Patsy Thompson Video & Spray Basting

[Judy M.]

Just watched the first installment of the wonderful Patsy Thompson video on machine quilting. (Thanks, so much TQS.) I loved her tip about spray basting using a "basting wall", but wondered what kind of success everyone has had with spray basting anything larger than a wall hanging.

I've tried spray basting on a child's quilt, but found that the adhesive didn't really hold over the hours it took to do the machine quilting. I ended up having to respray quite often to finish the job. I wasn't using the 505 Spray Basting that she mentioned. Did that make the difference?

[Judy M.]

I have all of PATSY THOMPSONs DVDs on machine quilting and love them. I do not use the sprays... to much chemicals for me... if I can not pronounce it ... it does not get used in my house.... too many allergies and asthma... I do not want to expose my 2 year old grandson.

I use SHARON SCHAMBERS method of basing using HERRRING BONE STITCHES.... works great for me.

I am making a sofa throw using her patterns/ teaching from the DVD and the putting them together using the FUN AND DONE method. ( Fun and Done is a revival of quilt as you go method from the late 1800s-early 1900 type of quilting.

[Judy M.]

I used the 505 to baste my 86" square 2009 Sue Garman BOM. It worked great. I basted on my folding table, starting in the middle and doing a section at a time - got the whole backing smooth, turned it over, and then added the quilt top. I didn't have to respray at all.

[Judy M.]

I've used both Sullivan's and June Tailor basting sprays with very good results. I've never had a problem with having to re-spray, but I'm very careful to smooth out each layer VERY firmly, and I use pins about every 10 to 12 inches or so, leaving them in until I quilt in that area. The first couple of times I used it (several years ago) the needle gummed up a bit, but haven't had any trouble with that recently. Using some Sewer's Aid on the needle may also help.

[Ann P.]

I have been spray basting for 12 years now, ever since the sprays first became common and I use them exclusively for all my quilts and no pins at all. In my opinion they hold every square inch of the quilt to the batting & back, something that isn't true for either pin or thread basting. Pins also add a considerable amount of weight to a quilt sandwich. I use Sullivan's spray but I have also used 505 with good results. Like any other product we add to our quilts, i.e. fusible web, paint,starch, sizing, etc., you may have better results if your fabric was washed before making the quilt. The factory sizing can act like teflon in some circumstances. Yes, spray adhesive is a chemical you are adding to your quilt, but all the fabric we buy and all the other products we use are loaded with chemicals and it seems arbitrary to start objecting to spray baste. All the chemicals in fabric is one good reason to pre-wash all your fabric. I do iron the back smooth after I get the whole thing basted, it seems to help adhere the adhesive better. It is easy to reposition during this process and afterward if need be.
I am confident that the adhesive does wash out, not only from my own testing on quilts but the results from washing the old sheet I sometimes use when I need to spray a top or backing on the garage floor when the weather is bad. I am adamant about spraying outside, no one needs adhesive in their lungs or on their furnishings. I spray the wrong side of the back, bring it in and pin it to the floor or up on my design wall. Smooth the batting over, then spray the wrong side of the top outside and bring it in and place it over the batting. I dislike spraying the batting because the loft of the batting seems to require more spray to hold and that can result in gummy needles.
I work for Possibilities and probably quilt 1-2 quilts a week at work, all spray basted and then come home to my own quilting, so I do have a good deal of experience with spray!

[Robbie O.]

Gently ironing with your iron set to steam will reactivate the sticky of the basting spray.

[Robbie O.]

I use 505 basting spray all the time, as do many in our group. You should only spray the batting, not the fabric, as the fabric absorbs it too much. For medium to large quilts I will pin or tack around the outside edge just to make sure it doesn't peel back with all the handling. I've used it for both hand and machine quilting projects and LOVE it

[Robbie O.]

I'm so glad that I posted the question -- lots of good tips. After I wash my new fabric, I usually starch it because I like the firmer feel. Perhaps, that's been my problem. I'll just have to give this another try -- anything to make the tedious job of basing easier. Thanks.

