putting the quilt top and back together
 

I was wondering how most of you hold the front, back and batting together to quilt. do you use pins or spray adhesive, or do you use a different method?

I tried the spray basting and did a couple that way, but I am now pinning and I really like it better. It seems easier to me

I use about a bajillion quilter's safety pins. I've never tried spray basting, though I've wanted to. I have a hard time getting the back straight and pucker-free. I can see me trying to spray baste and getting the batting on all crooked and cursing trying to get it straight and it's all stuck down...

If your back is puckering, try starching it. I starch backing quite heavily, and no puckers. Works for flannel too.

I either tape my backing down to a flat service or pin it to a makeshift design wall, then I spray baste it with June Tailors spray; I can get it at Walmarts and it's so much cheaper than 505 which I've compared the two and get the same if not better results from JT. Then put the batting; spray and then the top. It holds for along time which is really good since I rarely ever get to stay on task long enough to get one thing done before I start another one. I've tried the pins but they get in the way and sometimes it's hard to prejudge where you are going to sew to pin them out of your line of sewing.

I baste with thread, usually 8 pieces and maybe a few extra on the edges. HOWEVER, I am hand quilting, I understand you need to be much fussier for machine quilting. Any wrinkles on the back I can deal with as I move my hoop.

ETA - I have used basting spray many years ago but was scared off by all the warnings on the label about cancer etc. Has it changed since then?

tried pinning once, never again....tried spray basting, will never do anything else! spray basting is so easy and fast that I will never pin again. starch is your best friend - it will make the sandwich slide easier under the needle, as well as help keep the puckers from happening on the back - more is better (it washes out). If you do a search here, you will find many threads and many differing opinions on the best way to sandwich/baste your quilt.

When I discovered spray basting.. it completely changed my quilting life! It seemed no matter how many pins , how much I ironed/pressed , no matter how careful I was making the sandwich...... I always ended up with PUCKERS! But with spray basting .... my dreams of puckerless quilting came true!

I put everything on the floor with backing down then batting and then the top. I baste with a long needle from corner to corner, then side to side. If the quilt is very big, I also baste around the edge. I leave long tails at each end. Never had a problem with puckering. I've not tried the spray, but it sounds promising. Good luck!

I use Sharon Schamber's basting method. It's easy to do and makes a very smooth and stable quilt sandwich. She has videos on youtube.

I've only done the one quilt so far, but I spray basted it and it worked great! Came out flat as a board, and stayed that way!

I did this for the first time yesterday only I used pins instead of a needle and thread. It is as smooth as can be. It was an experience as her video shows a small sample and I had a 81" quilt and a queen size batt. The next one will go much faster, I'm sure, but it was a pleasure to be able to sandwich a quilt at home without using the floor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyaLs...6&feature=plcp

I tried spray basting a queen size on the wall and was not happy with it. I had problems with the batting stretching and misshaping. When I took it down from the wall there were wrinkles all on the backing. So I took it apart and laid it on my tables (with the help of my son) and spray basted that way. Had to shift it around to get it all on the table top but i like the results better when i finished. I have used the hobss fusible and really like it also. I was looking for something that was quicker than pin basting since I have a tendency to make large quilts. However, it looks like more pin basting will be in my future - in addition to spray basting on the table.

I use her method, but usually with 505 spray instead of basting with thread these days.

Before I got my quilting frame, I would tape the backing to the floor, lay the batting out, smooth it down, tape it to the backing, lay the top down, smooth it out, tape it to the backing and then put enough safety pins in it to where I knew nothing was going to shift. It allso probably added a extra pound or two to the weight of everthing:D

i baste with a needle & thread- in a cross hatch type pattern- lines about 3-4" apart in both directions. i personally hate having to remove all the pins - pulling threads is so much easier-and for me faster- and i've not had much luck with the sprays except on small projects-always wind up thread basting anyway- so see no reason to bother (waste my money) on the sprays

I only hand quilt so don't know if this would work for machine quilting, but I baste quilt using pearl cotton and a long needle. I find it much quicker than pins. I also starch backing. Haven't tried the spray, but after reading the comments I think I'll try it.

I have always pinned mine and I have no problem with it. I am going to try something different for my knees I am \
I am using are a little too big for my skinny legs and I have a had time keeping them on. I do have a new idea and
when I get this quilt finished I am on I am going to try my new idea for the next one. (good Luck)

I absolutely never use anything but the basting spray. It works on every type of quilt I've tried it on. I do a lot of quilting on my sewing machine, not any long-arm.

I use spray for basting. I've tried pinning and it killed my fingers and the long stitch basting didn't work for me either. If the quilt is washing after using spray basting, I think it will be okay for the long term, at least I hope so.

I pin the sandwich, using the pinmoors to hold in place. I have spray basted before though and that worked well. The problem was I didn't like breathing the fumes and it's not always convenient to have the window open to let the fumes out.

I spread mine on my queen size bed, use basting spray from walmart, and some pins. Could probably do without any pins as the spray works really well, but I just don't completely trust it, so I still put some pins, but not near as many as before I started using the spray! And I only stitch in the ditch on regular sewing machine or I machine tack sometimes.

If I am doing a large quilt, I go to our local senior center (not at a meal time), shove 2-3 tables together, tape down my well starched backing, with a friend, "float" the batting into place, then the well starched flimsy. I pin like crazy. When I have one table worth of quilt pin basted, I remove that table.

