Basting the 'Sandwich'

Can I initiate some discussion on the preferred way to secure the
sandwich for quilting. As far as I know the four methods commonly
used i.e. basting using thread, safety pins, spray basting and basting
'gun'.

I am sure there will be proponents of each of the 'methods' and
perhaps others. I would like to know whether or not there is an
overall prefered method. Most of my 'circle' tell me basting with
thread (4" pitch) is the 'best' method however my instincts for large
quilts is for safety pins. Can I have your input on the 'debate'.

I most often use fusible batting, with basting tacks (from the new, tiny
gun) around the edge - just in case. I mostly make wall hangings and
such, so they don't need to be soft, and the fusible lies beautifully
flat.
When I make a cot quilt or anything else hat needs a more snuggly
batting, I will use my microtack(h) gun. I started with one of the
original sized 'guns', but this micro one is fantastic. The two main
complaints about the 'original' were that the needle left large holes
(and sometimes actually damage the fabric/split thread), and that the
'stem' of the tack was too long, and allowed for movement. The tiny one
has answered these concerns.
..
In message , Edward W.
Thompson writes
Can I initiate some discussion on the preferred way to secure the
sandwich for quilting. As far as I know the four methods commonly
used i.e. basting using thread, safety pins, spray basting and basting
'gun'.

I am sure there will be proponents of each of the 'methods' and
perhaps others. I would like to know whether or not there is an
overall prefered method. Most of my 'circle' tell me basting with
thread (4" pitch) is the 'best' method however my instincts for large
quilts is for safety pins. Can I have your input on the 'debate'.

--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

i'm guessing you mean for machine quilting it.
if you use safety pins on a large quilt you've the added weight to contend
with.
if you do use these, dont close the pins til you've got them all in, in case
theres some need to adjust.
pin about a fist apart and consider where you intend to quilt so some of it
can be done without removing the pins in mid-stitch.
just something to consider.
i prefer thread basting, large or small. thats just me tho.
takes time but if you use up old cheap thread in a colour that contrasts a
lot with the background it will be easiser to remove. it weighs nothing in
comparison to pins too.
the smell of dinner cooking is wafting out here and into my nose so i'm a
bit distracted and cant think of more now.
fwiw,
jeanne
--
Vote B'fly for President '08
san-fran at ihug dot co dot nz
nzlstar on yahoo msg'r
nzlstar on webshots

"Edward W. Thompson" wrote...
Can I initiate some discussion on the preferred way to secure the
sandwich for quilting. As far as I know the four methods commonly
used i.e. basting using thread, safety pins, spray basting and basting
'gun'.

I am sure there will be proponents of each of the 'methods' and
perhaps others. I would like to know whether or not there is an
overall prefered method. Most of my 'circle' tell me basting with
thread (4" pitch) is the 'best' method however my instincts for large
quilts is for safety pins. Can I have your input on the 'debate'.

I use safety pins, about an inch long in brass. And lots of them, about 4"
apart over the whole surface. I like them because:
-easy to use
-easy to remove when machine quilting, which is what I mostly do
-thread basting is incredibly tedious so I tend to make the stitches too
large, and I hate having to rethread the needle
-pins can be recycled many times before they become too dull to use.
And I will keep on using them regardless of which method wins the poll!
Roberta in D

"Edward W. Thompson" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...
Can I initiate some discussion on the preferred way to secure the
sandwich for quilting. As far as I know the four methods commonly
used i.e. basting using thread, safety pins, spray basting and basting
'gun'.

I am sure there will be proponents of each of the 'methods' and
perhaps others. I would like to know whether or not there is an
overall prefered method. Most of my 'circle' tell me basting with
thread (4" pitch) is the 'best' method however my instincts for large
quilts is for safety pins. Can I have your input on the 'debate'.

I do both thread basting and pin basting, but probably pin basting has
become dominant---the primary difference, to me, between the two is that pin
basting tends to be *faster*. Spray seems to me a bit gunky on the needle,
especially as a hand quilter, and the gun and I just have never really hit
it off---although I have in fact tried all four methods, as well as no-baste
on a three rail floor frame.

I would, however, throw in the caveat that if you expect it to *sit
unquilted* any length of time, I'd thread baste or gun baste: spray's apt to
change its characteristics, and even if you think you don't have much
humidity, pins are apt to rust in the quilt--and stain the fabric--if left a
long time. (Not to mention that you likely have only just so many pins, and
that ties up a good many of them.....)

The other caveat I have with pin basting if you hand quilt has to do with
putting the quilt on whatever frame you use (I use a floor hoop, currently):
be careful of pins that are right at the hoop or other fastener. You'll
likely want to remove them so that they don't get pulled and rip fabric.

--pig


On 3/28/07 01:20, in article ,
"Edward W. Thompson" wrote:

Can I initiate some discussion on the preferred way to secure the
sandwich for quilting. As far as I know the four methods commonly
used i.e. basting using thread, safety pins, spray basting and basting
'gun'.

I am sure there will be proponents of each of the 'methods' and
perhaps others. I would like to know whether or not there is an
overall prefered method. Most of my 'circle' tell me basting with
thread (4" pitch) is the 'best' method however my instincts for large
quilts is for safety pins. Can I have your input on the 'debate'.

