Quilt in a Day Forums

My son is disabled and a quilter. He is trying to do his own quilting, but no matter what we do, the back continues to pucker. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

I use a large table and lay out the backing first - El uses picnic tablecloth clips to hold the back nice and smooth - if you don't have those - masking tape - the painters tape works well to secure the back smooth - then layer the batting and the top in place.

Then you just pin the safety pins about 4 to 6 inches apart all over the top of the quilt. El's pinning tool - it is on her website is FANTASTIC!!! It really aids in closing those pins.

You might want to use a cutting board - those large cardboard ones used to lay out clothing on to protect a good table top or your floor.

It does work to use the floor too - just tape the back to the floor.

When I start to quilt - I start in the middle and work my way out - I will stitch in the ditch around the large squares and then go back and do the fill in work for each block. This will stabilize and keep the back from shifting on you.

Good luck and I hope that this may have helped

Jana

Jana, Thank you so very much. We will try your suggestions and let you know how it works.

I do basically what Jana does. But I also use 505 spray adhesive to help hold the layers together. And I start in the middle, too, but I check the back as I go. That way, if you see a pucker, you can remove it right away.

Joanne

Try starching the backing until it is quite stiff. I use starch on the top of my quilt (before I cut the strips or pieces). I even starch flannel backings till stiff. Works great.

The more pins the better! I just finished a queen sized quilt, I quilted it on my home sewing machine. Used over 500 pins. Using this many pins, this was the first quilt I sewed, without wrinkles. As you sew check the back of your quilt. Good luck.

I had that problem unti I started using spray basting. I haven't had that problem since. 505 spray basting works really well and it doesn't gum up the needle. Lori

I want to thank all of you for your help. You are a wonderful, helpful group!

I alway used the painter's tape and taped the backing to my kitchen floor then I would pin pin pin and I never had any problems.

I am now a longarm quilter so I don't have to do it that way anymore. But it worked for me.

I just finished making all my squares for a lap quilt and I started to measure my squares and they are not 16 in. They are about 13.5 in. is that ok?
And I pinned everything so I wouldn't have any problems.