In this episode of The Stitch TV Show, Lynn and Pam discuss the many ways to mark quilts and the controversy surrounding those different methods, and the perils, pitfalls, and pets involved in basting a quilt! Go ahead and hit play in your sewing room.
Tips and links for this episode:
- Learn more about Wendy Butler Berns! Or check our her Pictorial Quilting Techniques class on Craftsy.
- Here is a picture of Pam’s finished project from Wendy’s class, Textured Tweety Falls in Love
- Types of marking tools (this links are affiliate links from Amazon.com)
- Blue water soluble pens from Wrights
- Dritz purple disappearing ink pen (for immediate quilting after marking only!)
- Frixion pens (and an excellent article on the potential perils of Frixion pens)
- Quilter’s pounce
- Chaco pen
- Hera tool
- Learn the story behind the Velveeta Cheese Is Not Real Cheese quilt hanging in this episode.
- Basting tips
- 505 Spray Basting and a tutorial from Christa Watson on how to do it
- Sharon Schamber’s hand basting method
- Thanks to our sponsor 77peaches and partner Big Think Productions! We could not do it without you.
- Audio only versions of the show are available in the Hip to be a Square podcast feed.
- Our next Virtual Stitch-In is November 11, 2016 at 7pm US Eastern
- If you enjoyed it, help spread the word on your blog!

October 28, 2016
You could always baste on a friends longarm, then hand quilt!
October 29, 2016
Thanks again ladies. Lots of giggles and quilting stories. Just the ticket!
October 29, 2016
I found it interesting that card stock templates are being used, and you did mention cardboard… I still have my grandmother’s cardboard templates that she used on her quilts! What goes around comes around! I enjoy your show and look forward to watching it! Thanks!
December 19, 2016
There’s one other basting technique: pin basting on a table. As fans of Wendy Butler Berns, you’ll find her demonstrating this technique in her Craftsy “Machine Quilting: Free Motion and More” class or in the basting videos by Amelie Scott, Quilt University or Rob Appel of Man Quilting on YouTube.
For this method you use clamps for larger quilts (jumbo binder clips or hardware clamps) or tape for smaller quilts (ones not large enough to extend to the edge of your table) to secure the layers to the table. Baste from the middle out as Pam does and on the large quilts, unclamp and shift the quilt to get to the sections not yet basted.