After having explored and had a go any the many ways a quilt can be basted, I seem to stick to my ‘go to’ favourite method – spray basting using ‘505’. It is quick, doesn’t add weight to the quilt, lays flat without wrinkles, stays basted for years, and doesn’t gum up the machine sewing needle. I do need a flat open space to prepare the quilt – a tad difficult in the never-ending house renovation cycle!
Taping the backing down and stretching it tight to eliminate as many wrinkles as possible.
Layering the wadding and the top over the backing, smoothing it out as it’s done. Then folding it back twice to half way – makes it easier to manage when starting the spray.
Once the wadding is basted down, the process is repeated for the top. This time it’s necessary to check that none of the seams have shifted as it’s rolled back and smoothed down.
Letting the basted quilt ‘rest’ to dry a bit – doesn’t take long – before ripping off the painter’s tape, a very satisfying feeling because that means it’s time to quilt!
And yes, it’s ‘fussy cut’ for horizontal layout of all those fabrics! The border fabric was a disappointment because it looked straight on the bolt but when it came to cutting it up into patches, the print was definitely not straight! Came out okay around the feature fabric (elephants), but in the longer border pieces it’s wonky – but I don’t think the baby will mind!
Cheers
Robyn
RobynsPatch 