Sandwiching a quilt.
 

Does anyone else hate this job and keep putting the job off. The fmg or even hand stitching I love doing but I hate the middle section. Please help ..
Thank you for reading and offering advice.

Yes, it's not my favorite part either. That was a huge incentive for me to get a long arm...I knew I wanted a frame at the very least so I wouldn't have to crawl all over the floor basting a king size quilt. LOL* You could have a long armer machine baste it for you? Many do that for an affordable fee.

I use nice stainless safety pins and start out on the floor. I slide my cutting mat under where I'm going to pin (carpeted floor, alas). Put maybe 20 pins total in (full size), just to hold the middle and keep the edges straight. Then roll it up and put it on a 6' x 3' folding table. Aha! Now I can put more pins/basting in without crawling around the floor!

Once it's up on the table, I'll put a few more safety pins/basting stitches in over the whole thing. Then I focus on the line or section I'm going to quilt -- pin or baste that area, then do the quilting, take the pins/basting out, then move on to the next area. Breaks up the job a little so not too much boring, nasty stuff all at once.

Usually I'll roll up the excess at one edge of the table so it's not hanging down and distorting things, but this doesn't seem to be a problem with a @ full size quilt and poly batting.

I've done only home-sewing-machine quilting so far. If I'm using the Pfaff with integrated dual feed, I use just a few safety pins, @ 3" either side of my quilting line and every 8-10" lengthwise; it feeds neatly, and things don't shift. If I'm using the old Singer 301A (does a better job with dense cottony batting), I'll baste instead.

I must admit it isn't my favourite part. I usually use the Hobbs 80/20 fusible and I iron the sandwich together. I do it on the old carpet in the basement so I can do the whole quilt laying flat with my knee pads on. I usually put it off until I feel like the exercise and when my arthritis isn't really bad.:D

Thank you but is there a way with some kind of boards.

I use the Sharon Schamber board method. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhwNylePFAA
I've only done up to a twin size but will soon try a queen size. I do it on a 6 ft banquet folding table (my cutting table on risers) This has saved me a lot of grief.

pumpkinpatch quilter responded exactly as I would have. I also hated the sandwiching, and wasn't very happy with the FMQ either because of the quilt's bulk. I did try quilting in sections, and that made the sandwiching and FMQ much easier. I used Marti Michell's book, Machine Quilting in Sections.

I sandwich mine on my cutting table using binder clips. I'm standing; not crawling around on the floor. The table is actually a bit higher than I would like ideally for a cutting height but it works a charm for sandwiching! My knees would give out long before the quilt was done - even a baby quilt if I did it on my knees on the floor.

There is a member here on this board who did a beautiful tute on basting with boards. I'm sorry I can't remember who it was. Thought I had it bookmarked, but can't seem to find it. I'm sure someone on here will remember, or maybe you can do a search in the Tutorial section.

I too dislike sandwiching. I do it on my dinning room table using binder clips, and pins, (cutting mat under where I pin) a section at a time. Works pretty well for me. Good luck.

I use the Sharon Schamber method with 8 foot boards. I put a folding table next to my dining room table so I have some table under the entire width. How will I do my queen size? Probably in halves. A bother to set up, but easy on the my back and the quilt back is as smooth as can be. Oh, I pin baste, not thread and needle.