Newbie Q re basting and binding

First, welcome to the group! Okay, here's my totally humble opinion: I prefer basting with a needle and thread. Pins do just fine, but I don't like having to remove them as I go along.

I used ready-made bias tape on some of my early quilts, but I don't think they were 100% cotton, which I've learned I prefer. Since those early years, I have made my own binding, and much prefer it to the store bought.

Now - we'll be anxious to see pictures of your finished creation. Please let us know where we can see them!

I like all those methods of basting :-)

What I like about spray - nothing shifts. Yes, it can be messy. Yes, if you spray too heavily the needle will get sticky and it can drag when you quilt. But, if you follow the directions carefully you will have a nicely basted quilt that will really resist shifting. If you are worried about the mess, Hobbs makes a lovely fusible batting. All the benefits of spray but you just iron to stick so no mess.

Pins are easy. Just dump a pile in the middle of the quilt and go. However, don't skimp on pins. It takes a lot of pins to baste a quilt. I like to baste 4 fingers apart. So, a well pin basted quilt can be HEAVY. But, it's fairly easy to move the pins out of the way when you are quilting and you can use those pins over and over and over again.

I love thread basting. I love the process and I love how it holds my quilt so nicely. Some people say that you can't thread baste and machine quilt because it will catch on your sewing machine foot. I think those people must do it wrong because I've not had that happen in

19 years so I really think it's a technique issue. For one thing, do not tie any knots in your thread. Roll your spool of thread across your quilt and cut it when its a few inches wider than your quilt. Thread up one end and start basting in the middle of the quilt out to the side. When you hit the edge, Backstitch. Then thread up the other end of that thread and baste from the center out to the opposite side. Pull the thread snug, it should nestle into the quilt without gathering it and then backstitch that end to hold. Make a nice grid all across and up and down your quilt (four fingers apart again) If a thread pulls loose it's an easy matter to snug it up again because of the backstitching and the threads won't loosen up on their own.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of ready made bias. I find the fabric is not as nice as what I make the quilts with. The binding wears first usually so you do want nice quality fabric for it.

marcella

Welcome, Edna. I really smiled when I saw ' and which magazines keep me confused and inspired about this particular question and quilting in general'. Confusion and Inspired pretty much covers all issues of quilting. I baste with safety pins. It's easy. It doesn't gum up the sewing machine needles. No need to measure. 4 fingers apart is good. Bias binding? Why do you need bias? Unless you're doing lots of curves and strange angles, straight binding will be much easier and well-behaved. As a matter of fact, I much prefer tearing my binding up the selvedge of fabric rather than across the width of fabric. You'll have to iron it first but nobody ever died from ironing. Well, not many. That gives you a positively straight 'take no hostages' binding. No wobbles or fluffers. FWIW, Sammie is a precious Canadian kitty who participates in all matters. Welcome or not. Polly

O> I am working on my first quilt and just found this newsgroup. Thank you > for

Welcome Edna.

I'm late coming to your question because of the time difference!

What no-one has mentioned is the effect of pins or even thread basting, on the appearance of your fabrics. I find pins make bad holes even in cotton. You say you have made your quilt with satins and taffeta - so this is not going to be a 'throw it in the washing machine every week' kind of quilt? You might not be able to use a hot enough steamy iron to fix the Hobbs fusible (though that would be my preference if you could - no holes!)? You could spray baste outdoors, but the chemicals might react with the more delicate fabrics? So, I guess that just leaves us with thread basting. But, to avoid holes, do use a long but fine needle and a very fine thread.

As to the binding: if you have used Shoofly blocks, I presume the quilt is square or rectangular. If so, then you do not need bias. So, how about using ribbon? No fraying edges to turn under, a total rainbow of colours, widths galore to choose from. I used it on my first bed quilt (as it happens!) It would certainly fit in with the rest of your fabrics better than anything else. (I had just plunged in and didn't know you were supposed to make the binding with the same cotton fabric as the quilt!). Do watch the iron though - ribbons are mostly made with nylon or polyester - and these melt! . In message , Edna Pearl writes

Your answer is so much better than mine, Patti. So glad you came by. Pin holes certainly would be a problem with Edna's fabric. And, of course, that's not a quilt she can just toss in the wash. I had forgotten about using ribbon for binding - such a lovely idea. Long, long ago, there was such a thing as a milliner's shop and wonderful ribbons available locally. Now I must buy mine online. That's harder to do when you can't see and feel but it can be done. Edna said confusing and inspiring. Yes. That does indeed cover it. Polly

"Patti" Welcome Edna.

