Tuesday, April 07, 2009

How Not To Baste

Wrestlemania was rather disappointing, but we had fun anyway.

I've had a splitting headache all day because of the saw that goes through cinderblock.  They got the last window in and will finish up the detail work tomorrow. 

Despite my headache, I attempted to baste my embroidered quilt.  It didn't go quite as planned. 

I baste on my living room floor as it's the biggest room in my house.  I move my furniture as far back as it goes, lay the backing down and smooth it out.  If it's a queen size quilt, I smooth out to the sides as far as it goes until I hit the couch and the bookcase.  

I got the backing laid out and started taping the edges.  I usually start in the center and work out toward the edges.  I got this far and took a picture.  I still have ripples and smoothed them out after the picture was taken.  I didn't really tape up the other edge that well and figured I could get away with it.

This is where I ran into trouble.  It was going just fine with pinning until I got toward the bottom and had a huge ripple.  The more I smoothed the worse it got.  Don't cheat yourself by thinking you don't need that much tape or don't need to do a side.  I had dozens of pins in that I had to take out today adding to my headache.

Once I had taken out the pins, I taped the backing down right and started again.

I got the batting laid out and then the top.  Generally my husband gets a great laugh at my expense as I'm kneeling and moving around as he watches TV.  He thinks it great fun to see me fumbling around.

After about another hour, I had my quilt basted and I'm ready for quilting.

I'm exhausted and my fingers hurt from having to pin this quilt twice.  I hope this isn't a quilt that I end up hating until it's quilted.  

3 comments:

Amelia said...

I agree that the basting part is hard on the old body. Don't know what I will do when I get too old to get down in the floor and move around for a hour or so...I know some people put it on a bed - but there is no way I could get the wrinkles out...guess I will cross that bridge when I get to it.

The quilt top looks fantastic!

Happy Easter!

Kristie said...

That is such a beautiful quilt! I can't wait to see how you quilt it!
Kristie

Anonymous said...

I can't believe that anyone would end up hating that beautiful quilt, but if it happens, I'm sure you could convince me to take it off your hands! I'd suffer through it for you! LOL