CindyT Posted November 17, 2010 Report Share Posted November 17, 2010 Okay, oh-wise-experts-on-this-forum, I just finished basting a quilt for a hand quilter, but I don't feel like I did something correct. Is there more to it than just making big stitches horizontally and vertically? I spaced the stitching lines about 10 inches apart with stitches about 3/4 to 1 inch apart. Is there some sort of "locking" stitch I was supposed to do every so often or will this hold the sandwich well enough? Not very confident with this 1st basting job. Today's frustration started this morning when I quilted a donation baby quilt for another lady that I LET her whine enough to me to do it for free when I specifically told her I wasn't doing that anymore. She had pin basted the quilt sandwich without telling me when she handed over the sack at guild (I should have took it out and looked at it, I know.). Okay, I take the safety pins out. Thank goodness that "inner voice" told me to look at the backside of the quilt top. Guess what I found? STRAIGHT PINS!!! What was she thinking? Was she trying to sabatoge my machine? No more! OK. Feel better now. Thanks for letting me vent. Any thoughts on how I was really supposed to baste the quilt in question? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinneaMarie Posted November 17, 2010 Report Share Posted November 17, 2010 :P:P Cindy! Straight pins? really??:P:P Sorry I can't help you with the basting thing, but I LOVED the pins story!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CindyT Posted November 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2010 LinneaMarie, yes, straight pins! Could you feel how furious I was with her? I can't laugh yet, but I'm glad it amused you. The straight pins were at the intersections where she pressed the seams the wrong way. Pinheads on the underside of the quilt top so they would have been harder to detect had I loaded it and started quilting.:mad: "Big Momma" (my machine's name) wouldn't have been happy, and you know what that means...when Big Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted November 17, 2010 Report Share Posted November 17, 2010 That's a forehead smacker for sure!! Yes, what was she thinking! For basting, I set the SR for the biggest stitch, move the machine briskly but carefully, and use a contrasting slippery poly thread for easy removal by the quilter. If she hoops to quilt, I do not lock stitch. If she lap quilts (no hoop) I will take some locking stitches off the quilt at the sides. My sequence for stitching--"castle top"--start on the left side off the top. Stitch four inches horizontally to the right, four inches down, four inches right, four up, four over, four down, until you finish the pass--off the quilt to the right. Looks like the top of a castle, huh? Start again at the left side, four inches below the starting stitches, and repeat the pattern--four inches across until you get close to the first "corner", down again, across, up (again, close to the "corner"), across,down, all across to the right side. If you repeat this pattern, you will have a stitched gridded design with the standard "fist-width" basting, and do it all without stitching long vertical lines. Doesn't matter if you cross lines at the corners or not. Doesn't matter if your lines are perfectly parallel. Close enough is good enough. And basting is one time that I use my top roller to put tension on the quilt top--floating does not work with basted quilts. Baste away, and watch out for those pins!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraG Posted November 17, 2010 Report Share Posted November 17, 2010 Cindy, if I baste as you did I occasionally take one back-tack. I take a stitch about every 5 inches and I only do it horizontally. Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinneaMarie Posted November 17, 2010 Report Share Posted November 17, 2010 I've also heard you can use water soluble thread....like Superior's Vanish. Comes out very easily. Sorry I'm laughing Cindy, sometimes it helps so you don't cry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted November 18, 2010 Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 I haven't basted any quilts for anybody so I'm not much help. I think Linda's & Sandra's methods both sound very reasonable. As for the pins - really? Very lucky for you that you found them first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted November 18, 2010 Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 Originally posted by CindyT ...when Big Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. Ain't dat da truth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted November 18, 2010 Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 Anyway I think you did fine with the basting job. You can also baste doing a giant S curve if it makes you feel better. PS: Be sure to give her all of the pins back. But you can keep one of her straight pins to stick in your Voo Doo doll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CindyT Posted November 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 :P:P:P:P Whew, that feels good to laugh again. Thanks, Shana. Linda, I did do the castle top thing but the 10 inches was per her instructions. She is going to hoop. So I guess not doing a back tack will be no big deal this time? I feel better now. Thanks all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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