Whenever there is a post on social media asking for a quilters most favorite or least favorite part of quilting, the answer for my least favorite is immediate and passionate. I really dislike basting quilts. There is so much riding on it. The need for a perfectly flat backing, a well prepped quilt top, the perfect amount of pins (I haven’t yet tried spray basting), no secret folds or wrinkles – ugh! It is more than I can stand. This is where I start to procrastinate. I know I am not alone. This is clear by the fact that the majority of quilters have any number of quilt tops that are unfinished, waiting to be basted and quilted. I don’t mind the quilting process and I usually enjoy binding a quilt. It is just the basting.
This is why I found myself in my sewing room this week starting a new project. Because really I should be basting and quilting my 2023 Positivity quilt. The top is finished and it is adorable (if I do say so myself). But I need to fuss around and create a backing and then…… baste it. I would venture a guess that someone could make a successful side gig offering to baste quilts for people like me. There are loads of us. Off I went to make something else, anything else, so I wouldn’t have to baste the quilt.
Last week while wandering the local quilt show (where I enjoyed that Sinbonnet Sue quilt) I spent more than a few minutes checking out the country store portion of the show. I love looking through the fabrics and other items quilters are selling. There was a bundle of charm squares that had been put together by a quilter. It was from a variety of lines and looked like leftovers from charm packs they had used. I liked the colors and knew it would be cute to make something with them. (I am proud to say this is the only purchase I made! I dug deep and restrained myself from buying anything else).
On Sunday I found myself in the sewing room looking for something to work on, anything that didn’t require basting. There were those cute charm squares sitting there, calling to me. “Choose us, choose us. You’ll have days of fun before any basting is required.” Sounded like a grand idea to me. I poked around on my Pinterest boards and decided to make a quilt similar to one I had pinned some time ago.
I looked through the solid green fabrics on the shelf and chose one to put on one corner of each charm square. Then I stitched them into a four patch. Because of my limited number of charms, I put a black border on them using the same green for cornerstones. (True confession time – I didn’t keep the little triangles from the stitch/flip on the corners. I know I should have, it was reckless of me, but I tossed them. Mia culpa.)
With the twelve blocks and the sashing, the quilt was fairly small. First I added another narrow border of the green (using almost all I had of this fabric) and then added a wider black border with green cornerstones. But it was still too small.
Last night I put out an alert – all the way from Washington state to Minnesota. Isn’t technology the best?? Texting Wendy at Pieceful Thoughts, I asked for some ideas. After sending pictures of a variety of fabrics to her, it was agreed that a narrow border of this denim blue dotted fabric would be cute with another black border. I used cornerstones again for consistency.
TaDaa! Another quilt top is finished. Another quilt top is whispering ‘finish me, baste me, don’t let me sit here forever.’ This puts me at four quilt tops needing to be basted and one that is in the midst of being quilted yet no where near finished. It is a vicious, never-ending cycle. Help!!! Help me!!!
I feel your pain! Basting is a pain, but I hate the quilting part worse. Love binding because it means I am finished!!! I do spray baste – using a light touch with a cotton or 80/20 blend. Never had a problem. I have read of folks hanging all layers on the wall & basting that way. Makes sense to me but I have not tried it yet. Love the little quilt you posted.
I think that is the next step – learn about spray basting. Hard do wrap my head around it as far as where to do it, is there overspray mess, does it stink up the house, etc. But so many quilters use it, so it must be beneficial. Thank you Cindy!
I feel your pain! I spray baste my quilts, and trying to get everything wrinkle free causes years of procrastination. Ugh. On a happier note, your charm square quilt is so cute! You and Wendy came up with a great border solution. The colors dance across the quilt top 🙂
Thank you for commiserating Tracie. I knew I wasn’t the only one!!
Take care, Bernie
Really like how that finished up, Bernie! It was so much fun to text back and forth (I love technology for that)! I spray baste, and would be happy to talk you through my process if you’re interested. I’ve never pin basted, because I can’t wrap my head around all those pins in the way while I’m trying to quilt – LOL.
I am definitely interested in a spray baste lesson. I will order some and we can set up a time to chat about it.
My biggest concern is where to do it and if there is any mess with overspray?
You are so right that someone could capitalize on a basting service. Honestly, some longarm quilters might be up for it. You might want to see if there is a longarm quilter near you who could load your backing, batting, and quilt tops and thread baste them for you!
What a fun quilt top. I especially like that Wendy was able to chat with you and help come up with a great way to finis it out. And confession time: I don’t keep stitch and flip bonus HSTs unless they are going to finish at 2″ or larger, and even then sometimes I don’t unless they will finish at 3″ or 4″….
