Basting - sigh... yep, it's not nice, but it has to be done. And if it's done well, it can save you a lot of grief when you get to doing your quilitng (ditto with hand quilting too!)
First - get help... it goes a lot faster with another set of hands or two, or three or...more!
Second - Get an 8 foot folding table (the kind used at schools or churches)... or slide two together end to end. Find a Quilt shop or church where you can do this if you don't have the tables... make it an event or a potluck!
TAPE the backing on each side with blue painters tape - under a little tension... not stretched taut, just tight. If the tables aren't long enough... then get some rubber clamps and clamp the quilt back down on each end. This is critical... if you don't fasten the backing down, you will get wrinkles! It is the base for everything else. Start in the center. Measure the centers of your batting and top layer, at the edges with safety pins, and line up the layers as you smooth them on top.
Third - I recommend using a good quality curved safety pins throw away any that don't go in smoothly - don't put 'em back in the box! A size F crochet hook, or a Clipit tool makes the process go very quickly.
I learned early that the tacking tools can leave some holes...especially in finely woven fabrics like batiks! You only learn this after you wash your quilt the first time...bummer!
And finally. IT takes PRACTICE (the basting AND especially the machine quilting) After about 30 or 40 quilts (most baby sized), I feel like I'm just now getting pretty good... not an award winning quilter... just good enough that my things look good to me! Find someplace that can use charity quilts, and use them for practice. And read the magazines, but realize that what you see in them represents the very best of the best... something to aspire to!
And, did I say get some help!?
:-)
Karen

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