DIY Quilt Basting Spray and Musings on Making a Quilt Sandwich

I've been quilting for about 7 months now.  In my OCD deep dive on basting methods, I ran across this blog which is a nice exposition of how to use basting spray that (drum beat, horn toot) you make yourself.  The only pricey ingredient is rubbing alcohol, and that is, well, cheap.

Here's the recipe.  You can see that I like it so well, that I put it in my Plan to Eat recipe file.

Print Recipe

Quilt Baste

Source: californiaquilting.blogspot.com

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 3 cups water
• 3-4 tbsp regular flour
• ¹⁄₂ tsp salt
• 8 ounces or rubbing alcohol
• clean spray bottle

Directions

1. - In a pot place 2 cups of water and 1/2 tsp of salt bring to a boil and reduce to a gentle boil.
2. - In a gravy shaker (or a jam jar) put 1 cup of cold water and 3 tbsp of flour - shake until the flour and water are combined.
3. - Whisk the flour mixture into the gently boiling water like you are making gravy and let it cook until the consistency of gravy/egg whites/ thin gruel.
4. - Remove from the heat and let it cool down to room temperature.
5. - In a clean spray bottle add 8 ounces of rubbing alcohol and the cooled flour mixture, gently shake and go sandwich a quilt.
6. (LD note: I used corn starch and it worked beautifully; I also squeezed some Elmer's glue in the bottle after using it for one quilt. Seemed to stick a bit better)

Powered by

I've used this recipe exclusively, so I have no experience on how it compares to 501 or any other products largely because it works so well, there seemed no way to improve on results.  I want to share with you my current method of making a quilt sandwich using this product.  I'm a newish quilter, so I don't present any of this as anything but what is currently working for me.

One of the most difficult things for me was getting the back squared.  I had an idiot savant thought that started out as the latter and ended up as the former.  My idea was to fold the back of the batting over the front for each side and run a sharpie against to mark the boundaries.  That way, when the quilt was flipped, the marked edge would show, and I could square things up nicely.  SAVANT!

It worked so beautifully until I applied my basting spray above.  The alcohol caused th ink to run and stain my fabric--front and back.  Thankfully it was inside the seam allowance, but it easily could have creeped further in.  IDIOT!

My second idea, is my current working modality.  After I securely baste the top of the quilt to the batting (method described below)  I run a small zig zag with colorful thread just on the outside edges.  That creates a beautiful line on the back.  I've had NO issues with puckering on the top of the quilt.  Frankly, this basting method is so secure, there is really no place for the fabric to go.  It really becomes one with the batting (just try to rip it off!) to become a unified and inseparable. More below.

Quilt Baste Method:

• Cut batting with 3" oversize on all four sides of quilt top.

• Center quilt top on top of batting.  

• Iron quilt top on top of batting.  This produces a nice ironed top and relaxes wrinkles in batting.  

• Work in 24-30 inch sections starting at one end (top or bottom of quilt). Fold the first fabric section to be adhered  back on the quilt top (right sides together).   Using a fine mist from your sprayer, spray the entire section of batting to accept your first adhesion section..
• On larger quilts you may have to work from center to side. So long as you keep working to RADIATE towards the next section of unbasted, your material should be evenly dispersed across the batting without wrinkles.

• Place the fabric section that you turned back on top of the sprayed batting (it will be moist), and smoothe from the center out to the sides.  I have found that hands work fine or you can use one of your ruler edges to do this. (I've done both).

• IRON!!!   Now, I have repurposed a teflon grill mat for this next step to dry out the baste and get a good adhesion.  At the very least, I recommend using a pressing cloth.  If you choose not to use either, but make sure that you do not iron over your fabric to to the batting.  If there is any overspray that will get onto your iron.

•  Always work from your last area to virgin area, from center to edges.  Once this stuff sticks, it sticks.  That means that if you've made an adhesion error (read:  wrinkle), you'll have a devil of a time getting it out.  If you pull your fabric up, you'll have adhered batting.  You could spray with water, but I'm not sure how that would work.  Best not to have to look for alternative methods...with reasonable care you will not have to. But I know first hand that pulling it up will remove batting.  (Whahhh!)

• Now that you have one section completed, that will serve as your anchor. Fold back your fabric  onto to the basted portion (right sides together) revealing that boundary between your plowed (basted) field to your unplowed (unbasted)  field of remainder basting.  Where it is stuck shows your starting line for your next section.  Continue with basting, unfolding, smoothing, ironing from last basted edge to the unbasted remainder. 

• Now step back and admire your work.  Have a drink and do the same to the other side.
• After my TOP is secured, I run a small zig zag on the very outside edge of my quilt top.  I put a colored thread in the bobbin.  That way when I flip my quilt to basted the back, I can perfectly see my edges 

Some more comments/tips:

• If you don't have a good spray bottle, get one.  I've had NO issues with clogging.
• Pressing Cloth...mentioned above, mentioned again.  I use a teflon grill mat which is great for using on your ironing board as protection when you glue baste.  It is slick, slick, slick, and your iron will glide over if you use as pressing aid.  Warning, it gets hot.
• Will this clog my needle/thread?  No.  But you have to ensure that the product is dry, and your hot iron and/or time, will ensure both.   I do lots of glue basting to include this method of quilt basting, and I've not had any problems.
• Will unused product go bad?  I've had unused product for more than 30 days.  I've seen reported that mold grows.  I've not had that problem.  Further, I'm unsure how it would with the alcohol content....you are adding 8 oz of alcohol to 3 cups of water...so that is a 25% alcohol content.  I don't think that mold can grow in that anymore than it can grow in your liquour.  It is not a hospitable environment.
• I put the cornstarch, salt and water in the microwave.   It works well.  Do not add alcohol until your cooking is done.
• Cool your product before putting in spray bottle with alcohol.  Otherwise it is still producing steam and it will squirt out of your bottle (or melt it).
•  If you hold up your batting sections to create more of a vertical surface, you might avoid some overspray.  Or consider using a cardboard shield.
• Will it come unstuck over time if I'm not ready to quilt?  I've not had that problem.