Spray, glue, pin, hand baste, or boards? Which one do you prefer?
 

I've just completed another top to add to my collection of flimsies. I have to get them sandwiched and I dread that part of this wonderful craft we share. How do you do it and how do you talk yourself into this part of the process? I'm hoping to find some inspiration with your responses. Thank you kindly.

I spray baste my quilts and then I sometimes pin every 10 inches or so if I am not going to quilt it within 24 hours. My inspiration - mostly it is what I do right after I get the quilt put together. It never occurred to me to put it off, but that is because I am usually making the quilt for someone and it needs to be completed. Some day I hope to splurge and have one quilted for me by a LA person.

It really helps if you have someone help you do it. My friend came over to help me with one, she was amazed how easy and fast it went. (She always pinned before.)

LOL I usually dread it too, especially for larger quilts. For lap size or smaller, I use the boards like in Sharon Schamber's video, but I spray baste, not hand baste. The fabric is easier to handle if you cover the boards with flannel first. I just used a staple gun to attach the flannel to the boards.

I too have issues layering the quilts -- I think I have to start taking them to a longarmer. I spray baste my small projects and then wash them before giving them or using them.

In earlier years I thread basted, pin based and used the plastic tacks. Once I found basting spray I never looked back.
DH bought two pieces of insulation board at the home improvement store which made a 96 X 96 inch square. I bought wide flannel backing and hot glued the backing extra to the back making it taut. We ran a piece of duct tape down the middle on the backside so it folds in half. I have several folding tables and I pull them into the driveway (if it's cold I do this in the garage with the windows open) and put the board on top of the tables. I have a 72 inch metal "yard stick" that you find in the tool section at the hardware store. The quilt sticks nicely to the flannel & I use the "ruler" to smooth the middle. I then go around the outside of the quilt with T-pins. I spray baste and leave on the table overnight. Until I did this I had a lot of trouble with puckers, wrinkles and tucks. If I am making a small quilt I use the back of my design wall which is a smaller version of the big one. I can fold them both in half and leave them in the garage or just push them up against a wall in the exercise room. During the winter I put them in front of the double windows as insulation to help lower the electric bill.

All of my sandwich problems have been eliminated so far with washable glue basting. I use a table and can start in the middle if the quilt is big. I use it instead of pin basting not spray basting. It has never gummed up a needle. It always washes out. I'm about 12 quilts in with it. I drizzle a thin line in in a kind of grid on the cotton batting half at a time and smooth the backing over it - it's easy to reposition if necessary. Then do the other half. Sometimes I just flip it over and do the other side and sometimes if I have something else to do I wait til later. So far I haven't ironed to dry it faster but that is an option. Try it on a sample and see how you like it!!
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Gosh Tartan! That sounds like an ordeal! Try it my way and see if it works for you. I've not had a pleat or wonky back since I started doing it on the table with glue. I do a lot of smoothing but it doesn't take long at all. Just be sure and center it all.

basting does slow me down :) but I push through

My favorite way is with 505 Spray - that stuff rocks. Unfortunately, I hate to spend the money all of the time to buy it.

I have tried the washable glue, because that cost is much better. I am not sure I am doing it correctly. It takes forever to dry (which is another plus with 505 I can quilt that immediately). Plus I am not too fond of the stiff spots on the quilt when it does dry. I am going to try this again but I may lose interest if I don't figure it out soon

The pin basting is what I use the most - doesn't cost me any extra. :) I do feel like the pins add weight and that makes it harder to move around while quilting

I just spread the layers out on my living room floor to pin or spray baste

Honestly I still do the safety pin method... I just don't trust spray or glue not to gum up my machine....