toverly

I stretch out my batting on my tile floor in my breakfast room. And tape the sides with masking tape strips to stretch out wrinkles. Then I stretch out the backing on the batting. I fold it back in half and glue with elmers, starting in the center and glue about 12 inchs at a time across the quilt. I iron it to flatten glue globs, then I start gluing the other side starting in the center. Then I flip the entire thing and glue the front the same way but I am careful to square up the top as I go with the grids on the floortile. I also iron the front to flatten the glue globs. Then it's trim to the top leaving about 1" all around and just flipping it every now and then till it dries completely.

citruscountyquilter

I glue baste on a small dining room table. I put the quilt bat down first and smooth it out. I don't tape or secure it as it stays in place. Next I lay the back over the bat then I fold the back back down so the bat is exposed the size of the table top and put a thin thread of washable school glue on in a zig zag pattern and fold the back up over the bat and smooth it out. If I'm in a hurry I'll use an iron but generally I'll just leave it there for a few hours and it will be secure and I move the bat and back to a new position on the table and repeat the process. When all of that is done I flip it over and repeat with the top. It works well for me and I don't have to have a large amount of space to do it in.

A friend of mine does it with a piece of board on top of her ironing board and then just repositions. When she doesn't need the space she takes the board off the ironing board and stores it away.

Misty's Mom

Do you spray baste from the top down or from side to side? I did a throw on my design wall from the top down, but now I have a queen size and a couple kingsize quilts to baste and was wondering which would be easier. I agree, after doing that one quilt, the design wall is the only way to go.

sewbizgirl

No sprays... I just lay the top face down, center the batting over it, then the quilt back, smoothing everything without stretching. Then I fold the quilt in half and flip it, opening and smoothing, right side up. Then I use my huge safety pins and pin about every 12". I use cotton batting which 'sticks' to the fabric just by it's nature, so my layers don't shift around much. Never quilted a wrinkle on the back-- knock on wood!

toverly

citruscountyquilter, I had to laugh at myself this morning. We basically do the same thing but I am wallowing on the floor and you are working on the table. My table sits unused right beside me when I'm on the floor. Why I didn't think of the table before your suggestion, heaven only knows. Thanks for the idea.

SWEETPEACHES

Do you water down the glue? or use it straight out of the bottle. I presume you're talking about Elmers?

Onebyone

First, go to Lowes and buy four of the 6 ft folding tables that fold in the middle. They are easy to store and easy to set up. Lay the batting on top of the tables. Lay backing fabric on top of the batting, getting it even and smooth. Fold back half the backing. Stream Elmers's Washable glue over the exposed batting. Smooth any big globs of glue. Fold backing over the glue and smooth. Fold the opposite half of the backing and repeat. Smooth everything once finished. Let dry and flip over and do the same with the quilt top. I add a little water to my glue to make it easier to stream out the bottle. If I'm in a hurry, I can press iron and have the glue dry faster. I glue right to the edges. My quilt top and backing aren't moving anywhere, no wrinkles, no puckers. That's where the large table tops are so important. All the quilt is laying flat.

petpainter

Thanks for all your suggestions!! I have the design wall, spray , boards, and glue...now to make up my mind. Great tips as always from everyone!

Boston1954

I am very lucky that our church quilting group has 3 or 4 of those lovely big white plastic tables. They can take almost any sized quilt I can come up with. I lay out the backing and tape it down with masking tape. I try not to stretch it because my other two layers are just smoothed on top and then I pin about 6 inches apart. I have not had any problems with this method. I have never tried basting spray. I do not know anything about the effects it would have on my lungs (or my kitties).

SWEETPEACHES

And then when the quilt is all finished you wash it and the glue comes completely out?