Need Help on Pin Basting and Self-Binding?

[Sewbee]

Ok..so I am finally tackling a quilting project that requires pin basting and some planning ahead on how to do my binding. I fell in love with the Salt Box Harvest "Give Thanks" wall hanging when I saw it at MSQC so I bought the kit from Jenny. I finally pieced the top together this week and spent over 3 hours trying to pin baste the top to the batting and backing. This is my first time pin basting and the initial resource I read said to start in the center placing pins about a fist width apart in any random pattern, working out to the sides. After about 1 1/2 hours it hit me that I was going to have a heck of a time trying to quilt the center with the way I had placed all the pins. I went back and did a little more research and found another source who said "Always plan your quilting process before you do your pin basting" LOL...live and learn. So I ended up placing the pins in all the borders in a more defined pattern so I would have room to "stitch in the ditch" around all the seams when it came time to quilt.

1. My first question is should I redo all my pin basting in the center panel of the quilt? I don't know for sure how I will quilt that area but will probably mostly do outlining of shapes like the houses etc.

2. Should I always try to pin baste away from the areas I plan to stitch in the quilting process?

3 Have I used too many pins? About 250 pins for a 54 x 35 wall hanging.

My other question has to do with how I will bind this project. I cut the black backing fabric a full 4 inches wider on all sides from the top because I was thinking it might be simpler to just self-bind the quilt instead of adding a separate binding strip. I would like to make it a double fold of fabric for the self-binding though and not sure if I should try to miter the corners or just do them straight across for this project. I will need to put some kind of sleeve on the back to push the hanging rod through also.

1. So do you think I can self-bind using the 4 inches of extra backing and still get a double fold binding?

2. Should I even try to miter the corners if I self bind? (I have no real binding experience other than a hot pad...lol)

Looking for suggestions and comments before I get too far ahead of myself here.

Here's the pics if it helps: (the white is the extra batting around the edge, not a border on the top)

[kmckirkle]

Re: Need Help on Pin Basting and Self-Binding?

Hi, I have just started quilting myself and know exactly what you mean. Can I take this opportunity at this point to say, your quilt is lovely. You have made a beautiful job and you should be proud to hang it on your wall. Have you thought of spray basting, ie spray the backing, then put the batting on, then spray the batting and put the top on, making sure you have no wrinkles or puckers at each stage, smoothing out from the centre. I believe the best spray for this is the 505 although I'm sure there are others who have different preferences. When I use the safetypin method, I just remove each pin as I come to it, again maybe someone else will do it a better way. As for the binding, I was taught to cut strips the length of each side and the top/bottom 2 and a half inches wine. Press these strips in half and then sew on - all edges even from the front, then hand sew with little tiny stitches over to the back. Put the binding on, top and bottom first, then the long edges. I think Jenny has a video on this and the mitreing here. You wouldn't go wrong using that, and the beauty of it is that you can re watch it any time you like. I haven't ever folded over the backing, someone else I'm sure could advise you if that's what you really want to do. Good luck, your wallhanging is just gorgeous!
Jenny's tutorial is a lot better than me trying to explain it.

[Angie from Indiana]

Re: Need Help on Pin Basting and Self-Binding?

I am fairly new to pin basting myself, but from the picture it does look like your pins are too close together. Yes- it makes sense to try to pin away from the areas you are going to stitch in the ditch. I usually use free motion quilting on my tops and I just remove the pins as I get to them. I used to use self binding and was never happy with the results. This summer I bought the amazing binding tool and I can't believe how easy it is to use! I am looking forward to seeing your finished project! Good luck

[Sewbee]

Re: Need Help on Pin Basting and Self-Binding?

Thanks Kmckirkle and Angie! I appreciate the input! I didn't know they had spray on basting Kmc...but maybe I will try it one day...sounds interesting. I wonder if it would get my machine needle sticky?

Yes I have seen Jenny's great tutorial on doing the continuous binding and using the binding tool. That is the way I know I will be doing most quilts but I guess I am in a hurry to finish this one before my family comes for Thanksgiving....thought the self-binding would be simpler plus I ran out of my black Kona cotton for making bias strips.

I'm doing all machine quilting and binding...I have a terrible time doing anything by hand.

Yeah, Angie I had a feeling I got a little too heavy handed with the pin basting...Lol! Its all making more sense to me now just looking at it and realizing that pin placement needs to take the quilting pattern into consideration. I think I will probably spend an afternoon re-pinning the center of the quilt to adjust placement better and also reduce the number of pins.

