I am very new to quilting. I've been trying to learn to machine quilt. How do you make sure that you don't get puckers either on the backing or in the front? I lay my backing on the tile floor and then tape it to the floor. I baste my quilt sandwich with basting safety pins. I'm doing some very basic quilting...outlining a square. I use a walking foot for that. I tried free motion quilting and the backing puckered even worse. I start in the middle & work my way out to the sides. Any hints for a newbie?

My life saver was basting spray. It holds the sandwich so much better and I had less problems with puckering then. Give it a try. It will help.

Several people here recommend really seriously starching the backing fabric. Some do spray starch and some do liquid. Go to "Search" at the top of the page, put in "Starch" and you'll get lots of information. Both for cutting accurate pieces and getting a smooth backing, lots of people starch.

Someone recently said on one thread that you can add spray starch to your backing even if you have it already basted to your quilt. I've never tried it myself but I thought it was an interesting suggestion.

Thank you so much for answering. I will try the spray & the starch as someone else suggested. I'm making simple rail fence quilts for some friends and so I will try both.

Thank you for answering. I'm certainly going to try the starch. I like your teapot saying, too.

Yup, starch! It stabilizes the backing fabric so it doesn't stretch and pucker on you while you are quilting. I heavily starch my backing fabrics before layering.

When you already have the quilt sandwich put together, try misting the back with spray starch several times, allowing it to dry in-between. Several people have said that stopped their puckering problem.

Oh, and I do think that spray basting helps also. Spray basting is the only kind of basting I do now; it's *so* much faster than other methods.

When I read the subject of this thread, "Puckers," I keep thinking it would be a great name for a dog or cat. My mind works in strange ways...my DH and I have an ongoing dialogue and are always popping up with weird names for animals.

I machine all my quilts. Try using a little longer stitch, this puts less stress on the bottom fabric.
Spray basting works best for me.
Safety pins created puckers and puckers.

I think I'm rather unconventional when it comes to the quilting part from what I gather from my quilting friends. I never pin the entire quilt. I only pin (using straight pins) the seam (if doing SID) or the block/area (if doing FM) in question. I press/iron after every seam/block of stitching and then smooth, smooth, smooth before pinning the next section/seam. It may be a bit more time consuming and labor intensive, but it works for me!

This good info. This is very similar to my way. I do quilt as you go. Press and smooth, then smooth and press.

Great information!!

Every quilt I do I NEVER prewash the fabric or batting and starch it like there is no tomorrow! :mrgreen: I also have never tried spray basting but on this king size I am working on, but spray basting is really looking good.

But if I ever have any puckers in my backing (which is often :mrgreen: ) they are easily hidden when I wash it for the first time. Since I make and quilt all of my quilts on a treadle I like the vintage look it gives when the fabric and the batting shrink at different rates. And I wash my quilts on warm/cold so it helps with the shrinking/vintage look.

So if you have a quilt that puckers in the back or front just keep a treadle in your home. If someone ask why its puckered just point at the treadle! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Billy

My first attempt at machine quilting, my quilt had pleats. It takes practice and patience. Read and practice, read and practice.

My first try at machine quilting had so many puckers I cried. Then after ripping it all out, I decided that tying was a lot better!

LOL! I agree! Next cat I might totally have to use that one!

If it puckers, the sandwich wasn't taught enough. I tape my backing down too and I make sure that it is not lose on the surface. Then I lay the batting down and make sure that it is patted out as taught as it will go. Lastly, I put down the top (which is well-pressed) and I pat it out too to where the entire batch is nice and smooth. Usually, I don't pin right away, but walk away - relax my shoulders and give the top another "pat down."

I pin baste no less than hand-width apart.

My last quilt had no puckers at all and I do SID in both directions.

BTW, as long as the puckers are small, they will almost disappear in the wash. (Some of my earlier quilts are blessed with a healthy dose of the little nips.)

I tried almost everything mentioned here... and still had puckers. I finally bought one of the John Flynn Frames (seems to be one of those love-em-or-hate-em things). The first quilt I tried came out perfectly without puckers. The "good" quilt that began this whole thing is patiently awaiting my quilting skill to improve sufficiently to do it on the Flynn Frame.

It does take a large space to use which could be a problem and the quilting space is limited to the width of your sewing machine throat. But -- no puckers.

I need to try the basting spray.