For my quilting buddies here. I have tried and tried to figure out a way to keep from getting on the floor to baste my quilts. I have a spinal injury that only allows me a very few minutes at a time to be on my hands and knees basting. (Fortunately, I can get down and up with no problems so far). Just ran across this brilliant blog about how it would be possible to baste on a single table. Take a look.

I haven't done one in a long time (well, just a few very small ones), but when I was young, I helped baste a wool quilt together. A lady my mom knew had a quilting frame and there were 4 boards and it rolled to centre - can't remember what it rested on in the middle - and as you went around you unrolled it and kept going until it was finished. The wool was basted between cotton ticking(I think that was what it was called) and then it was put into whatever you were using for the outside of the quilt.
Anyone else remember this?

wow a very creative way to do this. Please share with us if you use this idea & how well it works. ~hugs~

1 comment

by jrob 28 Apr 2014

Yes, I used it after posting this and it works wonderfully. The quilt I did wasn't much bigger than my dining room table though so I'm not sure how well it will work on something larger. I guess the trick would be getting it started on the board correctly.

So the lovely simple ideas are always best. Thank you. This same kind of idea is how the 'old' ladies used to iron the long table-cloths and the church linen. They rolled it around a big cardboard roll (like the inside of a toilet roll, only really large). as they ironed, then got to the church and unrolled it on the Altar.

omgosh!! I love this idea! I , too, am having "difficulty" crawling around on my hands and knees like I used to a "few" years ago. lol. Thank you for posting this!!! *Flowers to everybody*

Thanks I will give this a try. I love to quilt but I dread the basting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U...;NR=1
I had the name wrong when I answered Toogie but this is a video of the "wall" method using 505 spray. I am intrigued by both of these method. Thank you.

Thank you for putting this link on here, just checked it out and it looks like a great way to baste. I also can not get down on the floor and baste my quilts as a result of brain surgery. Again thanks a million for finding and posting this. Juanita

Thank YOU.

Thanks, what a good tip

Too many days have gone by and I have so much going on, I don't remember. If I remember , I will let you know. Thanks for answering. It is getting cold tonight. Kay

Left you a message on this post!!

1 comment

by jrob 21 Mar 2014

check your PM

Did you see on You Tube how they pin the backing to the wall ?!!!,spray it with 505 basting spray,then place the batting,smooth it out.Spray again with 505 and smooth out your top! She has her wall,covered on the outside edge of quilt with newspaper,so the spray doesn't get on the wall. Works well,it seems,however-First off who has a wall this size and wants to tack or pin it? I could do this in my hallway,it's real wide and probally long enough,between doorways,but there is still the matter of tacking it. I wish I could remember the link,whatever but was You Tube. She then quilted it, with no pinning at all, on her regular sewing machine,not one like aussiequilter has.-........The lite bulb just went on! I diagnosed myself,some one please tell dennis! I am just green with envy of aussiequilters quilting frame!!!!!-LOL

1 comment

by sharonleekesner 31 Mar 2014

I remember this and she had used ceilting tiles framed together over her wall. It was temporary. I can't remember either but maybe it was on Quilt Show with Sharon Pederson? I may have spelled her name wrong. Think I will go look on You Tube. Might be more than one video! Thanks for the reminder.

this is really nifty!! though i do have a large quilter frame and machine,somwtimes it is just too much work to get all 3 pieces pinned or zipped to my headers. also at my weekly meetings someone made pvc tube risers for the banquet tables we use for cutting or basting. another inexpensive riser. love this new idea. thanks, lynne

I have done this, I purchase a John Flynn frame, ( which I never have used) but it uses the same idea , this technique works great for basing.

1 comment

by workbecky 19 Mar 2014

I have a John Flynn frame too. Bought it several years and never opened it. :(

Thank You will have a go on quilt i'm making

Wow! Thanks for sharing this technique. This really is a great idea and I'll try it on my next quilt. Bed quilts are always the hardest to baste due to their size and I invariable get a wrinkle or two....

wow this makes it look so easy I know how I will be doing my next quilt...thanks heaps...soozie

I'm super happy to have found this and doubly so if it helps any of you, Cuties!

Great idea. I have a small quilt to do for one of my GS's birthday on april 26. This is going to make it so much easier. Thanks Jerrilyn :)

Thank you, this was very helpful!

Any info to make things easier,not so hard on the body.You know I recently posted,I got my retired sister into quilting.She is going at it full speed and I am so proud of her,it makes me want to do some!-lol-I need an easy way to cut my fabric pieces,b/c I tend to want to be 'over' the fabric while cutting,and then I can't do long,b/c of my back.I don't want to purchase the pre-cut packs with all the fabric I already have.Any advice how to cut comfortably?-Toogie

3 comments

by jrob 16 Mar 2014

I bought a table from JoAnn when I had a 50%off coupon. It has legs that swing out. When the sides are lowered it is only 13x36 and when open 60 x 36". I cut perfectly comfortably there. I can put my mat down and use my rotary cutter and go to town.

by marianb 17 Mar 2014

Toogie my husband got peices of left over tongue in groove flooring and cut 7x the width my dining room table and taped them together so that i can have the table raised for pinning or cutting, this stops my back from killing me, which causes me to sit every 5mins. so if you can find someone with leftover wood flooring or fence pailings this could be a cheap solution..Marian

by toogie 17 Mar 2014

Marianb,do you mean he raised the legs of your table,by taping ,maybe 7inch wide boards, and placing under the width of & in between the legs? I am unsure of your meaning.

I will be using this method when I get there. Thank you

Excellent idea! Thanks.

Thankyou this will be most helpful.

This is interesting, but I don't quilt.I am a want to be Just the size intimates me. Did you go to the Atlanta Sewing and Quilt Expo at Gwinnett Center March 13,14 ,and 15th? I went with a quilting friend on Thursday and she wore me out. She never sat down to rest and when I suggested we stop and watch a demo class, she said "I'll just keep walking". So I stayed with her ,as I knew with the size of the place and number of people and no cell phone reception, I would never find her. I think I will start calling her the "Road Runner". We did have fun! Kay

1 comment

by jrob 16 Mar 2014

No, I didn't get to go. I have had a crazy few days. I've had a friend that had surgery, and cooked for her a couple of meals and then it was my turn to host my small group tonight, plus I had my 3 grandchildren all week until 6 every night, whew! I'm tired. I would come there to see you though, if I had known you were going. Want to meet at the Yellow Daisy Festival?

Oh, my knees will like this technique.

This is the same technique that Master Quilter Sharon Schamber uses, except she actually hand bastes her quilts...I tried to attached the YouTube link, but it came up as an error... Google Sharon Schamber Basting if you want to watch the video...I use a multi-purpose table with bed risers under the legs to raise it up so I don't have to bend over too much...the bed risers come in a couple of different heights so you can pick one that is right for you...I think they are a life saver...I am tall, so I have the tallest ones...I think they are about 8" tall...

1 comment

by jrob 16 Mar 2014

Good to know. I too have loooooong legs.

Works for me too. Thanks

With very dodgy knees and in need of a knee replacement this might be the answer! Thanks!

Thank you! This will be so much better!