What I Learned About Spray Basting
 

I tried spray basting yesterday and today. I spread out an old comforter yesterday and sprayed the backing to attach to the batting. I learned it's much easier putting the fabric on the table rather than the floor. I also learned to start in the middle and work out. The fabric is less likely to wrinkle.

This really beats pinning and hand basting! I hope the quilting goes as well.

Just curious on how you handle the overspray on the table? I tried spray basting once on my kitchen floor, thought I had spread enough newspapers around, didn't, and had a time getting it up. I'm willing to try again though.

I do mine on a table DH made for me with saw horses in the garage. The overspray is very hard to remove. Ask me how I know? For smaller quilts it is definitely the way to go.

I use spray basting but do it on my design wall. I put up an old sheet with big saftey pins first and pin up the the back of the quilt, spray, add batting stretched and pinned and finally spray and pin the top on. Each time I spray, I lift the edge of the sheet to catch the overspray. I do use a light application which holds well and clean up is throwing the sheet in the washer. It is so simple and works so well for me.

I'm told that Mr. Clean magic erasers take off the overspray like "magic".

I put a queen size old comforter under it. This quilt is just a wall hanging. If I were doing a larger quilt I would just make sure everything within about 1-2 feet was covered. I think doing it in sections is important and for a larger size quilt doing the sections might be a little time consuming but it still takes less time than the hand basting.

If you hold the can near the edge of the fabric, and aim towards the center of the quilt while working around the edges, you can avoid a lot of overspray. I spray lightly in a grid pattern about 6-8" apart. Works for me!

Good advice. I haven't tried it yet but will soon.

Love it, but sure was a pain to get off my brass bed!! Now I hook a fitted sheet over the two outside top posts and painters plastics sheets are quite cheap! I, also, do it in sections.

That's what I do too and it works great!

I've been using spray basting for awhile now. I do NOT use it in the house and so far I only use it on wall hangings, table toppers, table runners and mug rugs. . I hop out the back door with my project on either a nice stiff piece of cardboard or some cheapie foam core board I got at the dollar store. That's just BAD STUFF to inhale...even a LITTLE.

I've had GREAT LUCK USING IT! I do start from the middle and smooth out. It's amazing how well it holds if you fuss with your project. I have not had anything pull up yet that I didn't intentionally tug off.
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I got a small tarp and put it over table first then spray, it lays flat enough, catches most of the overspray.

It will also take the finish off your table like "magic". Don't ask me how I know.

Thanks everyone for the great hints. I tried spray basting once and made the biggest mess ever. After reading your hints, I think I will give it another go.

I spray table runners and baby sized quilts. I do this on top of a tall double bed. The old, awful comforter on that bed is perfect, but I do have an old piece of cardboard that I store under the bed and place under the project. I layer backing and batting - then fold the batting back halfway. Spray the backing, smooth down the batting, then do the same for the other side. Then put the top on the batting then fold back halfway, spray half, smooth down, repeat. I also use a short spray

I am in love with spray basting. It has completely removed any dread I had of doing the quilting. So much better than pinning or basting with thread.

I was just ready to suggest using a (or two or three) bed sheet(s) to cover everything around the spraying area, and then just washing them after. I stopped using spray basting because I have COPD, but I am going back to it 'cuz it's so much easier. I'm going to hold a wet face cloth over my nose and mouth, (like they tell you to when in a burning building to keep the smoke at bay) and then I'm going to spray away! Hope it works! If smoke can't get through the wet face cloth, I'm hoping the spray glue can't either. Anyone have an opinion?

I tried spray basting when it first hit the market and was disappointed, but this thread makes me think I should give it another try.

I put down my cardboard cutting board on my table then I use Sharon Schamber's (sp)method of using the boards. You can find it on Youtube. She hand bastes but I have adapted it to spray basting and it has worked well for me. I too do a little at a time and it stays smooth.

I have a difficult time getting down on the floor, but I spray baste even king & queen size with 505. I do it in the garage with the door open and a plastic painter sheet taped down on the floor. It helps to have a second pair of hands, I have my husband help me. I lay the batting down first, place the backing on and smooth first with my hands and then with an old 24 x 6" ruler (softly). Once that looks good, I pull back to the mid-point and spray lightly approx. 2 ft x width and with one of us on each side, slowly settle the quilt down flat & smooth out, repeat til you get to the end and do the same with the top. I let the glue set for a few minutes and carefully turn the quilt over and repeat for the front. It makes fmq a breeze!

