Pin Basting

 I've been reading blogs for tips and tricks to improve my pin basting. 

Below I will list some of the best suggestions and some links to where they came from. 

These ideas come from Quilting Jet Girl - interestingly she marks her quilt before pinning it. I can see the value in this even just some main markings.

• Green painters tape to tape down backing
• Get out all the wrinkles but don't ever stretch it. 
• Pin the batting to the backing on the outside of the quilt.
• Pin every 3/4 inches in a regular pattern
• One pin vertical one pin horizontal helps stop the fabric from moving.
• When finished, trim the backing and batting to be about 2" bigger than the quilt and both the same size so they stay stuck together. There should be a row of pins around this area outside the quilt top. 
• Flip quilt over and check pins have gone through all 3 layers

This blogger pins the quilt to the carpet pinning each layer individually. We All Sew.

This is interesting as I was taught to stick down all three layers of my quilt individually with masking tape but quilters I meet today and instructions on blogs only stick down the backing. I don't think I fully agree with this. I would smooth down the batting with my hands until I am happy it is totally smooth then tape it down - maybe not as securely as the backing - then do the same with the top. Videos show quilters sitting on their quilts while pinning - if they are not taped down surely layers can still move? Obviously, I understand the idea of not stretching the layers and I appreciate that the batting grips on to the batting and top but I believe it can still move. 

Today everyone uses the new bent pins. I have a whole tin of old straight pins but I think the time has come to replace them with new sharp bent pins. $$$!

Madamsew doesn't pin all layers but she shows how to use a large ruler to smooth out the layers and to pin in concentric squares. 

This link from Lori Kennedy discusses how to baste a quilt on a table using bulldog clips to secure all three layers to the table and then how to move the quilt once that section is pinned. I like the idea of this, it seems so much more secure than just using tape on the backing. 

I only found one set of instructions where the quilter attached - in this case pinned to the carpet - the top of the quilt. No other posts did this? What she did say in this post is pin from the outside in so if your weight is on the quilt it is on part of the quilt already basted. 

So far my thinking is:

• pin basting is best so I have bought new bent sharp pins
• spray basting is a good option for small art quilts
• prepare you layers well before beginning
• do not stretch your backing, batting or top 
• but I will continue to tape all three layers
• I think pinning along the edges first is a good idea - check corners are square
• pin every 3-4 inches
• pin on major intersections
• pin in a pattern but offset rows
• try pushing pins in on the bias line to see if they go in more easily
• think about where you will quilt and consider when placing pins
• there are methods to baste on a table where the quilt is bigger that are worth trying in the future