Sandwiching Quilts

I have been procrastinating about assembling my finished quilt tops as I am fairly new to quilting still. I have 4 finished tops here that are about queen sized. A couple of weeks ago I used 505 for the first time on a crib quilt and was so impressed how easy it was. Sure beats the "old way" of pinning. Well today my mom said she would help me. So I got my first quilt sandwiched and used 505 to adhere the top. I then realized it would be easier to flip it over to adhere the backing after she arrived because of its size. An hour and a half later we got into it, flipped it and adhered the back. All went together smoothly. Even mom was impressed with the 505 and couldn't believe how much easier it was from when we have pinned. On to quilt 2. Tried the 505. What a disaster. Too many puckers we couldn't get smoothed out for the life of us. Decided to put it aside as I didn't know what to do at that point. On to quilt 3 and 4. Decided we were so disgruntled at how that last quilt went together that we pinned them. They came out sandwiched beautifully. Here is my dilemma- What do I do with my fumbled top? I can't FMQ it this way because it will pucker. I don't really want to wash it to get the adhesive out because I don't want the raw edges to fray. The only thing I can think of is peeling apart the layers, washing backing and top on gentle to remove 505 adhesive and hang on the line to dry so they won't fray on edges and start over with pinning together and throw batting away and start with new. I also can't figure out why it was such a disaster. They only difference I can think of between the first that went so well and the second was I gave a hour and a half for the top to dry and adhere before flipping. With the disaster one we did one side then instantly flipped to the back. I don't know if that could have affected it or not. Thoughts? What would you do to salvage the quilt top. I have too much time invested in piecing to screw it up on the last steps. I know I won't be happy unless I can correct it and get the puckers out. Thanks for your ideas.

Hi Kerry, if you can pull up half of the quilt top & start re-smoothing starting from the middle of the quilt & working outward......that might fix the problem. Then do the other half. Did you tape down the quilt top to hold it nice and tight before layering the batting? That helps eliminate puckers also.

I rolled a lap quilt top on a big cardboard tube one time when I made my sandwich. Then I slowly unrolled the quilt top & smoothed out the wrinkles & puckers as I went along. That way the top would not stick before I wanted it to.

Good luck.

do you have a serger? i saw a post where ryan said this is how he keeps his raw edges from fraying.

I would do what Pam suggested. I wouldn't wash it or throw away the batting. I think you will just need to take a little time to smooth it out. Tape the back to the floor, or where ever you're working, and start over. Good luck!

Did you use the type of batting in both? what about the amount of 505 you used? a little goes a long way... if you maybe over sprayed the second one vs the first things might be sticking to each other a little more causing the puckering.

Along with all the other great advice, for future quilts (I have nothing to add about fixing yours) I always lay the batting down because it is thicker and adhere the top to it, flip after about 15 minutes and then adhere the back. Love the cardboard tube idea. I've seen the same idea down with slat boards. Good luck.

I have not done anything larger than a lap quilt with the spray but what I have done with great success is lay down the back, the batting and top as if I were going to pin it but then fold back half of the top and batt, spray then fold back the batt smooth it, fold back the top, spray and smooth then do the other half the same way. If it is pretty large I do it in quarters, layering, folding back, spray then smooth.
Since the spray is repositionable I would do the same thing, lay it out, separate the layers then reposition them one side and one layer at a time.

I'm pretty sure ironing releases the adhesive on 505 spray.

I would layer everything just like you did before smoothing out as many puckers and wrinkles as you can. Then take the sandwich to the ironing board. Starting in the middle, using steam, press with an up and down motion, smoothing the wrinkles and puckers out one block at a time. I have found that this is a very important part of spray basting. Ironing the sandwich is a vital part of the process. I started doing this after seeing a quilting expert teaching this technique on Craftsy.

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Originally Posted by Marebear

I'm pretty sure ironing releases the adhesive on 505 spray.

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No, it doesn't. I press my sandwiches before I quilt to smooth them out even more and the 505 has never released because of it.

505 is repositionable. If you get puckers, you need to peel it back and resmooth.

The nice thing about 505 is that you can reposition it. I would work on half the quilt at a time - or even a third. You might have been in a bit of a hurry on your second because the first one went so easy. I press my sandwich to get the rest of the wrinkles smoothed.

I reposition small areas at a time, but of course, you have to do both sides. Be careful about ironing out the remaining wrinkles...it should be just pressing...don't want to stretch fabric.

I have also used the tube idea but not a cardboard one, I have a pool noodle (several actually)