Stop, Drop and Roll Quilt Along, part 3

Welcome to step 3 of the Stop, Drop and Roll Quilt Along! I am hosting this for the Old Red Barn Co. Flickr group.

Week 1: We made our blocks.

Week 2: We assembled our quilt tops.

This week we are going to baste. There are many good ways to baste a quilt. If you baste a quilt differently than I do and it works for you, THERE IS NO GOOD REASON TO CHANGE WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!! However, if you have never seen how to spray baste a quilt, I took photos while I basted my Stop, Drop and Roll. Follow along:

First, I find no reason to bend and crawl on the floor to baste a quilt. I borrowed a kitchen table (my table is too small!) and laid out my backing. I pieced the backing from a bunch of bright squares leftover from other projects.

Using the ever-popular blue painter's tape, I taped the edge and sides of the backing to the kitchen table. I let the leftover fabric hang off the edge.



I laid my batting over the backing and smoothed it in place.



Then I rolled it to the edge of the table and grabbed my basting spray.



After I lightly sprayed the backing fabric, I rolled the batting back on, smoothing as I went to make sure the batting had no bumps in it.

Next I centered the quilt top over the batting.




I rolled it back to the center and once again grabbed my basting spray.



I lightly sprayed the part of the batting that would be covered with the quilt top. If I had sprayed all of the batting, the extra batting would stay sticky, and that is not good! Next, I rolled the quilt top in place, smoothing as I went.

I then removed the tape and reversed the quilt. I taped the other half of the backing to the table. Then I rolled the quilt top back to the center and next rolled the batting to the center. It was then time to grab the basting spray again.



I lightly sprayed the backing of the quilt and rolled the batting to cover, making sure the batting was smooth and had no bumps in it.

Next I prepared to baste the last half of the quilt top in place.



I sprayed the part of the batting that would be covered with the quilt top and then rolled the quilt top in place.

I removed the tape and inspected my basting job from the front.



There were no bumps or pleats of fabric. Had there been any, I would have been able to gently peel the fabric back and re-stick it in place.

Next I turned the quilt over to inspect it for pleats or bumps. There were a few tiny ones, and I simply rubbed my hand over them and smoothed out the backing.

Now that the basting is complete, I can roll the quilt up and prepare for quilting!



It actually took longer to write this blog post than it did to baste the quilt top.

Good luck!

Next week we get to start quilting!!!! Yay!!!