Well this makes me feel so much better about tossing those corners. I have a (small-ish) bag of hst’s from these stitch/flip projects and just couldn’t make myself add to it – I just wasn’t in the mood I suppose.
The idea about the long arm basting is an interesting one.
I love your new quilt…great use of those charms. I dislike basting but hate quilting with a fiery passion. I probably have over 100 quilt tops that need to be finished because I don’t want to quilt them…one day. LOL. I love starting new projects when other projects are stressing me out…you are not alone.
Oh my gosh Erica! That is a huge number of quilt tops. I have even greater appreciation for your donations to Mercyful Quilts now that I know how much you avoid the quilting process. If you ever want to donate one of those quilt tops, I will finish it for you. :-). Take care and I am happy to hear I am not alone!!
Love the borders on the quilt! I tried to send you a picture but it wouldn’t go through. The name of that Sue death quilt is “the sun sets on Sunbonnet Sue “. 🤣
Hahaha – I did some searching around and found a few posts about this quilt. Very silly! Thank you Pam.
why do you baste your quilts before quilting? i never do.
Or, are you basting so you can hand quilt.
I don’t understand basting if you are going to longarm it.
Inquiring minds want to know
I wish I had a long arm but I don’t. I quilt on my regular sewing machine. So yep, I have to baste my quilts together. Usually I pin baste but I am feeling tempted to try spray basting.
Hi Bernie! Beautiful finish into a quilt top. I can see why those charms were calling out to you. But, ugg. Another quilt top. I agree with you on the basting step. It was my least favorite part until my friend purchased a longarm. Now I don’t mind finishing. I could easily see this would be an easy step for someone with a longarm. Yvonne’s suggestion is spot on – I’ll bet there is someone who would do that for you at a minimal charge. That just might change the way you quilt going forward with no basting hanging over your head. {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
Thank you Roseanne. I have gotten such good ideas from the comments on this post!! What a great group of people. 🙂
I don’t have a solution for your basting dislike, but I do have a Thank you for your note about the doll quilts in a previous post. This is a perfect solution to use my leftover bits from baby quilts! I have several completed ready to send. By the way I really like the new quilt!
Oh yay! Happy to hear you’re making some doll quilts. I love little projects like that. I am sure Carole will appreciate your donation!!
I’m right there with you, Bernie – I dislike basting my quilt layers together with a passion! That causes lots of procrastination! I do spray baste and that’s a pretty good way of avoiding any kind of wrinkles or pleats in the backing. My favorite basting spray is Spray n Bond Basting Adhesive – because it doesn’t smell! I loved your post showing the Sunbonnet Sue quilt – that is a fun quilt!
Another vote for spray basting! I haven’t heard of this Spray N Bond brand. I had only heard of 505.
Thank you Diann. I will give it a try!
I hated the basting step so much on the very large denim quilt (my first big quilt) that I have never done it again. I go to a quilt store and pay to use the long arm there! Otherwise, I would have to quit making quilts. My knees can not take the strain!
When I lived in CA I had a shop that rented time on their long arms. But I haven’t found that sort of thing here (yet). It is a lot easier. My regular machine does a pretty darn good job with quilting – once I get it all basted!!
I spray baste most of mine. I only ever work on one project at a time (I know it makes me weird, but it’s normal to me). I am lucky that I have 3 large tables (that I custom-built) so I can lay the bottom out and tape the edges. Then add the batting and then the quilt. A little smoothing and spray quarters at a time. I’ve never had over spray.
You’re not weird. Sometimes I try to keep to one project at a time but for whatever reason, it doesn’t last too long.
I am hearing good things about spray basting. Maybe this will be helpful. I need to give it a try.
As for the pattern, I didn’t have an actual pattern. I just saw a similar quilt on Pinterest. But I used charm squares and 2 1/2″ squares for the flipped corners. For sashing, 2 1/2″ strips and 2 1/2″ squares for corner stones. For the borders I alternated between thin strips at 1 1/2″ wide and then 2 1/2″ wide. Does that help? If you need more detail, let me know. It is super easy to make something like this.
So on the 5″ charm pack you put a 2 1/2″ square. Sewed it diagonally and then cut the piece behind. Then sewed 4 of those together???
Oh, and what is that pattern you did on this lovely quilt?
If you will send me a top and backing, I will quilt it for you for$65. Of course there will be shipping charges. Wish we were closer.
Hi Trudie: That is so tempting. Thank you for letting me know. I didn’t know you quilted for others.
I wish we were closer as well!! 🙂
I spray baste. I work on a queen size bed in spare room – put down a flat sheet (in case of overspray) then layer and smooth things, then lift batting and top and fold over the other half of quilt sandwich, spray- put batting back snd smooth, spray and put top back snd smooth and walk to other side of bed and repeat. I’ve had some spray basted for years (and still haven’t quilted them!).
