Shameless plug: I’m running an Echino/Amy Butler fabric co-op that’s closing this Wednesday the 27th, if you’re interested in more information just leave me a comment! Thanks! 🙂
I started my quilt at the beginning of last week, but I haven’t sewn much this week. Sometimes my body just needs to catch up on sleeping, I guess (sewing is my night time, after-the-kids-are-sleeping hobby). I finished the front of the quilt on Sunday, so I’m counting this as day 5 of working on it, lol.
Last night I spray-basted the three layers together with the help of my husband…what a disaster! Hopefully this setback was because I was a newbie and not because spray basting is going to be this hard every time, ’cause yikes!
I watched a video on YouTube beforehand on spray basting; the woman had the backing tacked up on her wall and spray basted them like that. I thought, huh, that doesn’t look too hard. I don’t have access to an area (on the floor or the wall) that was big enough for my 72″ x 72″ quilt, but I figured I could still do it. My first attempt was completely bunched up, so my husband offered his help. We tried to spray half of the backing, attach the batting, then do the other half. The first time wasn’t so good, but the second was much better. Then we attached the front. We (thought we) had it right the first time, but when I went to pick the quilt up to take it upstairs, I noticed the front and back weren’t even (I hadn’t cut down the excess backing and batting to match the front) by about 12″. I toyed with the idea of cutting my front to match the back, but he convinced me to give it another try. So we took the backing off AGAIN (of course, tearing some of the batting in the process), sprayed it again (I tried not to faint at all the fumes, which were terrible), and stuck it down. I said, “However it looks, I don’t care, just leave it.” Thankfully it was more or less smooth.
I started quilting tonight. I decided instead of sewing stitch-in-the-ditch, to sew 1/4″ off each seam. I got a good start, but I can see that it’s going to be awhile until the whole thing is finished. I’m also still debating which color/fabric to use for the binding.
I want to say a big thank you to Amy, Kim, and Monique (check out her Etsy shop, her quilts are AMAZING!) for all their mentoring along the way as I try to finish up my first quilt, as well as everyone else who has posted encouraging words on my blog. I was so worried about doing something wrong! I’m pretty happy with it so far, though, and can’t wait to finish it!
P.S. I love posting projects every Friday for Amy Lou Who’s Sew and Tell Friday! Come join along and post yours!
Wow, congrats on your first quilt! I love basting spray for small projects (mug rugs, potholders, etc) but I’ve never tried it on a quilt for all the reasons you mentioned. It sounds really hard!!! I tape my quilt back to the floor (face down) with blue painters tape, lay the batting on top (cut slightly larger than my quilt top) then lay my quilt top on the very top and pin it all together with curved quilter’s safety pins. It definitely takes some time, but you can smooth everything out as you go and don’t have to deal with any sticky situations, he he 🙂
Are you going to enter this in the Bloggers Quilt Festival? You definitely should! Hooray for first quilts!
Great job – this is looking fab!! So bright and cheery. 🙂 I have also used spray basting in the past. I eventually decided the same as Mary above – it’s great for small projects up to the size of smallish baby quilts, but after that I just don’t think you can beat the pinning method!!
Yay!!! It is looking fantastic!!! Such a cheerful quilt!!!
Blessings,
KT
Congrats! Your first quilt is amazing! I love such multi-coloured quilts, but so far haven’t got courage enough to make it…
I’m sorry you had such a hard time with the spray baster! I’ve used it for large quilts as well. I just do one half at a time and continually smooth it as you spray each layer. I also flip it over and smooth the back as well before quilting. Maybe it was just the learning curve! 🙂 It looks gorgeous, congrats!!
Wow. I am so impressed with your progress! I hate setbacks like that but I am seriously in awe of your determination and how fast this has come together! I need to take a cue from you and finish up my quilt!
This is a great first quilt!!!
I’ve never used spray basting-I tape my backing to the floor and then lay on the batting and top and then use safety pins. I bet it will get easier.
So nice!! Wonderful array of fabric.
I can never get that spray to work. The fumes are terrible too. I can see using it with runners and little quilts.
I use bent safety pins that I bought at Walmart. Two or three packs will cover a large full sized quilt!
Great job on your first quilt! Basting is my very least favouite task. Keep going. Each quilt teaches you something.
Awesome fabrics!! This is your first? Wow! I wouldn’t have guessed. It looks great. Good job so far!! The quilting always takes me longer than I think it will. Feels so good when it’s done, though.
I hate pinning and love basting spray. I think after you do it a few times you will work out the bugs. Pinning is just as hard and takes SOOOO much longer.
Yikes, that sounds like a process getting the pieces together. I usually just duct tape all the pieces to the floor, I’ve never tried spray before. Good thing your husband helped! Sounds like a keeper. Good luck finishing, can’t wait to see the end results.
I love how it turned out! So bright and beautiful. Great job!