One of the secrets to successful machine quilting is basting your quilts properly. So today I will share with you my favorite way to baste a quilt using 505 basting spray and my design wall. You can definitely modify this technique and baste your quilts on a table, but I prefer the design wall because I can get up close to the quilt and make sure it’s nice and flat.
I’m demonstrating how to baste my Modern Puzzle quilt. Get the free quilt pattern here.
Click here to grab a strip roll of my fabric to make a similar quilt!
Wall basting is my favorite way to baste! I can get up close to make it smooth and flat.
Wall Basting Tutorial
Ensure that all 3 layers of your quilt (top, batting, and backing) are nice and flat. The batting and backing should be a few inches larger than the quilt top on all sides.
Give the top and backing a final press and clip any stray threads. Relax the wrinkles in your batting by throwing it in a dryer with a wet towel for a few minutes, unrolling it from the package to “rest” for a few days, or pressing the batting with a hot dry iron. (For delicate batting, use a piece of fabric to cover it while you press.)
Step 1 – Apply Adhesive to Backing and Quilt Top separately
Lay a sheet on the ground to protect your quilt and catch any over-spray. Outdoors is best so that the fumes can dissipate, but you can do it inside in a well ventilated room while wearing a dust mask. Be sure to shake the can and spray a few squirts on the sheet to ensure the nozzle is clean and the spray comes out evenly before you start.
Lay out the quilt backing wrong side up and apply a thin coat of 505 spray adhesive evenly across the surface of the quilt. Walk around the quilt backing as needed to reach all areas.
Spray the adhesive on one section of the backing at a time. Use seam lines in the piecing to help keep track of where you’ve sprayed since it’s hard to see the adhesive on the fabric.
Repeat the process for the quilt top, using the design of the quilt to help you keep track of which areas you’ve already covered. Don’t worry if the quilt top and backing have some give or are a bit wrinkly from movement. You will smooth it all out later.
Be sure to lay out the quilt top wrong side up while applying basting spray.
Hint: it’s easier to keep track of where you’ve sprayed if you cover one-two rows at a time, moving methodically over the quilt top.
Try to keep the can spraying out consistently so you don’t get any adhesive buildup.
Once the backing and quilt top are sprayed, fold them up and bring indoors to assemble the layers on a design wall. It doesn’t matter if you fold them right sides in or out. They will be sticky, but not stuck and you can easily unfold and the layers and peel them apart. You don’t need to baste right away, but I wouldn’t wait more than a few days to prevent the spray from drying out.
It’s okay if the layers are a wadded-up mess. You’ll straighten them out next!
Step 2 – Assemble The Layers Indoors
Pin the quilt backing wrong side up to the top of the design wall (mine is made from foam insulation board covered with a white flannel sheet). Let gravity pull the weight of the fabric down. Gently un-stick any of the fabric sticking to itself and spend some time smoothing it all out with your hands or an acrylic ruler.
For shorties like me, use a chair or step ladder to reach the top of the design wall.
Your hands will get a bit sticky, but the residue easily washes off with soap and water. Spend as much time as you need to straighten the backing so that it’s nice and smooth and flat on the design wall.
The backing is nice and smooth! Any small wrinkles will get ironed out later.
Fold the batting in half vertically and stick it on one side of the backing. Notice that I didn’t cut my batting perfectly straight on one edge and that’s okay. As long as the batting is larger than the quilt top, it’s easy to trim off any excess.
For this quilt I used Hobbs Tuscany Cotton/Wool blend batting. The cotton gives it a nice drape and the wool adds depth and dimension to the quilting without wrinkling up.
Unfold the batting and spend a good amount of time smoothing it out with your hands or a long acrylic ruler. My ruler can get a bit sticky so I have a separate one that I use just for basting. See the excess batting sticking out on the right side? I’ll trim that off with batting scissors before I add the quilt top.
Spend 10-15 minutes smoothing out the batting. It’s okay to re-position it if needed. The ruler acts as an arm extension to help you cover more area while you smooth it all out.
Add the quilt top right side out in the same manner as the backing. Pin generously and let gravity pull on the weight of the quilt top to get it to hang straight. This is why it’s so important for the batting and backing to be larger than the quilt top. Then you don’t have to make sure it’s lined up perfectly in the middle – you’ll have a bit of “wiggle room” to maneuver.
The excess batting and backing will get trimmed away later.
Spend a lot of time smoothing out the top layer once it’s on the wall. Use the acrylic ruler to help you work out any bubbles and ensure that the seam lines are nice and straight. Once your basted quilt is flat, smooth and straight, machine quilting it will be a breeze!
Taking time to smooth each layer will make it much easier to machine quilt!
Step 3 – Iron the Basted Quilt
Here’s where the magic happens! Once the quilt is basted, I take it to the ironing board and press both sides of the quilt. This does two things: (1) it’s a final chance to press out any wrinkles and work out any fullness in the quilt. (2) It sets the glue and ensures that all 3 layers will stay together without shifting, eliminating the need to add any pins. You can still pull apart the layers if needed, but this process will ensure that every inch of the quilt is sticking to every other inch of the quilt.
