How to Keep Your Quilt Backing Flat and Smooth
"I have a hard floor in my sewing room and then I use painter's tape to tape it down while I add the layers." -Sue C.
"Pin it to the carpet with straight pins at the corners and centers, then the batting, then the top. Start pin-blasting at one end and straight pins come out as I fold the pinned layers up." Sally C.
"I've been spray basting on my design wall (per Jacquie Gering and Christa Watson) and I am a fan of no bending, no pinning, no worrying about the pets trying to walk on my project!" -Rachel H.
"I use pool noodles with dowels, and pin baste on my ironing board (big board) up against the cabinet—doing sections and QAYG to stay off the floor these days." -Linda H.
"I put it on my long arm and set the stitch length as long as a I can. I use odds and ends of bobbins and thread and stitch rows straight across in rows of about 3 to 4 inches apart." -Mary B.
"I pin it to my bed, spray baste. Pin the batting to that, spray baste, pin the top to that. Let sit for an hour or so. Unpin it all then sew." Nancy E.
"I bring it to a long arm quilter!" --Joanne M.
"I use my partner's work bench, which is very large. I iron each layer before it goes down on the table and clamp it down. Works like a treat." --Kerry B.
"I first put the batting on my table. Then have backing rolled evenly on a pool noodle. I spray baste an area on the batting put on the backing. Smooth out and continue across the quilt. Then turn over spray the backing and have your quilt rolled evenly on a pool noodle. Works so much easier and I do it on my dining room table. No problems with wrinkles if you are careful when rolling out the backing and quilt top." -- Ann H.
"The old fashioned way always works for me. I hand baste back to batting . Then hand baste the top on. If threads get in way, I stop and cut them." -- Karen H.
"This is hard to do! I go to my church and put several banquet 8' tables together and first safety pin about every 8" then I begin to baste every 4 -5 inches In both directions and diagonally. Takes forever but so worth it." --Cynthia M.
"I use boards in the style of Sharon Schamber. See her Youtube video you will never have to get on the floor to baste again." --Sharyn M.