Stagecl Posted September 30, 2006 Report Share Posted September 30, 2006 What is the fast way you have found to baste a quilt for a hand quilter? It is boring as can be...not to mention slow, slow and slow...eggads...it tries my patience. I am open to ideas to make this a more pleasant job...or am I just imagening it could be pleasant? I don't think the boring aspect can be changed...there is just no way to make it creative. I am almost tempted to say "no" when quilters ask. Cheryl Mathre Stone Creek Quilting Sandy Hook, VA:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraC Posted September 30, 2006 Report Share Posted September 30, 2006 I'm not sure how to explain how I do it, but it takes me no more than an hour to baste a large quilt. I charge $40 for any size...so to me that's a good hour's work! I have the machine on medium speed w/o the stitch regulator. I sew a design that kind of looks like the top of a castle...across, down, across, up, etc...then when you get to next row it creates a kind of a grid. I move the machine fairly fast so that the stitches are at least an inch long. It's not the most exciting thing, but the quilters are happy not to have to baste, and like I said, it's a quick 40 bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted September 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2006 Thanks for the suggestion. It sounds like that would work better than doing a single stitch every 3 inches....know wonder I was getting bored. Thanks Cheryl Mathre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizziesgirl Posted September 30, 2006 Report Share Posted September 30, 2006 Sandra, Could you post a picture of what it looks like? I need to baste some quilts and I'm one that needs visuals. Thanks, Sheryl www.shedznbedz.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkerekes Posted September 30, 2006 Report Share Posted September 30, 2006 Another way to do this is to just quilt a big, open meander all over the quilt. This is really fast and really stabilizes the quilt. Also, use a contrasting thread, and I've been known to play with my tension so that the stitches are easily pulled out:). Jill Kerekes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted September 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2006 Jill, I like this idea too...I will have to give both suggestions a try next time... Cheryl Mathre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted September 30, 2006 Report Share Posted September 30, 2006 I used a big meander too, loose tension large stitches. it is very quick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted October 1, 2006 Report Share Posted October 1, 2006 It also helps to use a poly thread, as it pulls out so easily when the quilter needs to remove it. They love it! Linda Rech Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted October 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2006 The next time I baste a quilt it will definitely be a more pleasant job. It still will not be exciting, but it will be quicker! Thanks! Cheryl Mathre Stone Creek Quilting Sandy Hook, VA:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltjunkie Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 I basted a very large heavily appliqued, hand stitched quilt and I just did a grid..Manual mode and put on the channel locks and pulled it across about every 6 inches. When I came down the other direction I just went to the front roller, cut the thread leaving about a 3 in tail to make it easy to pull out for the quilter, when I rolled I just started a new length where I had left off and so this makes it easy to pull out these 18" lengths running down the quilt. If stitches get big, who cares? Hester:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teri Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 Sandra, how do you get such long stitches? Teri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraC Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 It's hard for me to explain since I just "do it", but all I can say is that I move the machine very fast...I hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phyllis Wright Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 Please, give us a picture! I also baste for a hand quilter and it is SO slow, that I am out of pocket, but I call it my pay-back time for all of my good fortune. I go the forward, down, across, up, way as well, but I use my one stitch button for each stitch and it is interminally slow. I will definitely try a different method next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraC Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 Sorry, I can't do pictures...there must be someone else out there who does it the same way and can show with a picture??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teri Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 Sandra, What settings do you use? Are you on manual or stitch reg? I don't have any speed settings that I can get stitches larger than maybe 3/16" without the needle tearing the fabric. Teri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilts2DI4 Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 I know I will sound dumb here but I just did the one stitch method every 3" or so and my machine kept catching on the under threads and pulling it all out of shape....I finally gave up and pin basted the quilt...What was i doing wrong? Anyone else have this happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConnieK Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 I would like ot see some pictures too! Those are great ideas girls!!!! Thanks, ConnieK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted October 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 My threads catch too. So I quilted in an M or W shape. That helped, but my M's and W's kept getting smaller, so I went back to rows:o And it took forever... I like the ideas suggested above and will try one or two if I ever get another one for a handquilter. They don't come in to my studio very often. Cheryl Mathre Stone Creek Quilting Sandy Hook, VA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 Wow, What a great thread, I had three basting jobs last week and two more for this week and they are on my last nerve.... SO SLOOOOOOOWWWWW. The handquilters here insist on a 4 inch grid, no M's or X's must be squares... I'm with Cheryl, I am thinking about saying no in the future. Thanks for all of the info! I'll try to insert a photo.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted October 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 Teresa, I should have explained my M's or W's better...I flatten the top of them so the stitching makes 3 sides of a box, then the next row down I stitch 3 sides of a box with the top of the new box being the bottom of the box on the previous row. Since I was making only one box per row it decreased the chances of catching threads. But, my boxes got smaller...so it took longer:( Then I went back to rows and that was a little faster, not much but it counts:) Cheryl Mathre Stone Creek Quiltling Sandy Hook, Va Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrystitcher Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 May I ask how much you all charge for this basting service? You still have to load the quilt just like normal right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 I have finished my two remaining basting jobs for the week. That is it for a while (I hope) now on to the fun stuff.... Cheryl, I tried the boxed method, alas they wanted rows OH and tie the rows off, no strings.... Very helpful topic, thanks ladies.. LOL since it's done for the week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted October 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 Sharon, I charge .08 cents per square inch. Not quite a penny, but close enough. I think that is going rate here. Cheryl Mathre Stone Creek Quilting Sandy Hook, VA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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