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What a mess - advice needed
I just finished piecing together a quilt, 88x98. My loft library floor is completely cleared off, and so I carefully laid down the back, then the batting, then the top. I made sure everything was nice and smooth. I basted it by hand, and hours later, lifted it up, flipped it over............. and the whole back was wrinkled where I had crawled around on it. I am a self taught quilter, and would appreciate any advice/tricks/tools of the trade to help me baste my quilt correctly! Donna
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I deeply agree with Shari, great method!
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I lay mine out on a table and pin each section as it's on the table. I've also learned the hard way to peek underneath the quilt every so often to make sure it's not getting wrinkled or folded over.
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When I used to put my back on the floor, I would smooth it out and tape the edges down with masking/ painters tape to the floor. You want it taut but not stretched or the the back will rebound from the stretch when you take it off the floor. I put pins through the tape that is on the fabric edge so it doesn't peel off until I am done. Then I smooth out the batt and top and start to bast. You put a marble under the backing so that you can roll it along as you bast so that you have room to put the pins in or the needle for thread basting.
I use Hobbs 80/20 fusible most of the time now and the sandwich has to be ironed instead of pins. I do this on the old carpet in the basement. |
I cant get down on the floor so have to do it in sections on my cutting table.
I clamp the backing around the edges with it as close to centered as I can eyeball. You can use those large black clips but they are hard to open so I bought the white plastic clips for cutting tables. Then I lay the batting and top on and clip them. Once it is pined I remove the clips and move the quilt over and reclip for the next section. This works for me and dont have any folds. My table is from Joanns and has two leaves that fold down for storage. It was $50 when I bought it years ago. Thay are more expensive now. It is only 36 in wide so do not do bed size quilt they get sent to the long armer. |
Originally Posted by Tartan
(Post 5563450)
When I used to put my back on the floor, I would smooth it out and tape the edges down with masking/ painters tape to the floor. You want it taut but not stretched or the the back will rebound from the stretch when you take it off the floor. I put pins through the tape that is on the fabric edge so it doesn't peel off until I am done. Then I smooth out the batt and top and start to bast. You put a marble under the backing so that you can roll it along as you bast so that you have room to put the pins in or the needle for thread basting.
I use Hobbs 80/20 fusible most of the time now and the sandwich has to be ironed instead of pins. I do this on the old carpet in the basement. |
I have said it before and will say it again....I use Elmers School Glue to baste my quilts together works like a charm.
Layer backing, batting and top as usual, but you are only going to be doing doing one side at a time so no wrinkles.... I fold my top back to the center of the top (a row of pins here helps) then thin drizzle of glue maybe 12-18" down. Smooth the top down nice and smooth....flip back to end of glue and drizzle more glue. When finished with one half of top...do the other half.....then wait maybe an hour to give the glue a chance to set and then flip it over, smooth the back down nicely....flip to center and start all over again....when finished with the back I let it sit for several hours or over night just to make sure everything is dry and set.... I free motion quilt all my quilts on my home machine with no problems, my needle does not get gummy, no 'hard spots'.....and when I am done with my quilt I wash it (I personally love the look of a wrinkled/washed quilt) and all the glue is gone..... Reminder: make sure you purchase and use only Elmers SCHOOL glue...that states washable. |
Thank you all for your suggestions! Donna
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I also use Elmer's School Glue but learned "the" way to do it, here on the QB. Lay down batting, first. Then smooth/glue the top (or backing) into place. Flip, repeat. The batting holds its shape and won't shift, like the fabric will, when on the bottom.
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