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Help. How do you baste a quilt (Baltimore Album)?


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I have a Baltimore Album quilt coming in that needs to be basted. I've never done this before and could use advice! I've heard about dissolving thread, stitching in lines, u's and w's. I have an APQS Millenium. The client is planning to use a walking foot on her sewing machine to make 1/2" crosshatching around all the applique. I can hardly wait to hear from you all! (Also, what about pricing?)

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Why doesn't she just want you to quilt it for her? Are you going to get the quilt back after she does the crosshatching? Or is that all she is doing to the entire quilt?

I haven't basted a quilt yet on Frogger...but if I did, I would probably use Dissolving thread or if not that...something that can easily be taken out that has long stitches.

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Guest Linda S

You know - I've basted one quilt so far, and have decided I won't do it again. Reminder to self - take service off your website! I just don't think basting on the longarm holds the quilt together well enough. I used to quilt on my DSM, and I think pins are the better way to go.

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I've basted one quilt on my longarm. I have to agree with Linda . . . basting spray and pins are probably better if it is a large quilt that is going to be manhandled through a DSM.

When I did do it, I stitched two stitches probably 5 mm apart and then moved about 5 inches and took two more stitches. The next row I off set the double stitches, 5 inches down from the previous row, and so on and so on . . . .

I have it as a service on my website and I charge .005 per square inch.

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I had my friend baste a quilt for me to machine quilt on my DSM before I had my longarm. She just did a huge Z down the length of the quilt. It worked out okay, but I had to be sure the quilt was nice and flat as I worked, because it wanted to shift around. I felt I would have had more control if I had pin basted it. Just my two cents from the other side! :P

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Great advice on the dissolvable thread. I appreciate knowing what to avoid, that's for sure!

How actually do you baste the quilt? In vertical and horizontal lines? in an over-down-over-up motion? How far apart?

Since my Millie has a stitch regulator, I'm thinking I should go manual, set at the lowest, then move pretty quickly.

Would you use Bottom Line or Sew Fine?

Thanks for helping!

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A note to think about. If you set your machine low and move fast you are going to risk flexing the needle and breaking it. You would be better off using your needle up and down one stitch at a time. I have to agree that it might be easier for her to basting with pins especially if the quilt is large. You could offer to SID around the block and pin bast the rest as you go. Better business financially for you and less worry for her when she quilts in on her DSM. Or just get her to get you do the entire job.

If you choose to do it I would use Sew fine in contrasting thread.

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More great thoughts about dissolvable thread (NOT) and moving too fast (Another NO!) Many thanks to you all!

Myrna and Kristina...you asked why I'm not crosshatching the whole thing.... this Baltimore Album has a "whole cloth" background with no sashings to separate the blocks. Since it's HUGE (100" square), I was afraid to try keeping the lines perfect all the way down. One little variation in the angle of a line and it would look horrible. Guess that means I'm "chicken." My DH said it could be a very tense two or three weeks and he'd prefer to go out of town if I took the job.

Since I've already committed to basting it, I'm stuck. It sounds like I should use SoFine thread, longer stitches (maybe some single/tacking kinds) and a "castle shape" going down, over, up, over, etc. I'd sure like to find a fairly simple way to do this. Maybe there isn't such a thing. Sigh....:(

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