Originally Posted by slightlyoffquilter

1. Lay your batting down first on an ironing safe surface ( this is important ! )

2. Spray your starch onto the batting ! You want enough to cover the batting, but you don't want it wet. I always give one coat to the entire batting, then a small spray around the edges to make sure they are covered well.

3. Lay you backing down ontop of the batting. You could do your top first as well, it really makes no difference.

4. Smooth your backing / top down with your hands to remove any wrinkles or folds. Do not stretch it, just gently work out the bubbles. Your fabric should feel moist to the touch but not saturated !

5. Using your hot iron, press your fabric on top of the batting until it is dry ! Run your hands over the fabric to check for areas that are still damp.

6. Allow it to cool for a moment then flip it over and repeate the process for the other side ( either backing or top whichever you did not do first )

7. Double check both sides to ensure there are no bubbles or folds.

8. I always baste in the ditch even when i am using 505 or elmers to baste as i like the added security of knowing my sandwitch is held firmly in place. I set my machine to a stitch length of 7 and use a bright neon colored thread and run it along the major block seams ( just as if i was going to stitch the ditch only with very large stitches and easy to see thread ) in a grid pattern. If my quilting calls for stitching in the ditch i just go ahead and stitch the ditch instead of basting it in the thread color of my quilting.

Originally Posted by SlightlyOffQuilter

Okay, call me crazy ( I take no offense to that anyway ! ) , but I made a very awesome mistake turned light bulb moment today ! While I was going through getting my quilt blocks sandwiched to do my QAYG quilt I am working on, I was happily spraying and pressing away till the phone rang and disrupted me. When I went back to finish , I started out where I left off, going about spraying and pressing again, until I looked at the can that was in my hand. It had suddenly dawned on me that I was spraying with the purple can (Easy On Spray Starch ), and not the red ( 505 Basting Spray ) ! Not ony that, but my can of 505 was still sitting on my wine rack ( they make awesome can holders btw ! )I had not been using it all day ! I thought to myself, CRAP ! Actually I said that out loud LOL. But Here I was thinking I was going to have to go back and redo ALL those blocks all over again ! But, amazingly enough ... I didn't ! Check out the video below to see my new favorite ( and budget friendly ) way to baste !

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<source src="http://slightlyoffquilter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/SOQ-Basics-Basting-A-Quilt-Qith-Spray-Starch.mp4" type="video/mp4">
</video>

Originally Posted by JENNR8R

Does this only work when using cotton batting? I would think that polyester would melt with a hot iron.

Originally Posted by Jackie R

This is a great idea. I will definitely try this as I don't like the fumes of the basting spray.

Why do you press the quilt sandwich after basting. I just usually let the quilt laying flat for a few hours to make sure it's dry. Is that where the pressing comes in? Or is the pressing for an other reason?