Wow. Thank you everyone for the responses. I've never heard of basting or sandwiching before so I will definitely look into both of those now! Thank you again so much! :D

I'm surprised no one mentioned glue basting. You use WASHABLE school glue to form your quilt sandwich. Most people use Elmer's brand. You can find many threads on here about glue basting. But you must be sure to use WASHABLE glue, it'll say so right on the label.

Tate

A basic beginning quilting class would help you a lot. Besides getting hands on help, you would meet other people new to quilting.

You have a very pretty quilt started. Just listen to all the good advice and take your time. I love the fabric you have chosen. You've started really well. Just be sure and smooth everything out by pressing and spray basting or pinning. Keep smoothing it as you go. If you don't, you'll have little pleats and puckers everywhere.

wow, what an undertaking... quilting by hand that is. I love your yellows and blues.

I don't piece by hand so I'm not sure how it SHOULD look, but it seems like you may not have pressed the seams before quilting. Perhaps I'm wrong and the photos just don't show it. But when I machine piece, I press, press, press. I know some folks will tell you finger pressing is good enough, but I've found that I need to press with an iron . This will help your top lay flat. Continue on with everyone else's advise to watch YouTube videos on pinning and/or basting before you start to quilt. If you don't have access to a class, a videos are a good substitute. Nothing beats actually watching someone demonstrate a technique. Your color selection is very cute, BTW.

Just a note about spray basting (which is the only way I do my quilts now). My DDL and I (if you don't have room/space) use a very large sheet (or two). We lay the pieces out on the garage floor on top of the sheets. Lay the batting down first, then the backing on top, fold the backing half way and spray the batting, smooth the batting with your hands to be sure it has no wrinkles, repeat on other end. Now turn batting and backing over and lay your quilt on top, be sure it is in the position you choose and then pull half back on itself, spray, smooth quilt carefully, then do the other end. We have used this method and it works great. We machine quilt but I do not see any reason that it would not work for hand quilting also. FYI. If by chance (ask me how I know this) you have some of your backing and batting showing and it feels "sticky" from the spray, just fold the ends in and cover up those spots. Good luck. Yolanda Wood River

I use this method too. Start in the middle with your batting on the table, quickly sweep around the glue so it doesn't build up. If there are gobs here and there just smear them. Put on the backing, smooth and iron nice and flat. Continue until the backing is on then flip and so the same for the top. It will be nice and flat because you ironed it that way and no slipping or sliding. You do need to wash out the glue at the end of binding. Remember a little glue goes a very, very long way!

Wow! Beautiful quilt and I'm impressed that you are doing it all by hand! I love hand quilting, but mostly use a machine for piecing. Here is a great tutoral for layering and basting your quilt for hand quilting or machine quilting. If I were using this method for hand quilting, I don't think I would starch the back as she suggests, since it may make it a little harder to quilt. I like to use an 18" quilting hoop to so the hand quilting. (It's like a giant embroidery hoop, but much sturdier.) Make sure the quilt it taut in the hoop, but not stretched too tight. If you have more questions for an experienced hand quilter, I would love to help. You may private message me.

Here is the link to the tutoral: This is the first of several. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhwNylePFAA Hope it helps you.

I love the colors in your quilt. It will be a very pretty quilt when finished.