Careful there, Jeanne. You could get in trouble with using contrasting
color thread for basting. When I was first learning to smock, I had the
local heirloom shop do the pleating for me. This was before I had my very
own pleater. They used bright orange and lime threads to pleat. When I
removed the threads after smocking, there were bright orange and lime
stripes where the dye in their threads had discolored the little white
dress. That was at least 20 years ago but a lesson I won't ever forget.
Polly

"nzlstar*" wrote in message
...
i'm guessing you mean for machine quilting it.
if you use safety pins on a large quilt you've the added weight to contend
with.
if you do use these, dont close the pins til you've got them all in, in
case theres some need to adjust.
pin about a fist apart and consider where you intend to quilt so some of
it can be done without removing the pins in mid-stitch.
just something to consider.
i prefer thread basting, large or small. thats just me tho.
takes time but if you use up old cheap thread in a colour that contrasts a
lot with the background it will be easiser to remove. it weighs nothing in
comparison to pins too.
the smell of dinner cooking is wafting out here and into my nose so i'm a
bit distracted and cant think of more now.
fwiw,
jeanne
--
Vote B'fly for President '08
san-fran at ihug dot co dot nz
nzlstar on yahoo msg'r
nzlstar on webshots

"Edward W. Thompson" wrote...
Can I initiate some discussion on the preferred way to secure the
sandwich for quilting. As far as I know the four methods commonly
used i.e. basting using thread, safety pins, spray basting and basting
'gun'.

I am sure there will be proponents of each of the 'methods' and
perhaps others. I would like to know whether or not there is an
overall prefered method. Most of my 'circle' tell me basting with
thread (4" pitch) is the 'best' method however my instincts for large
quilts is for safety pins. Can I have your input on the 'debate'.

Roberta, have you found a good source for pins? Mine have become dull too.
How I would love to have some fine, sharp ones. Polly

"Roberta Zollner" wrote in message
...
I use safety pins, about an inch long in brass. And lots of them, about 4"
apart over the whole surface. I like them because:
-easy to use
-easy to remove when machine quilting, which is what I mostly do
-thread basting is incredibly tedious so I tend to make the stitches too
large, and I hate having to rethread the needle
-pins can be recycled many times before they become too dull to use.
And I will keep on using them regardless of which method wins the poll!
Roberta in D

"Edward W. Thompson" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...
Can I initiate some discussion on the preferred way to secure the
sandwich for quilting. As far as I know the four methods commonly
used i.e. basting using thread, safety pins, spray basting and basting
'gun'.

I am sure there will be proponents of each of the 'methods' and
perhaps others. I would like to know whether or not there is an
overall prefered method. Most of my 'circle' tell me basting with
thread (4" pitch) is the 'best' method however my instincts for large
quilts is for safety pins. Can I have your input on the 'debate'.

When putting together the sandwich, I spray a little between each layer. Not
much, just a bit. I then pin it with the funny shaped quilt pins. I close
them, I know some people leave them open, but I tend to make bed sized
quilts. I have basted quilts, and still do a little before pinning if I have
a heavy quilt I am trying to pin, but just basting tends to make puckers for
me. To each his own I say.

--
Boca Jan
Florida - Land of the Hurricanes
http://community.webshots.com/user/BocaJan



"Patti" wrote in message
news
I most often use fusible batting, with basting tacks (from the new, tiny
gun) around the edge - just in case. I mostly make wall hangings and such,
so they don't need to be soft, and the fusible lies beautifully flat.
When I make a cot quilt or anything else hat needs a more snuggly batting,
I will use my microtack(h) gun. I started with one of the original sized
'guns', but this micro one is fantastic. The two main complaints about
the 'original' were that the needle left large holes (and sometimes
actually damage the fabric/split thread), and that the 'stem' of the tack
was too long, and allowed for movement. The tiny one has answered these
concerns.
.
In message , Edward W.
Thompson writes
Can I initiate some discussion on the preferred way to secure the
sandwich for quilting. As far as I know the four methods commonly
used i.e. basting using thread, safety pins, spray basting and basting
'gun'.

I am sure there will be proponents of each of the 'methods' and
perhaps others. I would like to know whether or not there is an
overall prefered method. Most of my 'circle' tell me basting with
thread (4" pitch) is the 'best' method however my instincts for large
quilts is for safety pins. Can I have your input on the 'debate'.

--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

It depends on how I am going to quilt the quilt. If I am machine
quilting, I like to pin baste. I have colored covers on my pins so that
I can see them. Helps then they fall on the floor or when I am finished
quilting so that I don't leave them in. If I am going to handquilt, then
I baste so the thread does not get tangled with the pins. This can be a
problems since I am quilting my second queen sized whole cloth. It has
had some buckling which I really hate when that happens.

Debbi in SO A


Edward W. Thompson wrote:
Can I initiate some discussion on the preferred way to secure the
sandwich for quilting. As far as I know the four methods commonly
used i.e. basting using thread, safety pins, spray basting and basting
'gun'.

I am sure there will be proponents of each of the 'methods' and
perhaps others. I would like to know whether or not there is an
overall prefered method. Most of my 'circle' tell me basting with
thread (4" pitch) is the 'best' method however my instincts for large
quilts is for safety pins. Can I have your input on the 'debate'.

I would use basting safety pins if you are planning to machine quilt it
yourself. If you are hand quilting, then you would use thread......and a
good idea for that is the dissolving thread. If it's a small type quilt or
wallhanging, then spray baste is ok..... I haven't used one of the guns so I
can't comment on that.

The important thing is to get good, smooth layers without any tightness or
puckers.

Good luck!
~~~~~~~
Laurie G. in CA
www.finishingtouchesquilts.com
http://community.webshots.com/user/lagrant7
~~~~~~~

"Edward W. Thompson" wrote in message
...
Can I initiate some discussion on the preferred way to secure the
sandwich for quilting. As far as I know the four methods commonly
used i.e. basting using thread, safety pins, spray basting and basting
'gun'.

I am sure there will be proponents of each of the 'methods' and
perhaps others. I would like to know whether or not there is an
overall prefered method. Most of my 'circle' tell me basting with
thread (4" pitch) is the 'best' method however my instincts for large
quilts is for safety pins. Can I have your input on the 'debate'.