Just yesterday my Ricky Timms "Grand Finale" DVD arrived in the mail and I watched how he binds his quilts....its amazing! I may have to think about giving that a try....he actually makes his own piping accent that gets machine sewn with the binding to the front of the quilt after first sewing the binding to the back. It looks a little difficult to me but has a beautiful result! I will have to make up my mind how I will end up binding this project....of course that's assuming I can even get the quilting finished! Lol....I would love to learn how to freemotion quilt and plan on trying it one day....but won't be ready on this project. I am just planning simple stitch in the ditch with possibly a few outlined accents here and there or maybe a little echo quilting some of the shapes.

Thanks again ladies for the helpful comments! The quilt top was easy to put together since it just consists of a large main panel with a few strip borders..I figured it was an easy project for my first major quilt and loved the theme and colors for Thanksgiving. I know the quilting and binding will be the real challenge!

[quiltnut]

Re: Need Help on Pin Basting and Self-Binding?

Ok..so I am finally tackling a quilting project that requires pin basting and some planning ahead on how to do my binding. I fell in love with the Salt Box Harvest "Give Thanks" wall hanging when I saw it at MSQC so I bought the kit from Jenny. I finally pieced the top together this week and spent over 3 hours trying to pin baste the top to the batting and backing. This is my first time pin basting and the initial resource I read said to start in the center placing pins about a fist width apart in any random pattern, working out to the sides. After about 1 1/2 hours it hit me that I was going to have a heck of a time trying to quilt the center with the way I had placed all the pins. I went back and did a little more research and found another source who said "Always plan your quilting process before you do your pin basting" LOL...live and learn. So I ended up placing the pins in all the borders in a more defined pattern so I would have room to "stitch in the ditch" around all the seams when it came time to quilt.

1. My first question is should I redo all my pin basting in the center panel of the quilt? I don't know for sure how I will quilt that area but will probably mostly do outlining of shapes like the houses etc.

2. Should I always try to pin baste away from the areas I plan to stitch in the quilting process?

3 Have I used too many pins? About 250 pins for a 54 x 35 wall hanging.

My other question has to do with how I will bind this project. I cut the black backing fabric a full 4 inches wider on all sides from the top because I was thinking it might be simpler to just self-bind the quilt instead of adding a separate binding strip. I would like to make it a double fold of fabric for the self-binding though and not sure if I should try to miter the corners or just do them straight across for this project. I will need to put some kind of sleeve on the back to push the hanging rod through also.

1. So do you think I can self-bind using the 4 inches of extra backing and still get a double fold binding?

2. Should I even try to miter the corners if I self bind? (I have no real binding experience other than a hot pad...lol)

Looking for suggestions and comments before I get too far ahead of myself here.

Here's the pics if it helps: (the white is the extra batting around the edge, not a border on the top)

That is so beautiful be proud of showing it off.I normally pin to hold layers together,as i get close to the pins i remove them prior to sewing, always careful awareness of pins.HTH

[Rae]

Re: Need Help on Pin Basting and Self-Binding?

If you haven't finished your wallhanging yet go over to "quiltingintherain.blogspot.com" and check out the Quick Quilt Binding tutorial. I think it is just what you were looking for your self-binding.

Happy Sewing,
Rae

[Sewbee]

Re: Need Help on Pin Basting and Self-Binding?

WOW... Thanks Rae! That is exactly what I was looking for! Looks like her method folds the binding twice so there is a double thickness and she explains how to miter the corners at the same time. I definitely am going to trial this method out on a hot pad or table runner first. I've got family coming in tomorrow and staying through Thanksgiving so probably won't have much sewing time for awhile, but I might crank out a few small items I can test the binding on. I still have to re-pin and quilt my wall hanging and I have pretty much come to terms with not having it done by Thanksgiving. I guess the family can just see the "pre-quilted" version for now! I don't want to rush things to the point of regretting it later.

Thanks so much for that link!

[Dragonfly]

Re: Need Help on Pin Basting and Self-Binding?

Sewbee, I somehow managed to miss this thread before now. You don't need to repin your centre, just move the pins that will be in your way while sewing. You can never pin thoroughly enough without them being in the way so just work in an area removing pins as needed then go to the next bit. PS you can never have enough pins.

I've haven't looked at the link provided by Rae but it sounds like what I do for self bound quilts, it gives you a double fold and mitred corners, so have fun, this is a beautiful quilt and I'm sure the family will enjoy it, pins and all.

PS Haha, I have been to that blog before, she has some good information and I liked the way she did her mitred corners on the self binding.

[Dragonfly]

Re: Need Help on Pin Basting and Self-Binding?

I've just reread that thread and the only thing I would add is that I still leave a little extra batting on the edge and tuck the folded edge of the backing fabric under it so that it ends up inside the the double fold of the binding. I just like the binding to have a fullness or padded feel.