Let's try that again.

{{!gwi}}

How do you do your basting? In a frame? Some other way?

Thanks for the giggle, Carole.
I used to lay my quilt sandwich on the carpet and thread baste from the center out. Now that I no longer have carpeting, I clamp the sandwich to a big table and pin baste.I think I prefer the floor method although it was hard on my back.
~Geraldine

I have basted on the floor once or twice, but really hated the sore back. It is so easy to make frames and tack a heavy sleeve to the boards. Buy or borrow from your DH some small clamps to join the boards and rest it over chairs turned backwards. When I did it myself, it took me 2 1/2 hours to do a queen sized quilt. It went faster if I could get the kids to do the under work, but usually I wasn't patient enough to wait until they got home from school.

Sorry about the double posting. When I opened it this morning, the pic didn't come up, so I figured I did something wrong.

I use basting spray on the dining room floor. I'll never go back to thread or pins. Spray basting is so fast and easy, holds forever, washes out, has no pins/threads to get in the way of quilting or have to remove later...can you tell I'm a fan of basting spray?? lol
Cheryl

How does the spray keep the layers from moving? You spray the backing to one side of the batt and the top to the other? What is the brand name? Is it safe with all kinds of fabrics?

Carolek,

The spray holds the layers really well; in my experience, better than pins. I tape the backing, right side down, to the floor, and spray it. Then roll the batting on, and spray it. Then roll the top on, right side up.

The brand I like is Sullivans. I haven't had any problem with any fabrics. It gums the needle a *tiny* bit (I have to clean the needle after each quilt), but is well worth it to me. I'm using another brand right now (got it at JoAnn), but am not liking it as much.

Cheryl

I too am a HUGE fan of basting spray-- oh my gosh it is so nice to not have to put in, work around, and take out, all those pins!!!!

I bought whatever brand Walmart sells and it's just tacky -- kind of like restickable glue. I have had SOME shifting on really big items where I think I would probably put SOME pins in -- maybe 5 to 10 in a 100x100 inch quilt.

But also, I did not tape my bottom down first so maybe that was part of the problem.

I basted mine using a hand quilting frame, pin and have to move rehoop the frame, pin and rehoop again. Pain in the buttocks!!!!!! (and back!!) But it doesn't shift and the pins are also a pain to take out. When I basted on the floor I wasn't able to keep the backing taunt enough.
I watched a video posted here (?) and the lady used 2 boards, wrapped the sandwich around the boards at each end, basted as she unrolled the sandwich. I tried her method on a twin size using swimming pool noodles and it worked great as long as I don't unroll too much at a time.
Basting is the only part of the quilting process that I dread.
Rosa

And I forgot to say, love the cartoon and I would be under the quilt with you!!!!!
Rosa

Interesting option, but I think it would take me longer. I always basted with thread, stitches about 2 1/2 inches apart. The only pinning was to the frame sleeves.

I forgot to give my DH the credit for the cartooning.

Funny cartoon, but what please are 'swimming pool noodles'?

"swimming pool noodles" are the long styrofoam cylinders that kids use as floats.

One of the advantages of being underneath the frame when basting by that method was that you could see if any straight pins had gotten missed.

Love the cartoon!
I use a basting spray called 505 if I'm machine quilting. It holds well, doesn't gum up the needle and doesn't smell as some other brands I've tried.
I hand baste for hand quilting.
My only problem with the spray basting is that I have no place to spray lap quilts or larger at home. I don't like to use the stuff indoors. I have one banquet table that I drag outside for baby quilts and wall hangings, but if it's a bigger quilt, I need to wait till I'm at my quilting group (in the Church hall with a door open for ventilation).