Basting a quilt for machine quilting

[Judith T.]

Pat, I, too, started using this method with the boards. I even did the herring bone stitch but found that when I was sewing, I had to cut away the threads as they would catch on the foot. Do the pins work better? How far apart do you pin? Judy in AZ

[Judith T.]

Judy, it depends on what your quilt is. If I'm going to do a show quilt, I will use the thread basting, since it is more secure. And Sharon shows how she snips the thread away on the areas she's quilting so that the foot doesn't get caught on the thread. I'm using pins on charity and kid's quilts, since if they shift a bit, it won't really matter, and I'm able to pin baste a lot quicker than I can thread baste.

Pat in Rockport, TX

[karen f.]

I used her basting with the boards method on a lap quilt I am quilting now. I had previously basted it the old way taped to the table and pinned. When I got back to it, to quilt I noticed it was really puckery and not as tight as I wanted. Then I tried S. Schamber's way and for the first time I haven't gotten a single pleat or pucker in the back. I used a basting gun with the little plastic things also for the first time and everything worked so well.

Karen

[Jorie D.]

A Schamber thread has started in the "Spray Basting" discussion ...

The Sharon Schamber basting video mentioned by pknord is really good and a revelation to me. I'm looking forward to spending hours on YouTube viewing everything she offers.

Has anyone used her method on a BIG quilt? If so, what sized boards did you use?

My inner seams are on the diagonal. I can see how easy it would be to keep horizontal and vertical lines straight using her method, especially on smaller project, but am trying to imagine how to work with 45 degree angles as well.

[Jorie D.]

....I used a basting gun with the little plastic things also for the first time and everything worked so well...

No holes? I worry that the manipulating and tugging that happens when working with a big project will stretch and break threads.

[karen f.]

So far I see no holes or problems. I am using the Avery Dennison office kind. Previously I had one from the quilt dept notions and didn't use it because it did leave big holes. I think that someone on this forum in the past mentioned using this smaller one a lot so you may be able to look back for more info from someone who has used it more.
Karen

[karen f.]

I'm planning to use Sharon's method w/ my next quilt, but using Ricky's idea of water-soluble thread. I like that SO much better than pins. I can sew over w/o worry, but if it does get caught on the foot I can just clip it away too.

As for

The Quilt That Would Not Stop Growing

, my sister told me she believes there's a 12-step program for that! :lol: Every one of my graduation quilts has been bigger than the previous one!
Florence

[karen f.]

Hehehe, living here on the Texas Riviera, the humidity is usually in the 90s, so basting with water-soluble thread is not a possibility for me.

Pat in Rockport, TX

[karen f.]

I posted elsewhere that I just bought some 96" boards at Lowe's, and they had some that were 120", which would do a king-size quilt, but I don't want to even attempt one of those, so the ones I got, plus the 84" ones for twin size and the 42" ones for baby quilts should meet my needs. The boards are not very expensive, and certainly cheaper than having to go to a chiropractor.

Pat in Rockport, TX

[karen f.]

I bought 2 96" boards today at Home Depot for about $10 for the 2. I really am looking forward to trying this method. Basting and marking have always been the barriers to finishing my quilts, so I hope this takes away one of my problems. Pat, I like your idea of using pins with this method. I may try that. Marge

[karen f.]

With the twin size quilts, I found it helpful to use some painter's tape to help hold the edge of the quilt and back to the boards when starting the rolling process--didn't need the tape with the baby size, but needed the extra control with the wider one.

Pat in Rockport, TX

[Jorie D.]

What is the width of the long boards -- more than the 2" seen in the Sharon videos, right? I'm going to get things rolling tomorrow.

As for using water soluble thread: would it lend the same strength and stability as the thicker DMC basting thread? I can hardly wait to try her needle threading advice. She's incredibly quick -- without glasses even!

[Jorie D.]

The boards that I found were 3" X 1/2". They are are a composite board of recycled fiber and preprimed white.
That sounds like a good idea to tape the edge to the board to control a wider quilt. Any more good tips for us, Pat?

[Beth A.]

I have used 505 and Sullivan's and the other brand and have never had a problem with residue after washing.

BethMI

P.S. Glad you had the experience of pin-basting a quilt. Now try spray-basting. You'll never go back!!

[Beth A.]

Just be sure that the back and the top are nice and flat--I use plenty of spray sizing, the industrial strength stuff--Magic Sizing Extra Crisp. I get it at Wal Mart or at the grocery store.

Pat in Rockport, TX