What I don't do: no spray basting as it triggers my asthma, even out of doors. I have spinal arthritis, so I only use pins I can pick up with a magnet, ergo, no curved pins. JHittle has a great telescoping magnet. I was dissatisfied with a tack gun, as every point that was tacked could wobble a bit. Also, I tended to jam the gun, although DH did not. I don't use iron on bats for bed quilts because I don't care for the texture, but they are great IMHO for wallhangings etc. Obviously, these are statements that are very personal to me and none of them may apply to you. The bottom line is that you will meed to find what works really well for you.

I thread baste using Susan Schamber's method. I agree, much easier to pull thread than try to unpin pins!!! It did take me several hours to baste a king size quilt, but that sucker did not move as i was hand-quilting it!! LOL!!

Spray basting for me, but it helps a *lot* to know a few tips before you start. Such as, mark the centers of the sides of your backing, batting and top; really helps when lining them up. After lining up batting on top of backing, fold back the batting and spray baste just one-half at a time.

If overspray is a concern, tape down the largest flat sheet you have first, to catch overspray. Afterwards toss this sheet in the laundry.

I have a long table and put on the backing, the batting and the top. I start out dead center and very gently, but firmly, push the fabric to all four sides as I prepare to pin; pin down the center block and go to the one on top of that one and then the one underneath the center block, and then to the sides, each time gently, but firmly pushing the fabric to the corners, so you end up doing the four corners of the quilt last. And last but not least, check to make sure that the bottom is nice and straight. It is time consuming, but I really enjoy this part of the quilting. It has become "The Challenge"!!!!!! I use this method when I tie down a quilt and as I finish each block (sewing the blocks in the same order as I pinned them down), I remove the pins and put them back in the Oxy-Clean container (My mom gave me her pins and I don't have the heart to put them in anything else), Also, for what it is worth, I would rather take the time to close the pins as I take them off the quilt.....Fons and Porter would disagree with me, but when I am concentrating on one thing, I cannot worry if the pins are open and are going to impale me to the living room wall!!!!!. I would much rather take the second or so to unhook the pin and use it and then rehook the pin when I am done! Just a thought here from me, who can't even take clothes out of the dryer without throwing my back out! No walking, no exercising, just probably laying on the floor on my back all day!!!!! Fun and games around here all the time! Edie

I pin baste, using the curved safety pins. It helps to use the Kwick Clip to close the pins, makes it easier on your fingers!

I have a cutting table I open up wide and I use binder clips to clip the sandwich to the table. The table edge is about 1", so the clips work pretty good. Usually can only do 1 side at a time.

For smaller quilts I will use the spray, but for my bigger quilts I use curved safety pins :)

I use pins and/or needle and thread. I don't like to have to mess with pins in a hoop. But for something small I will pin it. Otherwise, I use a needle and thread and baste it.

I am not particularly a seasoned quilter and I quilt by hand.

I pin the dickens out of it and then I baste like crazy. I baste it on the floor so the hardwood lets me know when I am through all 3 layers.
Two reasons for basting: I had a couple pins tear a quilt once (an old top I was finishing) and I find the pins invariably grab my thread and slow down my hand quilting.
And it is so much fun to pull the basting out as I go (you have to plan the basting to do this) ... my kids actually ask to have that task. It's like crossing out items on a to-do list!

Same here - tried this for the first time last week on a crib quilt & used pins instead of hand-basting. It is an amazingly simple technique that REALLY works ~ even for a newbie!

Safety pins work the best for me. I can't use the spray as I have asthma.

I have spray basted over 150 quilts, either my own or helped with my friends. We have a super easy technique. Cover my king bed with a big flannel sheet, put batting down and arrange backing on that, fold back half of backing, spray batting and smooth backing back down. Fold back other half, spray and smooth. Flip it over so batting is on top, arrange quilt top and continue the fold back, spraying, smooth technique. Walk away and leave it for 30 minutes or so and it's ready to go.

I was using June Taylor with great results, then they changed to a different formula and it was HORRIBLE. After emailing them they were great and have now changed their formula again. The new formula is in the new style can that tapers down on the top with a small cap but be sure that it says "Improved Formula" in dark pink or red on the front. The formula is pretty much the same as 505 and Dritz and I really like it. I don't like the Sullivan's in the pink can though.

I've only done a few quilts, mostly baby/crib size, and have done most of them with spray basting. It's the best! Nothing moves arounds or shifts & I can do any kind of quilting I want to without stopping to remove pins. I put the back down, then the batting & smooth them both really well. Then I fold back the batting about half way, spray onto the backing, about 1/4 of the area, and then smooth the backing onto that area, working from the center to the edges. Repeat with the second 1/4 of the batting for that end. Then do the other half the same way. Gives a nice smooth finish, everything stays in place while you sew & it looks great when done. Especially helpful with a minkee backing since it's so stretchy. :-)

I use the spray basting and have had no problems with it.

The only one I have hand quilted to date, I baisted before quilting

For my small quilts 'Spray Bast' for the larger ones 'Spray Bast and pin"

I make several charity quilts each month, none of them larger than twin size. I have a large flannel backed plastic tablecloth pinned to the wall. I pin the backing to that, spray with basting spray LIGHTLY, then smooth the batting on. Spray the batting LIGHTLY and smooth the quilt top over that. I used to put them together using a large table but tried the wall after reading about it somewhere on this board. Whoever posted that idea, thank you, thank you, thank you.

I use the spray adhesive for real small ones I have used "the birthing technique "