does anyone use a basting gun and if so, do you find that it is tight enough? I find that my quilts still shift a bit even though I use a ton of the plastic do-hickey things...am I using it right?

I use to use one. If you use a tag about every 2 inches it will stop the shifting. I did find some very short tags one time and those were much better. I quit using it because I always clipped the quilt at least once! removing the tags.

I had one too, but the plastic tags were too long to really secure the quilt and I thought it punched too big of hole in the fabric. Removing them is tricky too, very easy to clip your fabric. Have you tried basting spray? :P

never heard of it, can you imagine that ?!

I have seen them, but never used one.

I have never used one, but I love basting spray. Give it a try.

I don't love them. I found that it actually "broke" the threads of my fabric as it pierced through. If you are going to use it, instead of "shooting" front to back, it works better to "stitch" the needle front to back to front and then shoot the basting tag.

I'm not fond of the basting gun either:< Another gadget I'd rather have not bought.

There are different qualities of basting guns. The ones that work best use the smallest tacks. With the bigger tacks, you can try the needle in-and-out that someone else mentioned; basically both ends of the tag are on top so it's like pinning -- no opportunity for shifting.

Once I discovered spray basting, I quit using my basting gun.

I bought one w/coupon at Joanns and absolutely hated it. It broke the threads of the fabric and didn't keep the fabric from shifting. I thought maybe I had goofed it up somehow but after reading they above posts, it "wasn't me".
Take care everyone.
Until they all have home,
Wendy B

I have an Avery Dennison "Microstitch" and find it very good. The tacks are tiny, they dont mark the fabric as the needle is thin and sharp. There is a special tool to remove the tacks, they come out very easily.
I tack every 2 to 3 inches, and nothing shifts. There is no problem when quilting because the tacks are so small.
Here it is
http://www.fastener.averydennison.co...ct.aspx?id=222

I have the same one as Katrine and ditto everything she said! I love it - I use it to baste for hand quilting too and never catch the thread on the tacks, also for stacking fabric for stack and whack, for holding sets of identical patches together that I've cut for a project, for making up quicky practice sandwiches for FMQ, it has lots of uses beyond sandwiching. I'd say that the special tool for removing the tacks is essential but it's only a couple of quid (bucks in the USA!).

Ditto! Punched "one" tag into fabric and decided that it was too big a hole for the promise of easier basting.

I have the microstitch too, and it's great. Apart from not being able to get basting spray very easily, I am not a great fan of any kind of canned spray, especially if it adds to the ozone problem.

The Dennison microstitch is the one I have too, that never gave me any problems. I think the tacks for it are shorter than other types.

Katrine,
I just bought the Microstitch because of all of the good things I have heard about it. I was searching to find out how many tacks I should use for my quilt, and I saw your post. Thanks for the help.
Then I have another question - I just searched the internet for the special tool to remove the tacks and can't find it. Can you help me again, please.

Julie

I have the Avery Dennison tagger for fine fabrics and it works really well. I use the 1/4" long tags and I pin the quilt with it like I'm using safety pins - down through the backing and back up to the top. I push the needle against the Kwik Klip and pull the trigger. The quilt is held firmly and if I accidentally sew one into the quilt, it's not going to hurt anything. (or anyone)

If/when this one breaks, I will replace it with the same gun or with the MicroStitch.

I bought the tag remover from an eBay seller - the only places that sold this little tool were apparently in the UK. This brand is called the Dritz Tack-b-gone: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=150553384126

Julie, I bought mine in the UK, but also when I bought a couple of big boxes of tacks there was another one in them -so actually have a spare - PM with your mail address and I'll send you one. I googled but couldnt see one on a US site!

Well, apparently there are different quality guns out there! The one I bought from Keepsake Quilting. Years ago left big holes, let the layers shift and thus pucker, and the plastic doohickies were annoying to remove.

Yes, the first gun I got was dreadful, too. :( Big holes and the darn gun jammed more than it tagged. I think it was a Dritz brand, but it was packaged under another name.

I knew from many posts on the internet that a lot of people loved using a gun for basting, so I tried the Avery Dennison that was recommended and it really has been like night and day.

The barbs aren't ever going to rust, no matter how long the quilt stays unquilted and full of barbs. :)