[Lynn K.]

Lots of good answers here. I have only used 505 once and felt like I had gotten myself into a game of twister as getting the batting laid down flat and then getting the top laid down flat were so difficult. It would stick in the wrong place and then while getting THAT unstuck I'd get another place stuck wrong! It was a disaster for me!

Having said that I'd like to learn to use it as the basting with pins or with Sharon Schamber method are a pain. I am using Shaaron's method but do keep getting my hopping foot caught in the basting threads! And pins required moving or removing.

If all of you can do it, so can I!!!!

I like the 'wall' idea as gravity won't be as much of a detriment as working flat on a table. My knees can't take the carpet idea. Ouch!

[Lynn K.]

Lynn - I'd like to offer a few tips that work for me. I push two long tables together in the cafeteria of the school where my husband teaches, and cover them with old curtains to catch any over-spray. I don't spray anything before I start. I usually lay the backing on the table, right side DOWN. Then put the batting on, and smooth from the center out in all directions, without stretching the batting if possible. At that point, I sometimes trim off the excess batting, particularly if I'm working with a pieced back, so I can see where the edges are for the next step. Then I lay the top, wrong side DOWN over the batting, and again, smooth from the center out, making sure that the top is centered on your backing/batting. (I use either of two smoothing motions: moving both hands outward from a starting point, or "anchoring" with one hand and smoothing with the other.) Once you are staisfied that your sandwich is the way you want it, grab your can of spray and SHAKE THE SNOT out of it! It really matters - trust me. For a large quilt, the rest of the process works better if you have another person to help you. Stand on opposite sides of the table, and each grab a corner on the same edge. Fold that edge back so that the edge is laying about half way back toward the center. Then fold it back again, so that one half of the batting is exposed. Shake the can again, then spray the batting from where the top is folded to half-way from the fold to the edge (just like you folded it before.) Wait the recommended amount of time, then unfold the top back over the batting, all the way to the edge. Press and smooth the sprayed section, checking to see that the outer edges will be where you want them. If everything looks OK, grab the same corners you had before, and fold the top back to the point that the spray holds it in place, shake and spray the exposed batting. Wait, then fold back, press and smooth to the edges. Move around to the other side of the quilt, and repeat. Flip the sandwich over, and do the same thing with the backing up. You will end up doing the fold-shake-spray-wait-smooth process a total of 8 times - 4 times on the front, and 4 times on the back. Flip it back over and give it a final smoothing all over the front. For a large quilt, I will also put the curved safety pins in places that won't interfere much with the quilting, 8 to 12 inches apart, just for insurance. Most importantly, when you start the quilting process, stabilize by stitching in the ditch around all the blocks and along the outer edge of the border, or wherever it makes sense to stitch, then move on to your decorative quilting. If you are using a wall instead of a table, the process would work the same. Good luck!

[Gloria H.]

Mary mentioned shaking the spray an adequate amount of time. The directions usually say 2 minutes and I do it by the clock. It truly does make a difference.

[Lynn K.]

Thanks for all the tips and tricks.

It will be awhile before I get to another one, but I have 8 tops along with backs hanging and waiting. I'm on my very first FMQ with my HQ16 sit-down right now and it's going well! Thank God! ha

So I won't be looking for diversion to begin #2.

[Lynn K.]

Unless I missed it, no one mentioned the smell. I've never used the sprays. Doesn't it make it hard to breathe when you're using them? I wonder if some sort of mask should be worn. That's one thing that has kept me from using the sprays.

JoAnne

[Lynn K.]

505 hardly smells at all and there are no warnings on the can about fresh air or masks, which there would be if there were harmful chemicals in it. A friend of mine who has asthma uses it with no problems.

[Beth A.]

I, too, have asthma, and I have used Sullivan's and the other major brand (Can't remember the name, but not 505) for years with no problems whatsoever. That risk is overrated.

BethMI