I need your expert opinion please :)
 

Hello everyone,

If you have a moment, would you please tell me if you baste, spray or pin your quilt sandwich and why you chose your preferred way? I am in the process of quilting a baby quilt (my first) but I am getting stabbed, scratched and beat up by the pins I used to hold it in place. This is the way I was taught, but I know there are other ways and I want to be open to them, but would appreciate you sharing your experiences. Thanks so much. :)

Although I don't claim to be an expert, I will share what I do. I pin. All my pins have the little "jackets" and I use the Kwik clip tool. Never have pin pricks, it is quick and I don't get bunching on the back.

I do spray small things sometimes, but I don't like the fumes and mess so I don't do it often.

You need to use bent safety pins designed especially for basting quilts or just tack all over in 4 inch squares.

For a baby I would not use glue. Straight pins are not for basting.

I spray baste all mine after I learned about 505 basting spray. Will never pin again.

You can buy the bent safety pins at Wal-Mart, or at least that is where I got mine. MUCH better than straight pins! Ouch!!

Dina

I spray baste for the most part. I generally toss in a few safety pins near the edges.

As far as people worrying about the spray basting being a chemical, I figure by the time it's washed a couple of times there won't be any more chemical from that than all the other stuff used in the manufacturing process.

I HATE to pin baste an entire quilt. I can't seem to use a closer tool properly and end up wearing all the skin off my fingers. While quilting, removing pins is a bother, too.

This is what I do athugh I do put pins on the corners just to make sure they don't fold over. I have problems with my hands and so I pin as little as possible.

Ah, now there's a thought! Curved pins.....hmm.....I will have to checked into that. See? I didn't know that straight pins were not for basting. Thus the reason for soliciting your opinions! :).

One of the best tings I discovered was spray basting, love it never looked back!

I spray baste or glue baste. Both these methods have made a big difference in the quality of my quilting on my DSM. I do use pins (bent safety pins) on some of my bigger quilts after I spray baste. There has been a lot of discussion, both pro & con, on this board about spray basting but I love it!

I use washable school glue for all sandwiching. It is fast, easy and cheap! It is also very effective in keeping the layers together....no fabric shifting, so no tucks or pleats. It washes out 100% when washed in warm water/detergent. I vowed never to use any other method once I discovered washable school glue.

I agree with Tartan and do both. I also use clips the red ones or the ones that you put in your hair (much cheaper) to hold the three backing, batting, top together as I iron after either spraying or using the fusible quilt batting.

I spray baste all my quilts with 505 spray. Used to pin, but am not going back.
I tape my backing down, layer the batting on top, smooth it all out, layer the quilt top on, smooth it all out, then peel back half of the quilt, spray, smooth it out then the other half, with both the batting and top layers.
Never have had a problem with any shifting or anything.

Oh, I do carefully check all the corners to make sure that they are sticking and respray that small portion if needed.

Because of the fragrances, I spray baste very little. Have to step out of the room and it has to be early in the day sot the smell doesn't make my DH have an asthmatic attack. I used the curved safety pins and instead of closing them use the little foam pin guards. Look like little erasers tips from pencils.

I hate pin basting, since I tried the spray basting, that's usually the way I do it, otherwise, I'll thread baste.

I like spray basting even though they all smell, some say 505 doesn't but i find it smells just as bad to me guess I am sensitive. It does help to be outdoor but you can do it inside provided you have a lot of ventilation windows/doors open

I used the bent safety pins made for quilting. I do have some basting spray, but have not gotten brave enough to use it yet. I guess I should do that on a small project to get used to it. I feel sure I'd love using it.

I love my 505 to spray baste :) I have done up to a queen sized quilt with no problems

I do the spray basting and then I pin loosely - I don't always use the same spray and some spray holds a lot better than others so I just do it. I use a little wooden gadget to close the pins. It saves the fingers big time. It's called a Kwik Klip.

I know I'm a bit of the old school, but I pin and then hand baste.

often I thread baste- no *over spray-mess* from spraying; goes much faster (for me) than pinning & easier to remove than pins too...although at times I do just grab some bent safety pins for a small project- or for around the edges if I used a fusible batt (which is a second choice over thread basting) but most often I thread baste

Once I discovered spray basting (I use the June Tailor brand from JoAnn's) it eliminated all the wrinkles and tucks I had on my backings. I used to hand-baste every four inches all across and down and diagonally and it was a real pain. I don't find that the spray has much odor at all, and I spray on my wood laminate floor. Once the over-spray dries it is easily wiped off with orange oil cleaner.

And the spray basting doesn't gum the needle? I use it for my machine embroidery and that doesn't gum up the needle, but it's only a small area. This is much larger so I am just checking. I may try a combination, but will definitely look into those curved pins and eraser type things to start with. So appreciate your honest feedback! Thanks!

