AZ Jane

Consider using Elmer's Washable School Glue, the old fashioned white kind. Google how-to's. Best expense wise, no shifting, no wrinkles, no pleats sewn in, no need for multiple inches of extra fabric around the edges.

Rose_P

On a larger quilt I pin all over, for reasons others have stated. I like to use long straight pins stuck into foam earplugs. This works great for me. I used to use spray baste, but found it more bothersome than this method of pinning. Here is a youtube video that demonstrates taping skewers to the middle of your table to help you center the layers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnke_KzeTI8&t=146s

bigsister63

I also use 505 spray basting. Not only does it save on your fingers but the quilt is also lighter and much easier to "shove" the the throat of the machine! I have found that the quilt does not move much of any when it is "glued" down! If you must pin then try putting a marble under the sandwich and move it along as you pin! It will hold the sandwich up so you make sure you get thru all the layers! Good luck!!!!!

juliasb

Yes, it take pins to pin a large quilt but you do want to do the entire quilt before you begin sewing because there is always some shifting but less if the entire quilt is pinned.
I no longer use pins for basting, I have gone to using Elmer's Washable School Glue. I can glue baste an entire large quilt with a small container. This is a new technique to me but I have done 2 large quilts this way and am now working on my 3rd baby quilt. I just laid this baby quilt out before I came here to this message. With the glue it stays where you put it the very first time without shifting and I can start from one end and work to the other end. There is all kinds of information on this technique available here and on the net.
However, I pinned quilts for more than 20 years and that is a great way to baste.

Juliebelle

I highly recommend the elmers school glue, thin it with water about 2/3 glue and 1/3 water and it works perfect. I tried pinning and kept sticking myself and got blood on my quilt. The glue washes right out when you wash your quilt.

Karamarie

I pin mine all over but not as much on the outer part of the quilt, just enough to keep it together and then when I have the center done, I repin the next section out and repeat until I am done. That way if the quilt shifts, repinning will catch that. It's work but for me the end is worth it, it is totally my quilt. Good luck.

LadyAg

Thanks so much for all of the replies! You all posted things I never would have though of, but sound great! I really like the idea of the layers not shifting at all when you use some type of adhesive.

I plan to try both the 505 spray and the Elmers Washable School Glue on a practice sandwich. Here's to high hopes for a much easier way to baste!

LadyAg

Update: Thanks to all of your help, I have now completed quilting my first real quilt block (entire quilt to follow!).

Since my quilt is 85" x 85", I had it basted on a long arm, which was worth every penny! I could not get all the layers to stay put on the garage floor, and my back and knees were screaming at me!

After basting, though, I pinned the first block heavily. Since it was basted, I could not use any adhesive, but I plan to try that next. I used both flower headed pins with pinmoors and Bodhin curved safety pins (not in the same area). I like the ease of removal of the flower headed pins as I am quilting, but they do pop out easier than the safety pins.

Overall, I am very happy with the method, although I need lots of practice to sew a straight line! And boy is it easy to get tiny, tiny stitches with the least drag on the quilt!

Thanks again!

Pat M.

I pin my quilts every 3-4", I use my hand as the measurement, place your hand down on the quilt, pin where your thumb connects to your hand, then pin the quilt on the other side of your hand.
I start in the middle and work my way out. I tape the back down on the floor/table, lay the batting down and then the quilt top.
I have used up to 300 pins on some quilts.

sewingsuz

I use the washable glue and it works great for me on large and small. I swirl some around and then I have a cheap paint brush and even the swirls around. I wash my brush with water and let dry for the next time.