Sandwiching Problem
 

I do mostly throw size quilts and wall hangings. They are smaller than the table I use to sandwich on thus I can't use clamps to hold down the layers as I sandwich together and don't get a taut sandwich and it drives me nuts. Just can't get all together tightly. I use tape along all edges and can't think of any other way. Any suggestions?

i use masking tape.

Perhaps clamp a board across the table over the quilt.
Mike

Get a longarmmer to baste it for you. Buy a no-baste floor frame for hand quilting and use that to baste your quilt, then take it off and machine quilt it.

I never tape or clamp anything - just smooth it out. I do use spray baste. Once done, I'll press it from the back if needed to make all is well.

I use washable school glue basting on a table and just smooth first the backing over the batting, then flip over and smooth the top over the batting, after drizzling some glue in a grid pattern. I always had puckers when I taped the backing taut. I guess I was over or under stretching. No issues now.

I don't bother to clamp or tape. I lay the back down face down, smooth the batting over it and then lay the top on. I do it that way whether I'm spray basting or pin basting. The key is to continually smooth it as you go, particularly if pin basting. For Pin Basting I periodically slip my hand under the sandwich to make sure the pins are going through all three layers.

For spray basting I lay the batting on the backing, then fold the batting back halfway, spray either batting or backing (your preference) then starting from the middle where the batting is folded back carefully lay batting back down a little at a time, smoothing as I go until I get to the edges. Repeat for other half. Then lay top on and do same thing.

Never had problems with puckers doing it this way.

Rob

This is my way of doing it and also never have problems.

I don't usually use anything either, especially on smaller quilts.