I use straight pins to baste big quilts. I use Pinmoors with the pins and never get stuck. I have tried all the make do items to use but nothing works better for me then the actual Pinmoor. The fine pins slip right in and stay until I take them out. I now use a Pinmoor with every straight pin I use. I use long fine pins for basting. If you have to push the pin through the layers the pin is too dull. I have started using Elmer's washable school glue. It's fast and easy for a bigger quilt. The basting spray is too messy for me.

I am a convert to Elmer's Washable School Glue. I used it on about 6 quilts so far, 2 baby, and working on another baby quilt which I will use it on. so far for me it has washed completely out and has not gummed the needle or interfered with the quilting. I have tried spray basting, which I hate. Hard to control overspray. For years I pin basted or thread basted. This is so much easier and solves the wrinkly back problem for me.

I use Elmer's school glue. I've spray basted a couple of times, but the overspray and fumes really got to me.

I'm another Elmer's School Glue convert. I used to use the pins and it took forever, to get the layers perfectly smooth. With the School Glue, sandwiching the quilt has turned into an actual pleasure! I always wash my quilts, before gifting them, and the Elmer's School Glue washes out completely. I also use it, for binding.

I use the Warm & Natural/White cotton batting; not sure if it'd work well with poly batting.

Ditto Woody here! Yep that is the best basting spray on the market in my opinion and I have tried several. This is the easiest and fastest way to do your quilt and the spray washes out in the first wash with no residue.

If you really dont want to do the spray, and to avoid all the pins and pricks and safetypins, you can always do the old fashinioned way of basting with needle and thread. A friend of mine still does hers this way all the time. She does rows, then cross from corner to corner. I don't have the patience for that, but she has beautiful results.

I have used almost all of the possible methods to baste, and spray basting with 505 won for me hands down! That is what I would recommend to a newbie. It is worth every penny. (1) It is fast. (2) It is easy. (3) If you make a mistake, it is easy to re-position. (4) It holds all layers in continuous contact with each other -- unlike pins, which make contact only every 4 inches or so -- and this pretty much ensures the layers won't shift on you while machine quilting. (5) It is removed in the first wash, which again saves time.

When I pin-basted with safety pins (small brass pins are the best; brass won't rust if your quilt happens to stay pinned for a decade or so in the forgotten UFO pile), a pin I didn't see got caught on my very expensive Bernina walking foot and ruined the spring in it. That's when I decided to finally try spray basting.

If you decide to spray baste, definitely read some of the old threads about it. Using a good technique and using the best basting spray you can find (for me that is 505 for a variety of reasons) makes the process almost magical. Without good technique, you learn everything the hard way (as in ending up with batting fluff stuck all over you :D ).

Edit: Elmer's school glue basting is newer than spray basting. If I couldn't spray baste, I would definitely try the Elmer's glue basting method.

I usually pin baste (with safety pins - straight or bent - whichever is handy). If it's a king-sized quilt I'll likely thread baste so as to not add all the weight of the pins. I hand quilt so don't have issues with dealing with removing the pins during machine quilting.

What is a Pinmoor? And I bought some washable Elmer's glue but I'm not how to use that so on the shelf it sits.

i use W&N cotton batting as well. It makes the baby quilts so soft. I think I may need a tutorial on the Elmer's glue before I'm brave enough to give it a whirl. I'm going to look on you tube. :)

all excellent advice. Btw, thanks for making me chuckle. I loved the humor in 'stayed pinned for a decade or so in the forgotten UFO pile)!!!! That made me laugh out loud and today that's a good thing because the morning was not the best so thanks for helping the smile to return to my face! :D

I spray baste all the time. Hate to use pins of any kind because i am always pokeing myself either putting them in for taking them out. I mostly make baby quilts when i quilt and stuff. I do wash the quilts a couple of times before giving it to the mom however just to be on the safe side.

I have done both spray baste and safety pinning. I find spray basting works like a miracle... no matter how much I twist and bunch and flop the quilts around. I also find the smell of some overwhelming...and while I do like 505 I find it sort of expensive. The quilt I am working on now I am pinning with brass safety pins.. but not really sure how far apart to place the pins. I am really curious about the Elmer's school glue technique. Can someone explain that technique to me? Or point me to a thread that does explain it? Thanks

Hey, Lovequilting22, I just realized you are pregnant. If using basting spray, you really want good ventilation -- even more so in pregnancy. So, if at all possible, you want to use it outside in the open air. This applies even to the basting sprays that do not smell so bad (such as 505).

meyert, here's a link to a tutorial on basting with Elmer's glue:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...e-t208057.html

I've been spray basting with Sullivan's spray, it's stinky, so it's better done outside or somewhere with good ventilation.

I've been meaning to try glue basting, but haven't yet. I used to pin baste with safety pins, but I had problems with pleats (folds) appearing on the back side. I don't get that with spray basting.

I use the safety pins too, they work great!!