Need help with machine quilting...
 

ok, i am going to machine quilt a small baby blanket... do you ladies, baste it first? use spray ? or pin yours? do i start from the middle and go out?? never did this before.......

Yes, baste it. Use your method of choice. I like spray basting the best, but others will have other thoughts on that. Do what works for you.

I usually start in the center and work out. This is best for me because I'm not an excellent baster. It let's me chase all the wrinkles out to the edge.

A walking foot help immensely, but it can be done without one.

I also suggest starching the backing very well. That seems to help me with puckers.

I either spray baste, homemade spray baste, or use Elmer's Washable School glue. I start in one corner and work around the outside of the quilt working towards the middle. I get lost when starting in the middle. Good luck!

I used to pin mine but when I found out how easy spray was I now do only that.

I never really got into using spray adhesive. Worried about how it would affect my older Bernina. I am a bit old fashion so I pin baste the quilt. Always start from the center and work your way out to the edges. That is what all the machine quilting books teach. Good luck and just take your time. Keep checking the back of the quilt as you go.

I prefer spray basting because it holds the layers together better. I also like to heavily starch the backing before layering (and also spray starch the top) because starch stabilizes fabrics so they are less likely to stretch and create tucks and puckers while machine quilting.

With machine quilting you want to think about keeping starts and stops at the edges of the quilt if you design allows this. If I am doing lines, I will start in the middle of an edge and work my way to the opposite edge for the first line of stitching. If doing lines in both directions, my second line of stitching would be going the opposite direction -- again from edge to edge. This stabilizes the center. From there, I work out from the initial lines -- always starting and stopping at an edge. In other words, I make a big + or X first with quilting lines, then work out from those.

Machine quilting
 

After you have basted your sandwich together... If you have borders, I would stitch in the ditch all your border seams first, it keeps them square and straight as well as run a basting stitch around the outside edges, a hair less than 1/4" to keep your edges from going wavey on you as when you quilt the center, it will scrunch up your sandwich a bit and it just makes it easier to get a nice flat binding edge later.

I have switched to using washable school glue for basting. You don't stick yourself, there's no bad odor, and it's cheap. If you aren't familar with this, look at some of the many threads on using it. Many people are trying it and giving up pins.

Make sure you use WASHABLE SCHOOL glue, you can use Elmer's or a generic. But don't made the error of just grabbing any bottle of Elmer's and using it. I use two-for-a-buck school glue from the dollar store.

I like it so much that I could go on about it, but see what others say.

Tate

I pin baste my quilts, starting in the middle and working out. When starting to quilt I SITD around all the blocks, then I quilt inside each block. Seems to keep things straight and doesn't shift. Maybe when I grow up and really know how to quilt I will work in a different way.

After basting my first quilt with school glue, I never looked back at spray basting or pins.....it holds wonderful until the quilting is done....then all washes out!.....if you use enough glue (and either iron dry or air dry before quilting), you can start quilting anywhere because the fabrics will not shift or pucker.....there are several tutorials here on the board.....I don't know what pattern you have for the top, but a couple stabilizing rows of quilting will make you feel better and give you some guidelines for any fmq.....diagonal lines or cross hatching is very easy for baby quilts (just use a long straight edge and a washable marker).....