Basting a quilt for machine quilting

[Nancy A.]

Okay, I feel like a total idiot.

I've been making tops for years. Last year I bought a new Bernina 440QE and my beloved put his foot down about finally 'finishing' something. I know I have never finished a quilt simply out of fear. I kept worrying that I'd 'screw up'. So, to help me solve this I made several 'practice' tops, that although I'd like them to be quilted nicely, I'm not going to die if they aren't.

So I conquered the first step and I sandwiched the quilt together, basting it with safety pins and started doing some simple machine quilting. I was all excited about how I was doing fine with the straight line quilting and my walking foot, when I turned the quilt over and found I had puckers in the back.

Now I could see why I had them since the back had a bit of extra material in between the areas I'd pinned. So I tore it all out and layered and pinned it again. Same problem...

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I pinned it at work on several tables I pushed together. I taped the back down taunt then put on the batting and smoothed it down, then I put on the top and smoothed it on. Last thing I did was pin.

I really want to master this, so I am looking for any help that someone can give me. If I give up and go buy a longarm, my beloved will kill me and how will I be able to spread the joy of 'The Quilt Show' if I'm dead?

I have both Alex's book on machine quilting and Ricky's video, just FYI...

[Nancy A.]

Oh Teresa, once you get going with this you'll kick yourself for not starting sooner! Congratulations on this very big step! I'm no expert, and I do have the theory that finished is more important than perfect, but it really is not difficult once you get going. Do you have the BSR for the 440QE? I just got my Bernina and that makes a world of difference as well... a lot cheaper than a long-arm, :lol: if you don't have it just tell DH this is a must-have!
All I can guess on the puckering is how close together are your pins? I was taught to put them about a hand's width apart. So it takes LOTS of pins. That said, I recently finished my first quilt using Ricky's disolvable thread method and my box of pins may be put away for good! It truly liberates your quilting b/c you just don't have to keep stopping or worrying about hitting them with your needle! But just like the pins, it needs to be basted fairly close together. OR Alex's recommendation (which must be in her book, but I haven't gotten that yet) is to use a busy print for a backing, it hides a multitude of sins! :roll: You go girl!
Florence

[Nancy A.]

removed because I somehow duplicated my entry

[Nancy A.]

Teresa, do I admire your perseverance in taking it all out and trying again!

Sounds like we use the same machine and the same procedure.

A few things that might help come to mind:

Are you pinning about every four inches? I either read somewhere or heard it on Simply Quilts (!) that if you pin, the pins should be no wider apart than the width of the palm of your hand. (I have almost 3/4 lb. of those curved pins!)

Are you keeping the "spreading tension" of the fabric about the same for all the layers as you assemble the quilt? The layer with least tension will be most likely to pucker. Remember that the crosswise grain has a bit more stretch, and on some fabrics, more than others. I especially watch that both while I pin and as I sew.

Getting older means on some days I now have drier hands than on others and find it hard to grip the quilt. Those quilting gloves really help me get a grip on it so I can be sure the fabric is spread flat under the head area.

And finally, I find it helps to start at the center and work outward even with straight line stitching. I do cheat and start at the center top instead of the very center, but it has not yet been a problem. I stitch in the ditch along the sashing (or block edge) down the middle of the quilt and then move outward, until I reach the edge. Then I turn it around and work outwards on the other side of the quilt, so I am always working from the center to my right. Getting the pins or quilt caught on the edges of the table/platform (that big plexiglass one is really nice) could be one more situation when you might have a problem, so keep lifting, fluffing, and keeping it clear of getting snagged as you progress with the sewing.

Hope this helps.
Louisa
from the cool (79F) sticks of SE OK

edited: Isn't it great how many of us are trying to help? I wrote my answer, and by the time I posted, there was a great response already! Well, Teresa, go for it. We are rooting for you.

[Nancy A.]

[quote= I recently finished my first quilt using Ricky's disolvable thread method and my box of pins may be put away for good! It truly liberates your quilting b/c you just don't have to keep stopping or worrying about hitting them with your needle! But just like the pins, it needs to be basted fairly close together. OR Alex's recommendation (which must be in her book, but I haven't gotten that yet) is to use a busy print for a backing, it hides a multitude of sins! :roll: You go girl!
Florence[/quote]

Florence, please tell me more about that dissolving thread. How much did you have to wash to get rid of it? How long? In the tub? Please tell me as much as you can about your experience.

