Spray baste or pin
07-27-2011, 04:38 AM
#22
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,237
I don't like spray baste at all - it gets all over everything in the room and if you do it outside, you have to wait for a non-windy day. I pin on a double bed, draping the backing over the edges (if larger than top of bed). I smooth the backing over and over again until taut. Then I lay the batting over that and smooth it over and over til taut. Finally, I lay the quilt top over it all, smooth with my hands until I am satisfied. Starting in the middle, I slide my cutting mat underneath and pin every 4" or so. It works for me! When I was first quilting by machine, I used the batting that you fuse with an iron. It worked OK and got me used to machine quilting. Now I use Warm & Natural with pins. If the quilt is large, I do it in sections.
07-27-2011, 05:02 AM
#23
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: near Niagara Falls, NY
Posts: 3,075
Even though this topic might have been giving people a sense of dejavu, I'm glad you asked the question again. I'm a new quilting fan too and have the same problems and boy is it upsetting when you have tried to be so careful with your cutting, piecing and sewing...and you end up with puckers! It can make you want to cry. I'm in the pinning stage on a quilt I'm working on now and came to the board to find out the same things you asked about.
Do you use a walking foot on your sewing machine? Because that does help the layers pass through more evenly. Thinner batting and longer stitches are easier than thick batting a tight stitches.
I've read through a lot of other threads, looking for answers. The spray / pin debate seems to have pros and cons for both sides. I guess we just have to try each technique on a test piece and see which we like best.
Starching seems like a huge help and has many enthusiastic practitioners on the topic. I'll have to try it on my next quilt!
But anyway, thanks for putting your questions out there!
Do you use a walking foot on your sewing machine? Because that does help the layers pass through more evenly. Thinner batting and longer stitches are easier than thick batting a tight stitches.
I've read through a lot of other threads, looking for answers. The spray / pin debate seems to have pros and cons for both sides. I guess we just have to try each technique on a test piece and see which we like best.
Starching seems like a huge help and has many enthusiastic practitioners on the topic. I'll have to try it on my next quilt!
But anyway, thanks for putting your questions out there!
07-27-2011, 05:15 AM
#24
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Duluth, MN
Posts: 225
I spray baste, then starch and iron both sides of the fabric.I also starch both fabrics before sandwiching. I need the crispness to help eliminate puckers on the backing. The starching and ironing seem to help eliminate any creases in the fabric.
07-27-2011, 05:42 AM
#25
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Utah
Posts: 85
Are you using a walking foot? A walking foot keeps the fabric moving under the presser foot evenly. I only use a walking foot to sew on my binding and to do my quilting especially quilt in the ditch.
This foot is worth the investment.
This foot is worth the investment.
07-27-2011, 05:49 AM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Springfield, Illinois
Posts: 645
This is so helpful! Who knew there were so many ways to make a sandwich?! I haven't had issue with puckering, but some of these methods sounds so much easier than crawling around on my tile floor with my dad's carpenter's knee pads! I also was closing my safety pins right away - and always felt my backing was looser than I'd like. Once again, this Board is full of amazing women with wonderful lessons to teach :)
07-27-2011, 05:55 AM
#27
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: west central Illinois
Posts: 1,048
I starch the backing REALLY WELL, that way it's stiff enough to resist puckers. I don't really notice a difference in spraying or pinning. If you are spraying, don't fold the quilt until after it's quilted. Too much activity will loosen the bond. If you need to put it away for a while, roll it up instead. Once you use the spray a few times you will find the best format to suit your needs.
07-27-2011, 06:27 AM
#28
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: So. Fla now, Va orig
Posts: 1,565
This why I only do either QAYG or use Marti Michels methods of putting the quilt together in units. Yes it takes a little more backing fabric if using 1 pattern only, but you can even use up extra stuff and make a scrappy look on the back. This way I can use a walking foot for SID, and FMQ other stuff. :)
07-27-2011, 06:49 AM
#30
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Eagle River, Alaska
Posts: 147
Originally Posted by Prism99
I have found that spray basting helps prevents puckers.
HOWEVER, in my experience what helps prevent puckers even more is heavily starching the backing fabric before layering, and spray starching the top before layering. For the backing fabric, I use a 1:1 solution of Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch and water, "paint" this solution on the fabric to saturation, toss in dryer, and iron with steam. Believe me, that fabric is *not* going to stretch or distort while machine quilting! :-D
Spray starching the stop helps keep the top fabrics from stretching. This is especially important when doing cross-hatch type machine quilting where lines will cross.
Just be aware that some combinations of starched fabric/polyester batting/spray baste do not hold together well. I have not had any problem using 100% cotton batting and 505 basting spray, even with heavy starch. Some people have reported problems with spray basting adhering to starched fabrics and/or poly batting; however, I think in all these cases it was other than 505 basting spray.
Edit: I should add that I never stretch my backing or top. If spray basting, it's enough to make sure it is laid out smoothly. I do use clamps to keep the backing from moving out of position while I baste. Be aware that there are techniques for spray basting that make the process very easy and minimize overspray and cleanup. But that is the topic for another thread!
HOWEVER, in my experience what helps prevent puckers even more is heavily starching the backing fabric before layering, and spray starching the top before layering. For the backing fabric, I use a 1:1 solution of Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch and water, "paint" this solution on the fabric to saturation, toss in dryer, and iron with steam. Believe me, that fabric is *not* going to stretch or distort while machine quilting! :-D
Spray starching the stop helps keep the top fabrics from stretching. This is especially important when doing cross-hatch type machine quilting where lines will cross.
Just be aware that some combinations of starched fabric/polyester batting/spray baste do not hold together well. I have not had any problem using 100% cotton batting and 505 basting spray, even with heavy starch. Some people have reported problems with spray basting adhering to starched fabrics and/or poly batting; however, I think in all these cases it was other than 505 basting spray.
Edit: I should add that I never stretch my backing or top. If spray basting, it's enough to make sure it is laid out smoothly. I do use clamps to keep the backing from moving out of position while I baste. Be aware that there are techniques for spray basting that make the process very easy and minimize overspray and cleanup. But that is the topic for another thread!
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