I do wear latex gloves to protect my acrylic nails, that stuff does not come off of acrylic (rulers either) except with solvents.

Majormom, I have severe asthma and we keep respirator masks in the house. They are the white ones with two straps to go over your head and the number is N95. They can be bought at Home Depot, or Lowe's and are not very
expensive. I use them all the time, cleaning, yard work, spray basting. Using the mask frees up both your hands.

I have COPD too and would strongly suggest using a respiratory mask. We keep them here to use when I use any chemicals to clean or work on something. Works like a charm.

Thank you Elliegirl and gigi712 for your input on the respiratory masks. I didn't know where to get such a thing, but I will absolutely get one before my next quilt basting session which will be before this coming weekend. I so appreciate your help.

I also use spray basting, just be careful and use the one for temporary hold. I use a craft one also for various other things and when I spray basted my last wall hanging I grabbed the wrong can and it was very difficult to quilt through and made the fabric extremely stiff.

DH has a mask he uses when spraying the finish on his woodworking projects. Not the paper filter type. I think his has replaceable filters. Check at the hardware store to see if you can find one.

Easiest way to do spray basting is on a wall. If you do it on a table, it is best to do it in sections and don't be heavy handed with the spraying - it only needs to stay together whilst you are quilting. It doesn't have to be cemented together.

When I read the warnings on the can about breathing this stuff I put it back on the store shelf and went on using the pinning technique. This was several years ago. Has the product been improved so that this is no longer a problem?

My DH helps me when I need to do this. We use the hardwood bedroom floor and tape the backing down with masking tape, making sure it is smooth and straight. We then layer the batting and quilt top over it. I fold back the top 2 layers only to the half way point or middle of the quilt and he sprays the batting lightly. Smooth the batting down and he sprays the top side of the batting so I can smooth down the quilt top. Then we do the same for the other half of the quilt.
As for the clean-up--We had a great deal of trouble getting the overspray off the wood floor but we have found that if we wet a few old washcloths with very hot water and clean it up within an hour---it all comes off cleanly. No more residue left behind.
BTW-I use the 505 spray and love it.

[ QUOTE=EllieGirl;4998613]I tried spray basting yesterday and today. I spread out an old comforter yesterday and sprayed the backing to attach to the batting. I learned it's much easier putting the fabric on the table rather than the floor. I also learned to start in the middle and work out. The fabric is less likely to wrinkle.

This really beats pinning and hand basting! I hope the quilting goes as well.[/QUOTE]

HI I learned that ifyou lay your backing down first, and spray your batting on both sides, then you lay your batting on the backing and then your top It works out great no wrinkles

I always spray from the side INTO the quilt and have almost no overflow. On a large quilt I always try to have a helper. Two extra hands are really great for spreading it without wrinkles. My favorite tip about spray basting is to not spray too much. The quilt shouldn't be wet wet.
505 is the only one I use. Love it.

I love your quote on the bottom about the earrings. I will use that one over and over. What a riot!!!!

I purchased a canvas drop cloth at Lowes the other day. I plan to spread it out and do my spraying on top of that. Depending on the size you buy, they are $6-$9.

havent tried it yet and wonder which brand you all use

so far i haven't noticed any over spray and i've used a table and sometimes my ironing board.

I have an old pool table I use. I use to pin my quilt and just now started using spray basting. I have to do this in sections for my large quilts but it work out better then pin basting I would always have a problem the I moved to the next section after pin the first section.

That is exactly what I do as well. I also put a sheet on my floor (hardwood) which I can then throw in the washer. It works out perfectly for me. I wouldn't do it any other way now. Be sure you don't OVER spray. It doesn't take much.

Here's a good video by Patsy Thompson that I found on You Tube addressing spray basting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwV8tUkhxUM

Thanks for the great tip!

My DD & I must be the only quilters in the world that don't like this product. We had high hopes - had read so much good about it, but even the both of us could not get the blasted quilt layered with no wrinkles. It would have been faster to hand baste it, as I've been doing for years. We are hand quilters & DD said she thought it made it harder to quilt, based on her experience quilting the matching pillow sham which hadn't been sprayed. I also have COPD & with all the prep for overspray, the masks needed, etc, it was more trouble than it's worth to us

Good ventilation is critical during spray basting. Outdoors is really good or a well ventilated area. I sure don't want to breathe that stuff!