Thursday, March 11, 2010

I hate this part

I really like piecing quilt tops, but once the top is complete I dislike what comes next. I dislike the layering, the machine quilting and the binding. There was a time, when I was still employed that I could use the very large, conference table for layering a quilt. There were even times when my fellow employees would volunteer to help smooth it all out. But now I am forced to use the floor in my very small living room.
I vacuumed the floor, then I used the Swiffer sweeper on it, then I washed it and still I had bits of fuzz balls sticking to the batting. I am forced to scoot around on my bad knees attempting to smooth the thing into submission.


Thank goodnes I have discovered spray basting because all the other methods just kill my back. Now how do I get the overspray off the floor?

I think I'll start the machine quilting tomorrow. I need to go sit for a while with a heating pad on my back.

6 comments:

Ann said...

First of all that's a really pretty quilt. Second I don't blame you for not liking working on the floor. It used to be so easy but the older I get the hard it is to get back up from way down there.

Anonymous said...

I have a solution for your sore knees. Home improvement stores sell knees pads, mostly worn by carpet installers. And Target sells knee pads worn by volleyball players. Both work great, however, the knee pads from Home Depot slide across the floor better when you are moving from section to section while basting your quilt.

zizzybob said...

I have a kneeling pad we use mostly for gardening. It is the green slab in the second photo. But there is no solution for the bending over which kills my back.

Lin said...

Basting is the worst!!! But, because I hand quilt, I cannot use the spray. I use pins, but my favorite is still the thread method. I used to belong to a group of girls called the "Masterbasters" and we would get together to baste each others quilts. It helps to have many hands for such an awful chore.

And you already know how I feel about machine quilting. Ugh. Too much fabric wrestling.

Lynne said...

I agree, that's the worst part of creating a quilt! I bought a can of the basting spray but haven't used it yet. I was told it smells bad and I'm not sure I want to spray it in an enclosed room!
I love the bright colors in your quilt top!

Anonymous said...

It's funny, when I started making quilts in the 90's, I would do all the piecework and ship it off to my mom to hand quilt and bind :)