Thank you Rosalie. This is all giving me the courage to try a can of spray baste. I can do this!!
Okay, if we’re having True Confessions Time about tossing the leftover HST scraps, I might as well admit that the real reason I bought a long arm machine was so I would never have to pin baste a quilt ever again!! I was terrible at it and got pleats in my backing with every single quilt that I quilted on my domestic machine. It amazes me that anyone can manage to baste a quilt without that happening because I tried taping the backing to the floor, or doing it on the table from the center out, or wrapping things around pool noodles or 2 x 4s…. Surprisingly, swearing didn’t help either (but that didn’t stop me from trying). Your quilt top turned out fantastic!
Even swearing didn’t help?? Shoot. You clearly tried everything. Wise decision to buy the long arm. Hahahaha.
I also echo Yvonne’s suggestion about taking it to a longarmer for basting. Many do offer that service.
For those leftover bits from HSTs, I toss them into a bag that I keep under the cutting table, along with any other odd shaped scraps, strips too thin to keep, and anything else I can give myself permission to just throw out. Then, when the bag is full, it is dropped off at a local charity that recycles cotton. Maybe you have a similar program in your area.
Recycling cotton would be a great reason for me to keep the smaller bits that I throw out. I will take a minute and look for something like that around here. Thanks Carole!!
I agree with you about basting. I have basted one quilt on a long arm. . .that was nice; but, in retrospect, it could have been quilted with a little more effort. . .so I haven’t done it again. Some of my friends though, do it for all their large quilts. I’ve spray basted too and thought it was the way to go. . .until I forgot about planning for the overspray. . .it was a little challenging to clean up and that got me thinking about how long it stays in the quilt. . . I would have thought it would wash away. So, like you, I pin baste. I try to have a project that is pin basted so that when I’ve finished quilting the current project, I can keep quilting. . .in other words, I try to keep my basting pins busy. . .LOL!
Bernie, reading all the comments I think about a while about the differences in our countries. Now I learn a lot of people give quilt tops or do by themself on a long arm. But all my quilt are basted by myself. I call that „wedding“. I completely understand you, because the next quilt I have to celebrate wedding is a king size!! On a domestic machine quilting… ! What is about a „Fleemarket table“ or call ot camping or party table. Bit a stable one. I think two in a row and then a good friend to put it flat… this y
Could be better for your back than on the floor. I take 505 as well. You could not overspray, for my opinion.
I do not go from top to down … I lay all three layers on the floor, than go to the middle, with a towel under my knees (!), then put the half of the top in front of me to me. Then take the spray and spray on the fleece. Then go in some steps from the middle to the end. Then I turn myself, rake the other side and fold towars me. Then spray … and give the top the way to the end … from the middle to outside. And you feel with your hands if there is something not ok.
Then you have one side. Then turn it. And go on with the other and soon the wedding is done.
Downlooking dog… like in yoga is needed for your back then or a good warm pillow in the back!
But, basting the own quilt is so worth. Then I do one line in the middle of the quilt to fix.
How does this sound for you. Do only take a brand for basting spray! The needle of your machine loves 505 and handquilting is no problem. I love half way quilting with the domestic machine and include handquilting. So much fun! Love to hear your favorite of „wedding“ party!
Sorry for so many writing mistakes!!! Did not take my time to read it twice. Please take my appologize for the mistakes!! Hope you understand what I mean…. Or delete it from your block… when to many mistakes are not fine. Will do better in advance.
Hi Eva – please don’t worry about your abilities with writing in English. I cannot write in any language besides English. I admire your abilities! I understood your comment and appreciated it. I am very inspired and think spray basting might be a good solution for me and my dislike of the whole basting process. I will give it and try and let everyone know if this worked for me!! Thank you again Eva.
💕 u. You a place to rent a long arm. There must be one near you. Miss you
What a pretty quilt Bernie – LOVE those colors together! Yep, sandwiching the quilt is my least favorite part too, and I spray baste. I really dislike the spraying part. I use very little, but no matter how careful I am with towels and sheets below, there is almost always overspray. Supposedly it all comes out with laundering, but who knows for sure. I do like the smoothing process though, it works for me with the spray much better than any other way of sandwiching. Anyway, I agree – someone could make a fortune basting quilts! Sounds like a job to take on Shark Tank. 😉
This is a really fun quilt! I love that you found something fun to entertain you. Yes, some longarmers will baste, I have done it for pieces I wanted to hand quilt but it would work the same for machine. I do the basting spray when I can’t put it on my frame. You should be careful and do it outside. You might want to try fusible batting too…but again because of your migraines be careful with it…open windows! I rarely keep the cast off triangles. We can recycle textiles and sometimes I make dog pillows out of them, but the recycling is so much easier.