(c) 2014 by hs
My Farmer’s Wife quilt has now two borders, an 1 inch grey polka dot, and a 4 inch white and light blue stripe. Since I moved in my flat in September, this is the first big quilt I wanted to baste. I used to do it on the floor, usually in our dining room which is tiled. I moved the table and chairs to the side and crawled on my knees for one or two hours.
(c) 2014 by hs
Now, I have a light-coloured laminate floor in all rooms—not fit for scratching needles. So I pondered over an alternative way of basting my quilt and came across this method on Pinterest:
(c) 2014 by hs
I wrapped the backing fabric and the quilt top around two boards I bought in a hardware store.
(c) 2014 by hs
Then I began to uncoil them on my dining room table, letting the batting float in between. I smoothed out any wrinkles while going and started pinning. When I was done with the section on the table, I pulled it to the side and let it hang off the table, then unrolling another section of top and back.
(c) 2014 by hs
I admit that I had some doubts as to the exact direction of the three layers and any wrinkles since I was used to fix the top and the back on the floor with some tension. Moreover, it was somewhat exciting whether the backing and batting would be long enough or one of them would end before I had completely unrolled the top—but of course my measuring was correct and everything went well. I was done in no time—or so it seemed to me. And neither my back nor my knees ached the least bit!
I decided to quilt every one of the 110 squares individually, making the design up as I go. I am looking forward to “re-visiting” them all.
password: quilt 
I have been trying to discover a method for basting my quilts, as I have arthritis in my back and knees, and you have solved the problem!!! This is my “go to” method from now on!! Thank you Heike.
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this is great 🙂 though i did not invent this method i gladly take the credit for passing it on 😉
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Hallo Heike, dein Quilt sieht super aus. Welches Vlies hast du genommen?
Liebe Grüße
Sabine
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bambus, weil soja in der größe leider aus war. ist das erste mal, bin gespannt
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hello Heike! this is a great idea! I, too, will use this method on my next large quilt. I am working on a small quilt right now, to be used as a table cover. I pinned it with safety pins and am now working on it at the dinner table. I have tried quilting hoops in the past but find they are too hard to work with…I always go back to quilting them spread out on the table.
I haven’t been following your blog very long but am looking forward to your next post!
Blessings! Vicki ~ North Carolina, USA
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hi vicki, thank you so much for your kind comment 🙂 i never even tried a quilting hoop but always found working at a table just fine. do you have a space on the internet where i can admire your work?
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No, my quilting is not “photo” worthy…nothing compared with your beautiful works of art!
I hesitate to show anything I make any more. Many years ago I got what I thought was a “great” idea….to make things and sell at a local shop to earn a few extra dollars…sadly, the shop owner bluntly stated that my “work” wasn’t good enough. I have been very hesitant so show anything I do now. I still make quilts and quilted items…nothing fancy mostly patchwork that I hand quilt.
I know how much work goes into making a quilt so I have a lot of respect and admiration for quilters and their work!
Take care…Vicki
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oh that sounds very sad indeed. i cannot believe your work to be “not good enough”! i hope you enjoy sewing and keep up the fun part of it, because that’s the most important part of it 🙂
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