I use a “big board” which sits on top of my regular ironing board and gives me more room!
No Design Wall? No Problem!
Click here for my spray basting tutorial using a table rather than a design wall to layer and baste the quilt. It’s basically the same process!
You can use the exact same steps above except do everything on a table instead of a wall.
The quilt shown above is my Improv Squares quilt pattern.
Once I switched to spray basting, I virtually eliminated any pleats and puckers on my quilt. Because there’s a lot of “scrunching and smooshing” going on while quilting, your basted quilt needs to be able to handle a lot of wear and tear while pushing it under the machine. It takes the same amount of time to baste a quilt with spray or pins, but you’ll save a huge amount of time by not having to stop and remove pins. Give spray basting a try and let me know how you like it!
I quilted Modern Puzzle using walking foot wavy lines, a technique I teach in my book, Piece and Quilt with Precuts.
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. If you end up making your own version of Modern Puzzle, please share pics in my Christa Quilts Facebook group. I’d love to see your progress!
Christa Quilts 
Thank you for linking up with the Fall 2018 Tips and Tutorials Festival. I think this is an awesome method that many will be glad to discover!
I never thought to try this basting VERTICALLY!!! That’s so brilliant–I’m about to have back surgery and I was thinking omg how will I ever get things basted anymore? I am so grateful to have seen this now–to plan ahead! Serendipitous, really. Thank you!
This is a great tutorial.
Thank you next quilt I’m b going to use your method looks easy thanks for the idea
I have got to try this! I’ve been a pin baster using on carpet, but we just ripped the carpet out and put in wood floors. Then I had a ‘oh crap’ moment where I wondered how I would be basting future quilts! I’ve spray basted small ones, and it seems like now is the time to go big! Thank you so much for the inspiration and the well written tutorial on this! Can’t wait to give it a try!
I have been spray basting smallish projects for awhile but now am ready to move on to bigger ones. Thank you!
I saw this on your MQG webinar and wondered why no one has thought of this before. I have been spray basting for years but I have been basting each layer as I sandwich. I have not tried this yet, but as soon as I have some dry ground, I will try it out! I have my sheet folded and ready! Thanks, Christa!
Thank you Christa for explaining this method of using spray basting, I am about to atempt this for the first time unfortunatly I do not have a large design wall to hang the quilt, is there another way to acheve the same results without a wall.
Bridget, I lay mine on the garage floor. I put something (thin plastic tablecloth from dollar store works) between the cement and backing. This plastic or whatever you use needs to be a little smaller than the backing. Lay the backing on top (right side down! Lol) I tape the backing to the cement using duct tape. Be sure to pull the fabric perfectly flat as you tape it down. (This is why the protective piece underneath needs to be a little smaller) Once you have the backing secured, then just proceed with laying each layer on top as Christa shows.
Thank you for the tutorial seeing you put that on the wall was amazing! And pressing it to really keep it in check is great tip! I also use the garage floor even for the king size quilts. (Lots of windows – little wall space) I lay the quilt back on the plastic on the floor, then I roll the batting up at my work table and unroll it on the quilt backing using the “Wax On Wax Off” hand method – 15 inches at a time, smoothing and repositioning as needed. Then I spray the batting, and bring the rolled up top to the garage and Wax On Wax Off again. I flip it over to make sure nothing has moved. Using the garage keeps the smell out of the house, and no over spray, but it is hard on the knees so I have TA DA construction workers grade knee pads but Volleyball pads are really nice too. Also use the knee pads when playing with the grandkids.
Thanks again for the tute, will try that the next time.
I also love this method. If a family member happens to be home, I grab them to hold the quilt up, while I spay the 505 – all outside of course. One trick of yours I have found so helpful is using the ruler to smooth out the layers.
I usually do a combo of spray and pins. I never worry about going outside, the pollen bothers me more than the spray 😉
I have a good sized design wall and think I might try this since I find it harde to get down on the floor now!! I didn’t realize I was supposed to iron it to set the glue though!! Thanks for the tips 😊
I would like to see you do the OUTDOOR method here in MI it was 28 degrees most of today ! but thanks for the method it looks like it works really well…. Maybe someday you can post a video of it….. NONNIE
Thank you very much for explaining this method so clearly. I can see how this same method could work with pins as well. Thanks!
Thanks, Christa! Three questions–Does your iron or presser foot end up sticky, too? Is there a smell after it’s all sandwiched that remains? Do you wash quilts after quilting them?k
Very well-written tutorial – I can’t wait to try it out! Thank you, Christa!
I love this method. I don’t have a wall area, but I do it like your previous tutorial on two long tables I bought especially for quilt basting. Thank you so much. I have learned a lot from following your blog.
Thank you so much for this post. I’ve seen this done in books, but your explanation is very good at the little details and at explaining both the function of t he glue, the use the ruler and the end product. I appreciate this very much.
I love this idea! Thanks so much for this post. I never would have thought of basting a quilt this way. I’ve always done it on the floor and had a hard time reaching the center of the quilt and getting everything smooth. This way covers the entire quilt and makes it so much easier to reach every part of it. Great idea!