quick question.
 

How close do you put your pins in your quilt sandwich? I have a queen size quilt that I have pieced for a friend. It is made out of vintage material and old hankies. The top came out nice but she wants it backed in white, and I am so afraid it will pucker and twist. Is there a rule you go by to decide how many pins to use and how close you put them?
Thank you so much.

I don't usually use pins as I have a HQ16 for quilting.

If I were to hand quilt - which I don't do anymore - I would hand baste for ease in taking it with me and not being stabbed by pins or having to keep track of them.

If I quilt with my DSM then I might put in a few strategic pins, though not many. I have even hand basted for this.

I use basting spray instead of pins. I find the sandwich stays together much better and don't get puckers on back.

Some use Elmer's School Glue to baste. Do a search on this topic. It must be the washable school glue.

When I did use pins I pinned thedickens out of the sandwich which was annoying when it came time to quilt!

Are you machine quilting on a domestic sewing machine? If so, I recommend *heavily* starching the backing fabric (or the backing, if already sewn together) before sandwiching. Starch stabilizes the backing so it is much less likely to pucker or fold over on itself while quilting. My method is to use a 1:1 solution of Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch and water, "paint" this solution onto the yardage using a large wall painting brush until fabric is saturated, wait a couple of minutes to make sure the starch has penetrated the fibers, toss in dryer, and iron with steam. I also spray starch the top before sandwiching, to help stabilize the top.

Finally, I recommend spray basting instead of pinning. I actually ruined an expensive walking foot when it got caught on a safety pin I had missed taking out. Spray basting is better than pinning because all 3 layers of the sandwich are connected continuously; with pins the layers are connected only at the pins, and layers are more likely to shift.

If you do pin, then a rule-of-thumb is to have a pin every 4 inches in every direction -- about a fist width apart from each other.

I don't want to use chemicals or continuously spend more money. I pin 4 inches apart or slightly closer. If I can, I will SITD to stabilize more.

I was taught that they should be close enough that if you put your hand down anywhere on the quilt you will feel at least one pin. I use the curved safety pins and it works good for me.

I mostly pin baste but sometimes will thread baste. In either case, I put my pins (or thread) about a hand-width apart in all directions. If it's a large (king) quilt I will usually thread baste as that many pins make it really, really heavy to handle.

Pins? I refuse to use pins when basting my quilt sandwich...too much time, they fall out, they poke fingers and other body parts and I still end up with puckers. I use Elmer's washable school glue for basting.....best method I've tried and trust me I've tried them all!

Elmers glue is great for basting. I baste a pile of things and they stay perfectly in place until I get around to the quilting.

That is a sound system. I like to put them just about the same. I try to think of what my quilting will be and put the pins where they will not be in the way, but still close enough to hold the sandwich until that section is done.

Apparently not close enough. I was putting them about 9" apart, and getting puckers/folds in the back. That's why I switched to spray basting.

about every 4"---or each time you place your fist you touch a pin on each side (4sides)
i do try to make sure they are not in the line of stitching- so i don't have to worry about hitting them- or having to move them when i get to them- so if you have your quilting pattern drawn on the quilt top try to place the pins outside your quilting lines- i very very seldom use pins- (hate having to remove them & find them a pain to put in in the first place- if i have to baste a quilt sandwich i use the thread basting method- it is so much easier to just thread a needle & stitch huge stitches in a grid to hold the sandwich- the thread is much easier to remove after quilting and (for me at least) holds much better than pins

I try to pin no more than 5" apart. Sometimes it will depend on the batting you are using. You are better to pin too close together, than too far apart.

I use safety pins about 4-5 inches apart - gives plenty of stability and the fabric doesn't shift when quilting.

I like the basting spray instead of pins.

I use safety pins about a hand width apart in all directions. It was an investment to start with to purchase that many safety pins but I have used them over and over. I'm reading all the comments about pins falling out and poking and have to assume those posts are talking about straight pins. I would never use straight pins on something that has to be moved around so much as a quilt in a machine. I also use a hand tool called Kwik Klip by Paula Jean Creations to close and open my safety pins as I'm pinning and unpinning. Really makes it much easier and wouldn't be without it. I've never had a problem with puckers using the safety pin method.

It sounds like you are generally happy with your pin basting process, but you might take a look at this technique by Sharon Schambers. I had terrible trouble with puckered backs until I tried this method. You do have to find boards the appropriate size for your quilt, but the rest is so easy compared to pinning or otherwise hand basting, and you can do it from a chair instead of on your hands and knees.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyaLs..._h42qQ&index=6

I thread baste when hand quilting, pin baste with curved pins when machine quilting. I baste a hand width apart in a grid.

Thank you for this suggestion.

I like to pin baste about 3 inches apart. I avoid pinning where I will sew to stabilize or SID.

If I baste with pins I use 4mm patchwork pins and Pinmoors every four inches. I use Elmers Washable School glue for quilts larger then crib size. The Kwik Klip is a must have if you use safety pins and also the plastic covers for the back of the safety pins make the process so much easier.

I would thread baste

I pin about 6" apart, but I'm using the thin cotton batting. The thought of putting glue, spray baste or starch on my quilts just gives me the heebie jeebies. Yuck. But to each, his/her own....

I never have problems with layers shifting when using cotton batting. It's kind of "sticky" and both the cotton top and backing stick to it, whereas a poly batting is much more slippery.

I have spray basted and stitch basted using heavy duty thread. stitches are about 2 inches apart. have had no puckers.

To pin or not to pin...to glue or spray??????? ok. I HATE pins. they are a pain to put in and take out. I think I will spray baste and hope for the very best. when I am done I will let you all know how it worked for me. Thank you all so much. LOL I have more questions now than when I started. HAHAHAHA You are all the most wonderful group of people I have ever encountered in a chat room. I have learned so much. Basically you have confirmed my true belief...there is no right or wrong way...just what ever works best for me. THANKS!!!

I just spray basted a toddler quilt and I love it. No shifting. No pins.

Thanks to everyone for the pinning ideas. I wouldn't have given Elmer's Glue a thought, now I'm anxious to try it.

Excellent advice which I will follow next time I sandwich a quilt. The starching, I mean. I love the spray baste--instead of pins or actual basting--but the backing will fold or pucker, I've found, no matter how securely you have it taped or clamped down. I've just quilted a smallish quilt on my DSM and to my dismay, found several folds in the backing, which I then had to unsew and iron out. I can see that starching in order to stablize the fabric would be a great way to reduce the chances of this. Thanks for this tip, Prism99!

You hit the nail on the head, what ever works best for you! And, I agree, this is a wonderful group to work and learn with.:)

I was taught you can never have enough pins. I use the curved basting pins and that tool to un-clip them. DH bought it for me when he went to get the pins, the lady told him I would love it, and I do.

Anyhow, use a ton of pins and remove them when you get to the section you are quilting.

You can choose not to use pins, but use basting spray, but if using the safety pins, the rule of thumb is that you should pin so that when put your fist on the quilt you will touch pins on all sides, approximately 4-6" or so.

spray basting is the only way to go

This is the way that I do it also....works well!!