Suggestions needed for quilting frame
 

The hardest part of quilting for me is sandwiching the 3 layers together. I've tried taping the layers down, using curved safety pins, and spray adhesive and I still can't do a good job. I'm wondering if I need to try some type of large frame or something. Any suggestions for frames or anything similar?

Yes, any of the frames that have three rails which roll can be used to baste your quilt, like the Grace E-Z frame (think that's what it is called.) Alternately, you can have a longarmmer baste your quilt for you, something I have done for a friend a couple of times. The advantage there is the longarmmer knows how to keep the quilt square while on the frame, or make it more square where it is out of square. That is something you wouldn't be able to do while rolling it on a home three rail frame.

i baste my quilts first. My smaller quilts i can do at home, anything larger than a queen, I will take to church and do there.

Have you tried the Sharon Schamber method?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhwNylePFAA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_EjBGz5vGQ

I made a frame of 1x 3 inch boards. You can bolt together or buy clamps so you can adjust size. I use large push pins to attach the layers and then thread or pin baste. You can get pieces at Home Despot or Lowes and cost is about $30 for two 8 foot lengths and two 10 foot lengths. Can be taken apart to store.
Works pretty well for me. I actually use it outside as no place large enough to use conveniently inside.

I have a Z44 Grace pole frame and i can load the quilt sandwich myself and baste it easily. If you have room for this kind of frame, it makes the sandwiching so much easier. A floor frame works too, but it takes two people to put the quilt on the frame. If you have someone to help you and have room to put it up, the floor frame is cheaper and stores easily.

Was that a Freudian slip? :D I often feel like they have a monopoly on what I want.

Watson - easily amused

I began using Harriette Hargrave's method of basting a large quilt on a table that is smaller than the quilt. I found a video that is similar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnke_KzeTI8. You have to find the center point of the top, back and batting by pressing creases, then line them up on the table. You can create bumps on the table by taping toothpicks or skewers, which I did for awhile, but now I use my old cardboard folding cutting board with grid lines. I can easily clamp with binder clips on it rather than a table top.

I have tried both safety pins and thread basting. I found that prefer Sharon Schamber's herringbone stitching referenced in the previous posts, but with this method, I pin off the quadrant lines before I begin basting.

Do you think what ever problems you have with pinning a quilt will disappear with a frame?? It takes some getting use to how to mount a quilt on a frame. Maybe if you tell us what your problem is, many of us may have suggestions to help you.

No, I've
been calling them that for a while now.

BJ

I use to baste using a three rail quilt frame. What a chore. If you machine quilt then use Elmer's School Glue diluted with water to spray the batting, smooth out the top on the batting, press dry and then turn and repeat with the baking. I can baste a queen size quilt is less then 30 min. using fold out tables. My quilt sandwich is completely smooth and flat, no way a wrinkle or pucker can happen. The glue washes completely out. Elmer's is a thick starch product not a chemical glue product. Elmer's knows kids will ingest it so it is non toxic. I gave my quilt frame away.

I have a longarm now, but when I hand-quilter, I used one of those folding tables - the older kind that are wood veneer (about 30"X30"). Lay down each layer and attach to the table with welding clamps (they are red and grey usually). Then, hand-baste from the center out. When you are done with each section (depending on the size of the table), carefully scoot it over and re-attach with the welding clamps around the perimeter). I liked those older folding tables because the depth of the table was about the size I could squeeze those welding clamps open! And, the wood veneer surface didn't really "scratch" from the needle. That was many, many years ago, but it always worked well for me. Good luck!

Do you use just a regular spray bottle? Doesn't the glue gunk it up?

I use 2 long boards and roll the top on one and the bottom one the other. Then when you unroll the boards lay the baton in between. I hand baste them. I've tryed spray, pins, tape and nothing works for me. There is a utube I'm just not sure what it's called.

That's a really good idea. I have one of those tables.

I like this idea too. Thanks!

Thanks for the help, everyone! I bought a 8' closet rod, the things to hang it from, and several clamps. I am envisioning clamping the layers to the top of it and letting the quilt layers hang freely. Hoping that will make it easier for me to pin since I'll be able to reach both sides. Do most of you baste, rather than pin?

I got a giggle out of that one too!