Please??

Thanks!!

Louisa

[Linda V.]

Did you tape the backing down before you basted with pins? You need to smooth the backing out, and tape tautly (without stretching, just get the wrinkles out). Then continue to layer with the batting and the top. Only the backing gets taped. Pin carefully but you don't need to get crazy with pins, since you'll only have to undo them when you get to them. I make sure that I pin around the edges fairly closely, then about every 5" or so throughout the quilt. I try to make sure that the pins are place where I know I'm not going to sew. For instance, when I know I'm going to stitch in the ditch around each block, I keep my pins towards the center. That way, the blocks get stabilized, and then I can continue with quilting.
Good luck.
Linda in NJ

[Linda V.]

[quoteFlorence, please tell me more about that dissolving thread. How much did you have to wash to get rid of it? How long? In the tub? Please tell me as much as you can about your experience.

Please??

Thanks!!

Louisa ][/quote]

Louisa, I too have just tried this and I basted with the thread in rows every 4 inches, when done quilting I put the quilt in the machine per recommendation from Ricky, filled with water, aggitated a bit( not even 5 min) then spun the water out. I took the quilt out and spread it on the floor for drying(w/ 2 sheets underneath, smoothing out all puckers & wrinkles), then when dry, squared it up & binded it. It is now my basting method of choice.

Linda in South Dakota

[Linda V.]

Teresa, I ALWAYS use the KwikKlip (Joanne's carries them). That way, you don't have to lift the layers to pin/ The KK does the work for you & the pins can be easily inserted into the layers. I also start sewing in the ditch from the center row & work out each direction. It helps, but I still get some puckering on occasion. good luck.

[Linda V.]

Louisa, I'm not even as careful as Linda! I've always laundered my quilts before they're given away (which usually means a day before it's due LOL :lol: ) so that's what it gets... a normal wash w/ a small amount of detergent, dried in the dryer. BUT I admit, I make my quilts to be used, most have been for HS graduations so I expect they're going to be on a dorm bed for a few years... if laundering would be a problem, there'd be some nasty quilts out there! :lol:
BUT I tested some of the thread before use, and it went away with a quick swish in the sink, so I'm sure a simple soaking would work. I think Ricky says on the video that if you've used it somewhere you don't want (?) you can just spritz it and it's gone!
Good luck, Florence

[Gloria H.]

I used pins once and they almost cured me of the quilting bug. I spray baste all my quilts and have never had trouble with this method.

[Gloria H.]

I stopped pin basting my quilts as well, and spray baste. It's awesome. Not only does it work much better, the lack of weight and bulk from the hundreds of pins makes it so much easier!

The Wandering Quilter's Life in a Box!

[Gloria H.]

Thank you for all your suggestions. I'm going to make some further comments in no particular order.

I haven't used the spraybasting method because I was not sure how well it would work and I was a little concerned about the residue and fumes.

Is there any problems at all with residue? And what about fumes? I had a feeling it wasn't very environmental friendly, but I confess I never actually looked at the stuff.

I'll have to rewatch Ricky's video to see his thread basting. I watched it awhile ago and I vaguely remember that.

I did tape the bottom layer down and I am pinning about a hands width apart. I may not be stretching the back correctly or it may be some other things. I did notice that just from transport in my car the back wrinkled just a bit on the folds. I wonder now if that might have been part of my problem this last time. It looked very flat when I'd taped it. But is there a chance those few wrinkles caused the problem?

I really did hate doing all the pins (I'm definately going to look into the kwik clip thing), so any alternative that works well I would be happy to try.

Thanks again everyone!

[Gloria H.]

teresa,
it's also important that your batting is smooth and not stretched. I will toss mine into the dryer on the touch-up cycle for a few minutes, and let it relax even more when i place it on the backing.

my experience with spray...I have to let the project sit for 24 hours before quilting, or I will get a migraine.

[Gloria H.]

What kind of basting spray do you use? The first and only time I tried it (2 yrs ago), it kept gumming up my needle (I mean quickly) and caused problems with stitches, so I tossed the can. Don't remember brand or where I bought it.

Louisa
SE OK

[Gloria H.]

I like OESD's 505 spray. Bernina recommended.

The Wandering Quilter's Life in a Box!