::Tools For a Quilt Sandwich::
To make a quilt a quilt you eventually have to baste it through your choice method. I’m a pin baster. I also have OBD (Over Basting Disorder).
If I’ve already over thought my quilting design then I try to land my pins in areas that won’t interfere too much with it.
In my life basting a quilt is a good excuse to clean my floor, have a beer, and soak in a few episodes of whatever TV series I’m currently chain-smoking. I’m having a marathon with Scandal today.
Here’s a list of my tools for basting a quilt. A nice container to store them all together in makes for easy transport to my basting spot.
::Basting Tools::
- Basting Pins– I’ve run into a load of poor quality basting pins in classes. If you’re going to bother pin basting buy good quality, your quilt top will thank you. Heavier thread count material can also make sharp pins even more important. I prefer the smaller curves ones. They are about 1.5″ long.
- Kwik Klip– This little tool helps close pins. I don’t know what my problem was that it took me so long to purchase one of these. If you are going to pin baste this tool is also an essential in your toolbox. Trust me;)
- Painter’s Tape– Use this to systematically tape your quilt back right side down to the floor. I work by alternating sides as I tape. Beginning from the midpoint of the sides. Don’t stretch, but it should be flat.
- Shears– For getting rid of excess batting. I fold the batting back onto itself and cut away at the fold to an inch or so smaller than my quilt back. This gives me a visual to run my quilting off the quilt top and secure it into the backing.
- Snips– To rid quilt of stray threads.
- Lint Roller– Don’t forget about the back. If the quilt has been handled a lot the back will have longer stray threads. It generally isn’t even a problem, but if I have a light color on the front and a dark thread gets quilted behind it it will show through. I find this annoying after putting so much work into perfection.
This is by no means a concise tutorial on all aspects of making a quilt sandwich or basting, but I’ll fill in the blanks at some later dates.
I also am a true believer that there is no need to reinvent the wheel, so I’ve pinned a Whole Cloth and a Quilt It Pinboard with a load of great tutorials on quilt finishing such as basting, quilting and binding that wonderful people have put together for wonderful you;)
Any tools you can’t live without?
Happy Week Peeps;) I’m off to quilt and fold a mountain of laundry.
Kwik Klip sounds like a good tool to have. I really like your idea for getting rid of excess batting.
Thanks Wanda. It works great;)
Love all this linen you’ve been using, how does it play?
I’m hoping it will do better with the quilting I have planned than the last time I used it. I was pretty disappointed in the quilting on this quilt: https://sewkatiedid.wordpress.com/2015/03/02/on-target-quilt/
It’s really the shot cotton that can be a pain.
Googling this now I want to know how the kwik kilp works.
You won’t be disappointed.
I love the Kwik Klip tool so much, I have two. 😉 Sometimes the husband helps me baste.
Nice job on the enlisting. He’s a keeper;)
I couldn’t survive without the Kwik Klip and it is even more wonderful for removing the pins as you quilt. I’m envious that you can baste on the floor. These old bones will not tolerate that kind of behavior. lol
As to those stray threads showing through, Clover makes a Soft Touch Thread Pick that works like a dream for pulling strays through the top.
Getting one! Thanks for the tip;) Quilters are the best at sharing.
Have you tried basting vertically? You use the same method but do it on a wall.
Gravity makes the quilt hang nicely for taping and you do it all standing up–no sore knees. It is much, much faster.
Also, Sharon Schambler (spelling?) method using lengths of wood gives an almost perfect result–but the basting, as she does it, can take days.Also you need a wide table.
i use an old crochet hook instead of a kwik klip – one less thing to remember to buy and I had enough crochet hooks on hand that I was able to dedicate one to quiltings 🙂
Awesome tip;)
You and I are totally basting twins.
Really helpful thank you 😀 TTS