I used to baste my quilts on the floor, either taping or using T-pins to pin the edges to the carpet. A friend showed me how to baste my quilt on a table and I won't ever do it on the floor again!! LOL (my knees don't like it!) Buy the extra large binder clips from the office supply store. Set up a long folding table and lay the backing over the table, centering it. Clip one side to the table, then pull it taut and clip to the other side and ends. Next, lay the batting over the back, smooth it out and re-clip each binder clip to include the batting. And then lay out the top, making sure it is centered on the backing, smooth it out, and re-clip each clip. Once it is clipped, start pinning! I pin about very 4 or 5 inches. When the center section is done, unclip, slide the quilt sandwich to one side, re-clip, pin, and repeat with the other side. Works perfectly every time!

AWESOME idea!!

That's how I do it, too.

One trick you might want to try to keep it centered:

I tape toothpicks down the center of the table. That way I can feel thru the batting and backing to make sure my top is centered.

I guess I'm still praying that'll it work out!! :lol: :lol:

I do the same thing with my spring clamps and cutting table. Works like a charm and so fast!

Oh! I love this. I can never get it pinned well taped on the floor, I have to sit on a big quilt to get to the middle, its so hard and its still often too loose. I will try this next quilt!

Great thought! I've used painter's tape to hold down the back taut while building my sandwich.

Only problem I found was that sometimes if I pull the back too tight, the material snaps back after I release the tension (upon completion of the pinning). Even though I was pinning one hand width apart (about 4"-5"), I was still getting wrinkles in my backing when I FMQ'd the quilt sandwich.

I like the binder clip and toothpick ideas. That may help avoid some of my problems.

thanks for the great tip

I too use binding clips. they really hold your backing tight. I do not clip my batting. One thing I do different is not center quilt on table but to start pinning at one side. You must be really careful tp make sure that you have enough backing and batting for top part that is hanging over so I measure and then cut extra. By doing this method I only have to move and reclip backing 1 time instead of 2 hopefully preventing more wrinkles.

thnx for the tip...will def give this a try!