretty well. Might be a problem for a king or queen but I think it would work for pretty much anything else.

That is what I do as well. I haven't had a problem with overspray or any damage to the bed or linens. I do use an old fitted sheet and and old duvet cover.

If you have a large enough bed try it. It works great!

I hate it. I don't baste anymore.. I make the sandwich on the floor and then clip the edges. I put the center of the quilt on my floor frame and quilt the center of the quilt. Then I usually use my wood hoop and work my way around the quilted part. I just make sure everything is smooth and even in the frame/hoop before I start quilting.

I don't know how it works with Machine quilting, tho :) But that's how I hand quilt and it works great. I can make the sandwich in minutes. I do wear knee pads when I am on the floor too lol

I hate that part too.

I volunteered to quilt charity quilts for my guild provided they came to me basted :) (We have lots of women who love to make tops, but fewer who enjoy quilting)

I haste basting too, we don't seem to have any walls I can use, so we are getting the kids ;-) ;-) a table tennis table.
I'm hoping it will work quite well to spray baste on :lol:

I don't really mind it to much yet. Of course I've not made any really large quilts that require me spreding it all out on the floor. I find it soothing to spread the backing fabric out, then the batting and then the top. I spray baste so that help, but I also so secure with safety pins. I just don't want any slipping.

When I get to one I have to do on the floor, then yes I think I will hate it.

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.
http://www.kathykwylie.com/blog/2011...t-in-sections/

I hate basting which is why I've bullied my DH into buying me a gracie, but I found fusible batting a godsend and just started to use spray basting too.

I would just like to add something about the basting with spray. One of the reasons I decided to try it was the 'sandwhich' was getting to be TOO heavy with the three layers AND all of those pins. Not having to deal with the weight of the pins helps with the fatique that comes with muscling a quilt of that size around a DSM.

my biggest problem is my furry helper (cat) that likes to bury himself under each layer as I try to lay them flat. Threatened to sew him into a few quilts, but haven't done it yet.

Add me to the list for whom the layering and basting is least favorite part.

I can't take the spray basting smell or chemicals, so I have to do it the old fashioned way with pins. I do use a pingpong table, which is better than the floor, but it's still a misery, and it's the step that gets me hung up on finishing a quilt. If I could hire someone to do a really good job of it, nice smooth backing, pins reasonably placed -- I would totally pay for that service.

RST

I baste on the bed as well. Hated crawling along the floor to get it done. I've used basting spray only on smaller quilts though - and I back it up with pins.

Add me to that list, too!

i never liked to do it because, after all the work, it was never perfect enough. now, i have a frame - lots easier for me

UUgh.. yes.. making sure the back fabric is ironed without wrinkles, making sure the batting is with out wrinkles helps.. a little bit.... It is what stopss a project flat. I really have to take a deep breath and Just ... do it. :)

This thread inspired me to post on facebook asking for a friend to come over and help me layer and baste my stick of tops in waiting. I offered to barter services -- I'll spend an equal amount of time quilting and finishing, teaching how to make a quilt, or doing some other task for them. Think anyone will take me up on it?

RST

Fly me to Seattle and I will lol :) I loved visiting there last fall.

The quilt sandwich is my least favorite part too! I have learned to take the time to do it properly after too many times of rushing through it with predictably bad results.

I find the floor uncomfortable, but in my case, it makes the best sandwich. So I crack open a glass of wine or take an advil, throw a pillow under my knees and deal with it. Of course, I haven't done anything larger than lap sized, once I get to queen or larger, I won't have a big enough space on the floor to work with. :)

As far as hating it, well, let's just say it is my least favorite part of the quilting process!

And this is why my kitties will be sent to "their" room whenever I reach the point of making a quilt large enough to sandwich on the floor. :)

"their' room is the laundry room. :)

this is my least favourite bit too

You should try the Sharon Schamber method. I'll go grab the youtube link.

Here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhwNylePFAA
Really helpful!

I don't mind for small projects , but I do like that it is one of the many benefits of sending to a Long Arm Pro.

I have a ping pong table and the only thing it is used for is laying out quilts.

I've seen Sharon's method, but I don't get how it works when you are dealing with a queen or king sized quilt. I don't have boards that length, nor do I have space to manipulate (or store) boards that big. I don't have any trouble with layering the small quilts like she demos on. So I've seen that method, I understand it, but I've not felt it helpful for my issues.

RST

RST: that's the best method. When I have a larger quilt - including a large lap siize - a friend and I get together at the school where we both teach. We use the library tables and sandwich away. (she's the librarian) so much better with a buddy!

You will love it!! I had one and found it really great to work on for cutting, sewing and sandwiching. Then hubby decided to give it away one day , and I was just lost without it.

I have three friends on facebook who have taken me up on my offer-- in just under three hours. I may be onto something here!

RST

Definitely not my favorite part!

I hate that part too.

I forgot about this method that Sharon Schamber demos. I think it looks great, BUT if you have anything bigger than a lap, I dont know where I would be able to manuever boards large enough...that is part of the problem..space. Even if I got the large boards, I would need to try to haul them in a car to a library or school.

I saw a method somewhere that looked great. She did it all on a wall(I think she had applied ceiling tiles to the wall), put up newspapers and spray basted the whole thing. I cant remember where, but once again I dont have the wall space to do a large one.

I've been putting off layering my Australian fabric quilt top for a few weeks now. shame on me, but i just hate doing that and the quilting too. it's only 70x70 so I should be able to finish it, just dont' feel like it.
i've been trying to find someone to come give me an estimate on "mud jacking" my long concrete porch back into position. we have clay in the ground here and things shift badly.

That's Patsy Thompson. I think she uses her garage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwV8tUkhxUM

Now that is a great idea - thanks

I agree. Once I've pieced the quilt top I want to move on to the next one. Sandwiching and quilting are my least favorite quilt 'chores'. Therefore I have a lot of quilt tops aka flimsies hanging on my upstairs railing for me to see and enjoy.

On youtube, someone showed a wonderful way to sandwich a quilt top with basting spray on a design wall, using a sheet to protect from 'over spray' , saving your back / knees from the strain of doing it on the floor... I'm lucky enough to have a large design wall but haven't tried it yet.

Yup that's the one I was talking about, but I would prefer to use a large bed sheet instead of newspaper.

I've seen the wall basting and it looks very interesting:)