Basting quilt layers on a longarm

Back when I did all my quilting on a domestic and a mid-arm machine, I would layer my quilts using either safety pins or basting spray. (the first 5 images were taken from a google search on the internet. I don't and probably never will have any images of me layering a quilt to pin or spray baste!)

Small quilts were do-able. They were easy to spread out on a table and quickly baste the layers together. Larger quilts became a bit of a challenge. I used to crawl on my basement carpet and either get my hubby or daughter's help in spray basting the layers together.

I learned how to pin baste at the first Free Motion Quilt class I took. The instructor stretched the backing over a table top and used binder clips to keep the backing in place. The batting was spread over the backing and then the top was smoothed in place to pin. I found that if my quilt was larger than the table, I would end up with wrinkles and puckers throughout the back as I re-adjusted.

I moved to spray basting on a table top and then the floor for larger quilts. I did arrange up to 4 larger tables to spray baste larger quilts to save my knees from crawling on the floor. Then my back started bothering me with the prolonged bending over tables.

Now that I have a longarm machine, I am basting quilts quite easily for myself and customers who want to quilt using a domestic machine.

I'll baste lines up to 4" apart.

Sometimes I'll baste a "grid" rather than straight lines. It all depends on how the quilt will be quilted.

The basting takes as much time (sometimes less than when using pins) as spray basting. I find this method allows me to easily quilt my quilts on my domestic machine with minimal fuss.

The quilt above is pieced by Wayne Kollinger of Tuxedo Park Design in Calgary. His wife Linda Hurd does all the quilting for him. Watch for this quilt to be on display at next year's Festival of Quilts at Heritage Park.

Colleen was in this week to baste a quilt for hand quilting. She found lovely quilt (sorry I forgot to take a picture) at an estate sale. It is 1 1/2" hexigons. All hand pieced. In just over an hour she had this quilt loaded, basted and ready for hand quilting this winter.

AVA, my longarm is available for anyone who wants to baste their quilt or have me do it for you. Basting Services range from 1-2¢ per square inch or you can baste it yourself for $25 an hour rental fee.