Back from traveling... banking done and now back to finishing my own quilt on which the quilting was finished a week + back. First things first.... The quilt needs blocking nice and flat. Here's the way I tackle blocking. I have an oversized 'big board' padded ironing board made to fit my work table so I drop the board down atop my 36" x 60" work table. You may not have anything like this so know this step can be accomplished atop a soft carpet or a piece of insulation board. I have even used a good hard bed top when traveling. In the later 3 examples, I would place a clean sheet or oversized towel atop the base surface.
Get a clear water spray bottle and lots of strong straight pins ready. With clean hands and the quilt top facing right side up.... I evenly spray the entire surface ( my quilts are a cotton surface and fine to be water sprayed). I get it fairly wet but not totally dripping wet. Use your clean hands to 'smoosh any wrinkles or waves flat, then use strong straight pins to pin through the quilt edges and into the big board (or whatever you might be using as discussed earlier). Pins must be secure.
You want this wet top to dry while pinned in place. I usually leave this overnight and if you feel you need it, I would turn on a fan in the room though don't point the fan directly onto the quilt top... just move the air in the room so the quilt will dry uniformly.
Once the top is completely dry.... we'll begin marking and squaring up the edges. That's the next post.
1 comment:
ohhh thanks for sharing your method of blocking - I've been using my commercial carpet and a steam iron - to steam it damp. Works great too - even on some of pieces that have had some major bubbles. Its amazing how nice and straight they come after they are blocked!
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