How Do You Make a Quilt Sandwich?

The quilt you see me working on here is kind of a cool story. My boyfriend Steve’s Great-Grandmother made the top for his Grandmother, but it was never quilted, and just sat in a box, which was given to Steve’s mom. I offered to quilt it, and his Mom is going to give it to his Grandma for her birthday in July - so its like a present from her daughter, her mother, and her grandson and his girlfriend all at the same time. (Steve paid for the backing, batting, and thread and helped pin the quilt last night.) It's such a cool quilt and story - it inspires me to make a scrappy log cabin too! But, as I believe I’ve mentioned before, I live in a teeny tiny little house, and it is always a challenge to find a way to layer my backing, batting and binding.

I can do it on the kitchen floor, if I clean and dry it thoroughly first, kick out the dog and the boyfriend for
the day, and don’t need to cook anything, but even there, if it’s bigger than a twin size, there is no room. I’ve taken them over to a friend’s house with a big bare floor while they were out of town (I did ask first, I’m not confessing to breaking and entering in order to pin a quilt here!) but they don’t go out of town that often. I’ve borrowed the Northgate Pac Fab classroom on a day when they had a window with no classes, seminars, groups meeting or other needs, but that isn’t always convenient plus there’s such a limit on time.

I tend to use packing tape to make sure my lower layers stay flat and smooth, but I’ve seen people use huge binder clips on tabletops to hold them down – I looked at Staples, but can’t find them. So I want to know – how do you do it?

And while we’re talking quilt sandwiches, what are your favorite ways of pinning/basting? I use curved safety pins, and to save my sore, sore fingers, I use a grapefruit spoon to attach them (on a related side-note – I hate the bitter skins around grapefruit sections – so I split them open with a seam ripper and just eat the delicious pulp inside – it’s no wonder I can never find a seam ripper when I need them!) I like basting spray for wall hangings and table runners, but I can’t figure out how you get it smooth and un-puckered for bigger projects.

Does anyone have any brilliant ideas? Favorite techniques? Hot tips? I’d love to hear your suggestions!

--Anna-Beth

Comments

[Misha]

I learned a great method for sandwiching a quilt from a Sharon Schamber video on YouTube of all places! She uses rectangular wood moulding to wrap up the different layers...it looks so much easier to do than working on a floor. Here's the link if you want to take a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhwNylePFAA&feature=related

[Jane Windberg]

On putting together a quilt top, batting and backing - - - the library has large conference room tables and the room can be used by signing up for a space of time - - check with your neighborhood King County Library for availability. Some libraries do not have conference rooms. The main Bellevue Library has several rooms but the schedule is tight.

[Katrina]

Anna-Beth--
I'm not a quilter but I love, love, love the Microtach basting gun. It's far superior to the old ones that had the really long tags. These tags are very short and actually work. I even use them to mark darts and do other 'pinning' on garments because I can sew over them without damage. For a quilt I would use a grid underneath (they make one for this purpose or you can improvise with a plastic grid from a hardware store); just slide it around under your work area. I dislike pins of all kinds so this works for me.

The downsides: they're hard to see (they come in white and black) so it's easy to leave them in a project. I run my hands over the surface to find strays. It's fairly pricey - definitely an 'investment' tool. And they do melt when hit with an iron!

[Linda]

The huge binder clips are available at OfficeMax.

Some women use a sheet of plywood laid on the bed to lay out the sandwich. Or borrow someone's Ping-Pong table.

[Amanda Depot]

1st of all any good size table works. Even if your quilt hangs over some. As long as you have about 1/2 or more on the table. Iron both top and backing. Use blue painters tape (avail @ home Depot) 1 to 1-1/2"wide to tape backing down using edge of table and edge of backing lined up. Tape side & top edges to table. Rest hangs over. Lay batting down. W/ edges hanging over. Lay top on top about 2" from edges. Smooth all. Start pinning about 1 hand apart btwn pins. When you get the surface pinned well, untape and scootch the over hang areas onto the table. I don't worry too much about taping down again but if you want you can. Then pin this new area. When you do the top quilting and your removing pins as you get to that area to be sewn hold your fabric a bit taught. This helps avoid underside wrinkle-puckering. I have never had a problem with this method but from a shear physical ability I find twin size and smaller easier to maneuver. I can do bigger such as yours looks to be but it's hard on the body. Roll your top from side to side. Use hulking big pins to pin so it won't roll and quilt down in that area from top to bottom. Unroll (roll should be on your right side) and repin roll and quilt from top to bottom. Cont. unrolling, repinning, quilting top to bottom. Before you know it you're done. And ready to apply your label and binding. When you do such a label with the history behind your quilt I'd write that onto the label. Good luck and get off your hands and knees girl. Oh the grapefruit spoon. PF sells a neat tool. Wood handle with a little piece of metal. Looks like a sawed off screwdriver. Works great with the pins. Can't quilt w/o it. Use it to pin them in and take out.