Quilting Downs and Ups
August 9, 2012 First, the down.
I reeeeeeeally don't like pinning quilts.
Like, really really.
I'm more of a "sitting on a chair" sort of person, less of a "sitting on the floor" kind of person. And because I don't like crawling around on my hand & knees in some seriously uncomfortable - not to mention undignified - positions, AND because this is one of the biggest quilts I've made in a while (about 80" x 86") I procrastinated getting this pinning job done.
Last time I mentioned my averison to pinning a few of you extoled the virtues of spray-basting. I do use spray-basting for little projects. But for big quilts like this, I'm cheap. And that stuff is expensive. For me, one can of spray is about the same price as a yard of fabric.
(Plus almost all the windows in my house were nailed/painted shut by the previous owners and I can't "air out" the fumes very well.)
So I suffer for my craft. ;)
But on the up side - and totally unrelated to pinning - I found a way to use my precious strips of scrap gold ...
I sewed them into the quilt!
Although I'd like to think I would have come up with this cool idea all on my own, I can't take all the credit. This quilt is Amanda Jean's design and she gives a few "freestyling" suggestions for this pattern, like this.
I just scattered them across the quilt here and there as little surprises.
They're so small you don't even notice them really unless you're looking for them.
Freaking LOVE them!!! :)
Reader Comments (17)
Love this post and what a great idea! Your quilt is lovely and yes, I hate to baste too. By the way, who is Amanda Jean? Does she have a tutorial or post on a blog about this?
Thanks for the inspiration!
Hugs, Mickie
Loved looking at your quilt and noticing all the sweet little prints, some I recognize and some I don't! So pretty can't wait to see it all quilted!
First, I hate pinning, too. I'd rather get on with the quilting!
Second, I love all of the little prints all over the place!
Third, and most importantly...I spy RUBY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (There goes my addiction rearing its pretty little head again.)
Lisa :)
So pretty! I am with you on the pinning! I need to do my granny square quilt, but it is just sitting for now. :) xo Heather
Oh,I love the little surprises too!! What a sweet thing to do to add those precious pieces!!! I see my fav Ruby print there too!! I only spray baste,505 by 3M, I can do three queen size quilts with one can, honest, you do not need much!! Should feel like a post it note,if it feels dampish, you have used way too much, stand farther back,hold the can higher.. It is repositionable.. No fumes at all! I use my ping pong table for taping and al,it works for me! I hate pins. If I have to pin the edges,try Pinmoors,google them,they are a wonder!!! roll that outside edge that can become frayed with all the quilting handling..Can hardly wait to see this finished!! Hopefully.my book will be in my hands on my birthday in 6 days!!! The only other alternative is to quilt in sections,then join the sections..Several books out there,did also see where a lady took half the batting way so she could work in more managable sizes, rolling the other part that had not batting yet...she made a long wavy line when she cut it away...then hand basted it back in..just a thought.....
Kristyne, that's a wonderful quilt, love it (love all the pretty things you're making ... perhaps you notice?) Right now I'm spending my holidays in turkey, it's beautiful and I hope you don't mind if I'm not commenting every day. But you know I'm busy ... holidays, right? Hildy
awwwwww...cute way to not waste the treasures... this just keeps getting better and better.... wow! Cannot wait to see how you quilt it - I am assuming since you are pinning it you are doing your own quilting! It looks wonderful! I love how this is turning out! :O)
I love the golden strips!
I LOVE that quilt! Those soft colors are soooo pretty. I never would have thought to put that together!
I love the. Too. That is such a pretty quilt top and is going to stunning when finished. So many memorable fabrics. I pin on my dining room table ... the table is looking a bit worse for wear but nothing a tablecloth can't cover :)
Love all the soft low volume prints. So delicate ; )
I really like your quilt I totally understand I hate pinning quilts I'm fixing to start one in the next day or two. I really don't like doing it but it has to be done. I messed up my last one because I didn't pull it tight enough and when I started to quilt it in my hoop it I had all these puckers. So I had to re do it. yayya me.
I use Elmers washable school glue. .99 cents a bottle. It works Great! I spread the batting out on my bed, place on the pressed quilt top, and smooth out.peel back the quilt top. Then squeeze out thin lines of glue or little dots of glue onto the batting. Then smooth the top back down and allow to dry if it is a small quilt you can iron dry. once dry do the same with the backing. Quilt then wash. So easy.
Love your quilt! Can't wait to see the finished result. Good for you for doing your own quilting - despite the awful task of pinning! Remember, you should write a book!!!
I was absolutely inspired by you a while back, adn I decided to make my first quilt - It is an oversized quen sized quilt. My mom, a friend of hers and me all HAND basted it! NOT FUN!
I realize that some quilters may cringe at this, but I first learned how to baste with a plastic-y (scratch-proof or don't-care-if-it-scratches) table and binder clips.For me, this greatly improves both the speed and the comfort of the basting process.
In a pinch, an ironing board with a small cutting mat and/or with the padding removed can work in lieu of a folding table. Either way the idea is that you do NOT want to pin your quilt to your ironing board pad.
Whether you pin or thread baste, finding a workable table method is a necessity. Crawling on the floor is not likely to get easier with age. Some guides (with unattractive but serviceable pictures) are linked below or, if you search around, you will also find a two-boards method that seems popular.
http://www.ehow.com/how_8384560_put-together-using-binder-clips.html
http://www.sewwequilt.com/2011/06/how-little-old-lady.html
I love your fabric choice! I normally get my DH to do pin basting for me. I just prepare the quilt sandwich flat on the floor and he will do it!!
I'm curious about yr hexagon flower in your blog header. . . It's not EPP , is it? Normally with EPP, there won't be any raw edges. What method did you use?