My tips for pinning any size quilt.
Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2017 3:27 am
I'm going to share what I learned when I first started quilting from an excellent teacher in Oregon. It's probably more time consuming than we might want it to be, but it works for me, so this is what I do.
I use my cutting table, but any table will work, just remember you will be using pins, so proctect any good table from being scratched by the pins with a firm cover.
Taking my backing fabric ( ironed ), I fold it in half, both ways and Mark the center of the piece. You can use a pin, or iron a small cross in the fabric, or use a bright colored big stitch you can find and pull out later.
I find the center of the table and line up the backing front side of fabric to the table. I secure it will bull clips, quilt clips, or blue painters tape, in several places.
I then take the batting and float it over the backing ( remember it will be on top of the back side of the backing fabric ).
Smooth out any wrinkles or bumps with your hands.
Then I find the center of the quilt top. I place the top center over the center of the table, which should also be the center of your backing.. if it's not quite where you want it, lift one edge and get some air under it and lay it on top again. Once it's where it should be, I secure the edges as I did the backing, unclipping the clips from underneath and using them to hold all three layers, tightly in place. If you are using tape, make sure it's holding well by attaching it to the table ( it will come right off and not leave and residue if you use painters tape ).
Then, starting in the center, I pin out in all directions with my pins no more than a hands width apart. I use a lot of pins! Mine are about 3 inches or less apart.
Once the area that it clipped to the table is completely covered with pins, I unclip it and gently move the quilt in one direction to get to an area that still needs to be pinned. I secure the quilt to the table again with the clips, smoothing it out first if needed.
I continue this process until the whole quilt is pinned.
At that point you can roll it any which way, and the fabrics won't shift.
I usually start quilting by doing a bit of stabilizing the quilt with some stitch in the ditch, but you don't have to. I also like to start in the center and work out, removing a few pins, in the area I'm working in, at a time. This keeps the unquilted parts secure, and the area you are working in open and free to move in without hitting any pins.
By the time the quilting is done, all or most of the pins will have been removed.
I hope I've made this easy to understand, but if you have any thoughts or questions, just let me know and I will try to answer you.
Happy Quilting, Joan
I use my cutting table, but any table will work, just remember you will be using pins, so proctect any good table from being scratched by the pins with a firm cover.
Taking my backing fabric ( ironed ), I fold it in half, both ways and Mark the center of the piece. You can use a pin, or iron a small cross in the fabric, or use a bright colored big stitch you can find and pull out later.
I find the center of the table and line up the backing front side of fabric to the table. I secure it will bull clips, quilt clips, or blue painters tape, in several places.
I then take the batting and float it over the backing ( remember it will be on top of the back side of the backing fabric ).
Smooth out any wrinkles or bumps with your hands.
Then I find the center of the quilt top. I place the top center over the center of the table, which should also be the center of your backing.. if it's not quite where you want it, lift one edge and get some air under it and lay it on top again. Once it's where it should be, I secure the edges as I did the backing, unclipping the clips from underneath and using them to hold all three layers, tightly in place. If you are using tape, make sure it's holding well by attaching it to the table ( it will come right off and not leave and residue if you use painters tape ).
Then, starting in the center, I pin out in all directions with my pins no more than a hands width apart. I use a lot of pins! Mine are about 3 inches or less apart.
Once the area that it clipped to the table is completely covered with pins, I unclip it and gently move the quilt in one direction to get to an area that still needs to be pinned. I secure the quilt to the table again with the clips, smoothing it out first if needed.
I continue this process until the whole quilt is pinned.
At that point you can roll it any which way, and the fabrics won't shift.
I usually start quilting by doing a bit of stabilizing the quilt with some stitch in the ditch, but you don't have to. I also like to start in the center and work out, removing a few pins, in the area I'm working in, at a time. This keeps the unquilted parts secure, and the area you are working in open and free to move in without hitting any pins.
By the time the quilting is done, all or most of the pins will have been removed.
I hope I've made this easy to understand, but if you have any thoughts or questions, just let me know and I will try to answer you.
Happy Quilting, Joan
