After piecing and ironing my zig zag quilt top last week, I took my machine into the shop for a tune up. While sans machine, I got to work and pinned out my quilt top. I researched all the different methods of basting a quilt, and pinning seemed like the best approach to me, as opposed to spray adhesive (stinky, blehk!) or hand basting. I taped the backing fabric onto the floor with blue painters tape, and rolled out the batting and the quilt top over that to complete the sandwich. I pinned every five inches or so.
I don't remember exactly where I read it, but whoever suggested using curved basting pins (sweet!!) and warned not to close the pins by hand after placing each one totally saved my poor fingers! We don't own grapefruit spoons, but a bamboo chopstick worked fantastically to secure all 100+ of those little suckers.
I've decided to try some free-motion quilting with this project. Meandering sounds like a plan. And since I have the Bernina 440QE with the fancy BSR (the machine automatically sense how fast/slow you're moving the fabric under the needle and adjusts the stitch length automatically) I really have no excuse not to give it a go.
Not too bad for my first practice sandwiches. Fabric Depot was having a sale a couple of weeks ago, so when I ordered my batting (Quilters Dream) I also ordered some Machiner's quilting gloves. They SO make a difference in my ability to control the fabric—grippy fingers!
I plan on starting the real deal quilting tomorrow (Thursday), however with Stitches West this week,... who know where I will be--prowling the market preview maybe? Anywhoo, here are a couple of links that I found helpful for free-motion quilting:
Sew Inspired Free Motion Quilting Tutorial
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