Ribbons are a good idea since you don't have to turn under the edges. Just make sure that the crease "holds" when you fold it over - you can finger press cotton binding but not satin. I did a binding out of satin one time and it drove me crazy and I vowed never to do it again. Fortunately it was just a tiny journal quilt.

Allis> Your answer is so much better than mine, Patti. So glad you came by.

Welcome Edna Pearl! Glad you found us! My preferred basting method is pins, 1" brass. I use lots of them. I mostly quilt by machine, and the advantage of pins is that you can unpin them easily, without disturbing any of the rest of the basting. It's annoying if you sew through a thread that you must later remove. Also, pins can be recycled.

Make your own b>I am working on my first quilt and just found this newsgroup. Thank you for

Welcome Edna! I can't speak much about ready-made binding - I always just make my own with a coordinating or contrasting fabric and do it straight of grain, not bias.

As to basting...I usually pin baste basically a hand-width apart. I also thread baste sometimes on larger quilts because, as others have said, the pins really do add quite a bit of weight. And the pulling/ tugging all that weight when I'm hand quilting can get exhausting and painful after a while.

Good luck with your quilt.

Kim in NJ

Hi Edna Pearl! Patti (aka Pat on the Hill) raises excellent points bout affect of pins and spray on the 'delicate' fabric in your quilt top. I would suggest you thread baste the quilt using a fine needle and thread, and trying to keep the stitches in the seams when possible. I would also suggest you make a small practice piece using scraps of the fabric and batting so you can try out your basting method and practice the quilting.

Welcome to the Land of RCTQ. We have fun here, no moderator, no rules. The only thing you really need to know is that it is very wise to have your chocolate vetted. Just send a pound or two to the Office of the Official Chocolate Taster of RCTQ, which is in my Palace here in Virginia. I will test and taste and report back via email. You don't have to thank me ... this is my unselfish volunteer duty in RCTQ. A tough job, but someone's gotta do it. :)

I do hope you come back and report on your progress with this project. Good Luck.

Pat In Virginia/USA Official Chocolate Taster of RCTQ & Queen of Everything

Wow, you people are SMART. And experienced. And FUN. I can tell you are going to add a lot to my quilting experience. I have started a looseleaf notebook of photocopies of some helpful tips I'm seeing in magazines, and I will certainly be adding print-outs of some of your posts. I would love to respond to each post individually but I'm too busy organizing my needlework supplies and doing the arithimetic and making my shopping list for my next quilt.

Based on what I've read here so far, I think I'll be basting this taffeta-and-satin quilt with a spray or with light-colored thread on a fine needle. (Yes, it did occur to me that the holes left by pins and needles might be a problem, but the weight of the pins never occurred to me. I think that's a special concern with this taffeta and satin.)

I think I'll make my binding with a pink satin that matches the pink flowers of the small floral print on one of the two taffetas. (I thought the binding was supposed to bias-cut because I read it somewhere ;-)

I will start a separate thread to introduce myself (and my brazen lack of interest in chocolate) in the hope of instigating similar introductions by the rest of you!

Edna Pearl

Welcome to the cyberframe, Edna! This is the greatest quilting group I've ever been a part of! - I use the curved safety pins, but doubt if I would use them on taffeta or satin because of the holes.

ME-Judy

Welcome to the group Edna! This is a friendly group so pull a chair up to the cyberloom and plan to stay awhile. :-)

I imagine everyone has her or his favorite method of basting. Me, I found that I do like the spray basting, but can understand why it's not everyone's cup of tea.

I have used the safety pin method. I found that for machine quilting, it was a bit cumbersome to have to stop and take the pins out as I go. However, if you can manage to put them in a place where they won't be in your way.... For handquilting, the safety pin works great, imo.

I've never thread basted, don't have the patience, so I can't help you with that one.

Best regards, Michelle in Nevada