One more question about machine quilting.

Me, myself, if I were to machine quilt a birthed quilt, I'd baste it just as if it were the other sort. In fact, even if I were to hand quilt it, I'd baste it a bit. On the other hand, I've only ever tied my birthed quilts, so that's probably no help at all, at all ... right? :-)

)O( Anne > Thank you all so much for your information and advice. Is it possible

Why not? As long as you baste it well, you shouldn't have serious shifting problems. Pat of VA has a great technique for machine quilting a birthed quilt. I can't remember the details but hope she will chime in for our mutual benefit.

Mary

I just made 30 disaster quilts by birthing and machine quilting. I did not baste any of them! What I did do is turn them and stitch all around the edges 1/4 in. from the edge. Then I took each side in one hand, with hands on the sides where the selvage would have been and "snapped" the quilt between my hands. This got it all lined up after turning. Since I used Warm & White for my batting, I just smoothed the top in place and the fabric clung to the batting just fine with no basting. (This "cling ability" is the reason I am so devoted to Warm & White or Warm & Natural for all my quilting! I just bought another

40 yard roll last week.) I did simple channel quilting, using my walking foot, about 6.5 inches apart running the lengthwise on the grain. No troubles at all with shifting, but I credit the batting and the layers sticking together so nicely.

After all that, you must decide if your project has a "shift factor" or will lay together smoothly.

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

I'd go with pin basting for machine quilting. Sometimes the machine needle goes through the thread basting, making it difficult to remove the thread later. Actually, I use pins for basting my hand quilting projects, too!

Three things which will help avoid the dreaded shifting.

Use a cotton batt, as already suggested, Warm and White is good, so is Quilter's Dream.

Use a walking foot for your straight line quilting. Mine improved 1000% when I started using a walking foot. They're expensive, (the one for my

1992 era Bernina was over $100), and worth every last cent.

Another thing I have seen suggested a couple of places but have not yet tried is to baste with water soluble thread. That way, you have the advantages of thread basting, and it just dissolves away when you are through.

Good luck, and do let us know how it turns out.

Becky

Joann's has W&W or W&N for $9.99 a yard and it's 90 inches wide- you can plan your purchase to use a 40 or 50% off coupon. That's how I buy my full rolls of it. 1-1/4 yard will make two 45X45 baby quilts for about $12.50 at full price and about $6.25 to 7.50 (???) for two baby quilts with a coupon.... that's not too bad for the nice soft feel, keeping everything 100% cotton and very sturdy and washable with the added bonus of no basting on baby to twin sized quilts. I did safety pin baste the queen size quilt I'm working on now due to all the pushing and shoving to get it thru the machine- even then I pin baste about 6 to 8 in. apart. It can be quilted up to 10 in. apart, but I usually don't go more than 6 in. and most times much closer.

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

i've not basted with the water soluble thread but did some machine trapunto with it. only need to use it in the top. it will dissolve when washed and the bobbin thread will just pull away. and DONT (sorry i yelled) dont lick the thread to get it in the needle eye. this thread should also be kept in a sealed wee zip lock bag when not in use. this is for humidity so it doesnt completely dissolve.

personally, i'd thread baste it by hand or use the pins. pins is my first choice if its not a large quilt. and yep buying with the 50% off coupon is the best way to go. i love warm and natural or warm and white too. its wide so a good buy for the quality rather than poly batting. dont forget pix when you finish, eh. jeanne < i must do some more machine trapunto, so pretty and so easy to do>

I MQ birthed quilts. I just baste it like normal. It doesn't shift more than normal. Just make sure to baste well near the edges (or hold tightly with your hands).

-- Anita --