Basting.

It seems almost nobody likes basting, I didn't either until I tried this method. I'd tried thread basting on the floor, spray basting, also on the floor and both on tables, always in pain either in my knees or back or even both. Then I found Sharon Schamber on youtube and my problems were solved. 

I lay out the back with the wrong side up, put a stick of wood, (Sharon wants you to paint it to prevent sap leaks, but I've never had a problem with that) near the edge of the fabric and fold it on the stick. 

I always pin the fabric down, I have no control over it otherwise. The edges are a bit wavy, that's due to me having ripped the seams off those formerly curtains. And they are not really so crumpled.

Roll it up and take care that it feeds evenly on the stick, I like my backs to have seams that I can use as guides.

Then lay the top on the table with the right side up, pin down less than 1/4" from the edge.

Roll it up using the pattern as guide so the top feeds evenly on the stick.

Then you lay the back on the table and roll it out a bit.

Lay the batting (wadding) on top like this. I always use cheap fleece throws that I zig zag together to get the size I want.

Then comes the top, make sure you lay it rightly lined up on the back and batting, it's not fun when getting to near the end and then having the top go more to one side out over the back and batting. Grrrrrrr I don't have the right words to describe what I mean.

I slide my cutting mat under the sandwich before I start basting to shield the table. I rarely thread baste any more. The fleece is like a magnet to the fabric so I only pin baste lightly nowadays. Just to keep it secure while quilting. 

You can see part of the old office chair on wheels that I use while basting, just rolling along the side as the pins go in. When you've basted all you can reach you pull the sandwich towards you.

Pull the batting over the top.

Roll out the back.

Lay the batting flat over the back and then roll out the top.

Continue like this until you reach the end, keeping the sandwich in your lap while you work.

Quick and easy.

I saw this wonderful video about Iceland today, thought I should share. It's taken on the South-Eastern part of Iceland, I live in the Westfjords.

                     Sunna.