Basting a quilt

[ANNE E.]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSeWBOnbC90

I found this and thought it was interesting especially using Steam a seam tape for basting.

Anne

[Sharon E.]

Those are great ideas, especially the steama seam. Thanks

[Marianne G.]

I found this and thought it was interesting especially using Steam a seam tape for basting.

Anne

I have tried both Steam-a-Seam, dressmakers basting tape (water soluble), Mistyfuse squares and Clovers fusing strips for stained glass appliqué to baste smallish quilts and it works very well. I prefer the water soluble basting tape or Mistyfuse because they are undetectable after quilting and washing but that is just personal preference.
Marianne

[ANNE E.]

Thanks Marianne.....I have not tried Mistyfuse.....YET!
I just thought for a wall hanging it seems an easy way instead of pins.
Maybe I will try it on my Christmas houses if I ever get it finished.
Anne

[Marianne G.]

You're welcome Anne. I have problems with my hands so safety pins is not an option for me and ordinary pins can be painful sometimes even with bits of kitchen sponge as Pinmors. I do some basting by machine but only if I can have the whole project on the extension table which limits me to about 20"x20"; for larger pieces the fusible tapes have been a very good option for me.
Let me know how you get on.
Marianne
PS Mistyfuse is hard to get hold of in UK - I got some through a friend.

[Janet K.]

Recently on the forum someone mentioned a basting gun? it sounded great, but I did not write it down. HELP
Can anyone help? is there a search for the forum? Janet

[Diane O.]

http://www.quiltak.com

This is the one I have and it works great.

Diane

[Marianne G.]

I use this one but only ever in the seams. Basting guns can leave holes in your quilt that will not close up ofter washing
http://www.fastener.averydennison.com/product.aspx?id=222
I also have the Quiltak but only use that for basting toiles when I do dressmaking.
I have just finished a quilt that I basted with the MicroStitch

[Janet K.]

Thanks Marianne and Diane, neither of these sound like the one I am looking for, but they are options. I will check my history on this iPad. Janet

[Janet K.]

I found what I was looking for. Judith posted it. It is microtach. Now to google the web site to make sure. Janet :cheer:

[Judith A.]

My Microtach leaves holes no larger than my quilter's safety pins. They disappear completely by rubbing them away.
The easiest way make Microtach holes disappear is to wash the quilt - assuming the quilt is intended to be washed, such as a bed quilt, or a baby quilt or a table runner. Unless it is an art quilt, I usually wash my quilts anyhow after I have finished them.
If it is a quilt I don't want to wash, I make them disappear by rubbing them with the rubbery end of the Dritz Seam-Fix seam ripper, or a pencil eraser that doesn't leave color.
They disappear more easily if I dab them first with the tip of a small brush dipped in water - much the same way you would remove water-soluble marking for quilting.
I buy my Microtach and refills at my local AC Moore with a coupon from the Sunday paper. If I don't have an AC Moore coupon, I use a coupon from JoAnn's. JoAnn's and ACMoore honor each other's coupons.

[Janet K.]

Micro tach and micro stitch are both Avery products.Are they the same? Seems as if micro tach has more variety of choices. Needle size? I don't have an A.C. Moore store in my area, what do they sell? Janet

[Pamela N.]

Thank you Anne for posting the video, I've never used steam a seam for basting but I'm going to try it on a smaller piece. I am contemplating how to baste my TQS BOM 2014 at the moment. I usually either hand baste or spray baste larger quilts as I can't use safety pins. What I really need is fairy godmother to baste my larger quilts but I don't know where I can get one of those :unsure: .
Best Wishes Pam

[Judith A.]

Hi Janet,
I took a look at mine. Turns out I have both a Microtach and a Microstitch. They look identical, except that one is red and the other is green. They they both work the same and use the same needle and nylon micro fasteners. Refill #11186. I bought my Microtach years ago. I bought the Microstitch at AC Moore to have a spare. I use both now. I load one with black nylon fasteners to use on light fabric, and I load the other with white fasteners to use on dark fabrics.

I see online that Microtach comes with 2 needle sizes. Both needles are the same diameter, but one is longer than the other. I have the short needles in both of mine. I would be afraid the longer needle would not hold as snug and the quilt layers would shift. I think the Microtach with longer needles might be more for commercial use.

I think all the different basting methods have their advantages and disadvantages. I like this one because I have carpal tunnel. Pin-basting is way too painful. I like spray-basting also, but only outside. I mostly make large bed quilts and I don't relish spray-basting on my deck in the cold.
I like being able to free-motion anywhere I want without being restricted by pins.

You asked what AC Moore sells. AC Moore sells arts and craft supplies; fine art, scrapbooking, cake decorating, floral, children's arts and crafts, yarns, knitting, and a selection of sewing/quilting notions.

[ANNE E.]

Hi Pam, Have you ever thought about getting a quilt basted by a long arm quilter ( If you have one in your area)
I don't think they charge too much and then you could do the quilting yourself.....just a thought!
Keep warm
Anne