tacking a quilt

[Jane17]

I am new to quilting and the lady that is helping me uses the basting gun for tacking the quilt. I have seen a tool that is used to cut the plastic tacks without risk of cutting the quilt if you used scissors (which I have done and ruined one quilt). Does anyone know where I can get this tool or have any opinion on using the basting gun. I have had a couple of fabric store owners not in favor of them when I have gone to look for the tool. Any help would be appreciated.

[CoyoteQuilts]

The problem with the tacks are that they don't hold the 3 layers together tight enough and they shift while you quilt. When I was using my domestic machine to quilt I used the curved pins with the covers. El sells them both here. I like the #2 pins instead of the #1's.

Others use the quilt spray, like 505. You just need to experiment & see which works best for you.

Good luck,
Sharon V.

PS. Welcome to the 'crazy' forum......

[Pilot2b]

When you use adhesive spray, have a good ventalation system. There is one I saw in New Fons and Porter Mag. I am going to try it. hELEN

WELCOME TO OUR FORUM

[CaroleJ]

Hello, Jane! Ah, the basting problem...lots of different solutions to try.

I'm not crazy about plastics and I don't have much space to store gadgets, so the basting gun never caught my eye. My personal favorite method is Formula 505 adhesive spray, the one in the orange and blue can. (They have just come out with another style that I think is a permanent adhesive.) It has plenty of stickum, but if you have to reposition your layers you can. It also washes out of fabrics and off surfaces. I have not been brave enough to use only the spray, so I spray and use the 1" safety pins.

I used only to pin-baste; with the 505 spray, I can use fewer pins and the basting goes along a lot faster.

[harleyquilter]

I would say the curved pins and/or the adhesive spray, the tacking gun doesn't hold things together very well as coyotequilts mentioned, I've had one for years [probably 20] and try it now and then and it just doesn't do the trick. Also the plastic tacks don't always go through all the way or they break. Guess I keep thinking that some magic thing happened to it in the drawer and it will work better. LOL Maybe the newer ones are better, shorter plastic tacks might do the trick too. JoAnns or Hancocks might have them, mine is from Hancocks but that was 20 years ago. I think they also have a plastic grid to put underneath the quilt to elevate it, so you're not stabbing the floor or table with the needle. Just experiment and find what you like.

[GrandmaTaz]

Jane, I don't really like that tack gun either. I use the spray and pins or just pins. I know that takes more time, but I think the tacking takes a lot of time and like the others said, it doesn't really hold all the layers together and can get in your way when quilting.

my 2 cents......

Jeanne

[ipquilter]

I have a tack gun, but haven't used it to baste. I use it to help keep stuff organized. Very handy for that.

[silly-quiltr]

I hated the first tag gun that I bought - it just kept jamming over and over and just fell apart during the basting of the second or third quilt.

I got an Avery/Dennison tagging gun for fine fabrics with fine-gauge tags and that one has been great.

I don't baste straight down - I baste from the side so that the needle goes all the way from the top down through the batt, then the back, then up through the top again.

I bring the needle up fairly close to where it went in and pull the trigger to put a 1/2" tag in, so there are two points of hold per tag instead of the one that you get when you stick the gun in straight down.

It holds the layers perfectly stable and if I free-motion over them, it won't harm the quilt or the sewing machine. (Though the tags can get pretty mangled. ) It takes a little longer (and both hands) than pushing the gun in and pulling the trigger, but I can baste 8-10" apart and it holds very well for me.

[fabricgirl]

I have a Gun but don't use it anymore I find it puts holes in the quilt I started useing EL's basteing pins I purchased the set with the colorfull plastic covers and the tool to pin with .


I hope this is a help.
Lois

[maggiestew]

I also have and use the curved pins, covers and kwik clip I got from the QIAD store. I haven't used the basting gun due to hearing they leave holes in the quilt top. Good Luck and welcome!!

Maggie