I need to now sandwich my quilt but I cannot get down on the floor.

[psha]

Re: I need to now sandwich my quilt but I cannot get down on the floor.

Yes, crawling around of the floor certainly is a challenge! So, I tried the temporary spray glue method on the quilt that I am doing now. I taped to a wall with RS facing the wall, sprayed the fabric...put on the batting and smoothed it out really well..sprayed the batting...applied quilt top, RS out. It was amazing! I don't think I will ever pin again. This was a double size quilt so it as fairly easy to manage, but anything bigger might require a helping hand, or using the floor. The glue is kinda stinky, but a fan helps. I am quilting it now, and it has held together amazingly. The glue washes out with the first washing.
Patti

[suzette58]

Re: I need to now sandwich my quilt but I cannot get down on the floor.

I use basting spray instead of pins (except around the edge). I layer it on my bed. It works every time.

[JVO]

Re: I need to now sandwich my quilt but I cannot get down on the floor.

I have used a bed to pin my quilts. I am not sure which is worse getting down on the floor, or being bent over pinning on a bed. LOL When I pin on the bed I take my cutting mat and slide it under the quilt so I am not pinning into the bedding. You can slide the cutting mat around and it does not mess up the quilt. It works if you are not into spray basting

[Connie Chamberlain]

Re: I need to now sandwich my quilt but I cannot get down on the floor.

I agree with everyone but i use clamps to put around my table.I start with one side (top),clamp,pull tight clamp( bottom),do this all around if possable.I'm going to be sandwiching another quilt shortly.Connie C

[Katherine Vickery Ringo]

Re: I need to now sandwich my quilt but I cannot get down on the floor.

I started using the Sharon Schamber basting method (with pins instead of thread basting but I might thread baste in the future). You can do it on a table top and you don't have to tape anything.

Works much better and my back and knees thank me when I'm done!

[CherylR]

Re: I need to now sandwich my quilt but I cannot get down on the floor.

Thanks Katie, I will have to try that method.

[MaryB]

Re: I need to now sandwich my quilt but I cannot get down on the floor.

Katie, What a wonderful video! My DH and I gave the technique a quick trial run on a small quilt with some old boards he found in the garage and it worked like a charm. As he's off to the hardware shop today anyway, he will get me some nice new (and longer) boards, paint them and I will post the results when I do the quilt properly. Not sure yet, whether to thread baste like the video or use pins just to see how they go. Thanks for putting this one up for us - so friendly to problem backs.

Mary B.

[Texsam]

Re: I need to now sandwich my quilt but I cannot get down on the floor.

Thanks for posting the videos Katie. I am going to try it out. Basting on the floor makes my knees hurt too much.

[sunflower1944]

Re: I need to now sandwich my quilt but I cannot get down on the floor.

I have trouble with my knees and can not get down on the floor for any length of time. I'm with Sandy, lay it on your bed. If you need to, pull off the spread and blankets, etc. Smooth everything out, then you can slide your fingers under the bottom layer to put the pins in. Or, you could slide your cutting mat under it to pin on, and just move it as needed.

You could also (on the bed) spray baste the layers. Just be careful not to go right to the edges.

[MizPat]

Re: I need to now sandwich my quilt but I cannot get down on the floor.

I bought one of the basting guns, like a price tag gun. I was concerned about the holes poked in my top, but I found that exercising a little restraint (don't force the needle through) works well. I lay the sandwich out on my full-sized bed, and once everything is smooth and wrinkle free, I slide my large cutting mat under the middle of the quilt, followed by the grate that is meant to be used with the gun. Then, starting at the center as usual, simply insert the needle of the gun and "shoot" the basting tack into the quilt. The tacks are small and thin enough that you can sew over them, but I usually try to tack in a place where I don't intend to quilt. If I have a tack get in the way, I usually remove it with a pair of snips or even a sharp seam ripper (carefully, the way porcupines make love). The operative words are restraint and sharp to minimize the risk of damaging the quilt top you've worked so hard on.

[magx]

Re: I need to now sandwich my quilt but I cannot get down on the floor.

I had tried this technique, but it only stretch the quilt long ways, by the time you get to the quilting, it wrinkles. The quilt not stretch on the sides. try to pinned in the dining table and clamp it on the table. Try to do this when Hubby is not home, just will save you some arguments about borrowing the carpenters clamps.

[magx]

Re: I need to now sandwich my quilt but I cannot get down on the floor.

I found this video that may be helpfull, good luck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6KHU...eature=related

[MaryB]

Re: I need to now sandwich my quilt but I cannot get down on the floor.

Well, I basted my quilt using the Sharon Schamber method and must say I am most impressed and would definitely use this method in future. Went with thread basting and for me it was much slower than using my old method with pins, but oh so much kinder to back and legs. However, am pretty sure speed will come - Sharon did say she's been doing it for years!

Katherine, you mentioned that you might change from pinning to thread basting. Do you think there would be any advantage in one method over the other? I'd like to try pin basting next time but ONLY if the result would be as good.

Mary B.

[MarianneK]

Re: I need to now sandwich my quilt but I cannot get down on the floor.

I baste on the wall in my sewing room. First I tape the backing using painters' tape and an occasional push-pin. Then I smooth out the batting on it, it sticks well without any tape or pins. Of course you must start at the top and if the batting is large another person there to assist works better. Then put the quilt top right on the batting, the same way you put up the batting. Carefully smooth it out from the center to the edges. I first make a cross horizontally and vertically with pins and then fill in each quarter to baste. I used to do it on the floor but I have zero room to do that where I live now. Plus the floor is harder on the knees. I'd much rather go up and down a small stepladder or chair.

[ncredbird]

Re: I need to now sandwich my quilt but I cannot get down on the floor.

Sharon Shamber has a great tutorial on how to do this sitting at a table. It is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhwNylePFAA
I intend to use it on my next project. These old knees and back just aren't up to working on the floor any more. Spray basting on the wall looks really interesting also. There are tutorials on You Tube for that also. Ann in TN