Pat -

You don't need a piece of formica for your dining room table. Formica can be pretty skinny, and it presents storage problems.

Instead, try a length of heavy duty vinyl that you can buy at Joann's, etc. My dining room is my sewing room (in fact, I don't even use it for dining anymore on holidays -- too much cleanup to do! ) I keep my table covered with a piece of this extra-wide vinyl. Don't use oilcloth because it is too thin. Use the vinyl

It is also useful when I machine quilt because the quilt slides on it so well! I turn my sewing machine around so the back of my cabinet faces the long side of the table, and let the quilt drape onto the table. It prevents a lot of drag on the quilt.

BethMI

No, no, no! I just went on Sharon's website to order the glider, bobbin genie's and halo! They are out of the halo!

That's the bad news!

The good news is it must be a good seller-which I suspect translates into "it's a very useful product and other's are recommending it!"

So, Sharon!!!!!! Congrats on winning at Paducah and get back on home now and get your manufacturing conduit revvvvved up again!!

Lynn

I got it to open on Lynn's reply, Great idea. Now I'm off to HD to get supplies.
Wendy in New Braunfels

found by just entering her name followed by network in google toolbar, it works, it is also on You Tube and make sure to download the videos to your Real Player!!

I bought the supreme slider and magic bobbin, hasn't arrived yet as i am in UK can take long. Can't wait to put my hands on free motion!!

I just clicked on the link that Lynn provided. It worked for me.

JoAnne

I also clicked on the site and couldn't find it. I'm also curious.

Wendy in New Braunfels Tx

http://www.sharonschambernetwork.com/free_area/videos/pinless_bast/index.html

Lynn

Ok so now I'm curious. I clicked on the link up above and it couldn't find the site. I went to Sharon's site and couldn't find it either. Does anybody know how to find it now?
Frances in Austin

I think she suggested it just to save the time of dealing with raw wood. But if you have some free wood, so much the better. I still haven't gotten to the lumberyard to get the longer boards, but since I'm not ready to baste anything right now, that's okay. I'm still working on my freemotion skills, following along with Sharon's Basic Freeform Feathers video. I'm on my third charity quilt--they're not that big, about 48 inches by 64 inches, so a nice size to wrestle around. I bought the Halo, and love it. Also got the Supreme Slider and the teflon bobbin washers. It's amazing how much simpler things are if you have the right tools for the job.

Pat in Rockport, TX

Hi, I watched the basting video too, and the board looks to me like any normal wooden board.
I think I have some in my loft that can be used for basting, perhaps I will need to sand and panit it, but what is the big deal of buying that particular board on the video?

thanks

Thanks for everyone's input. Using spoons and mats is a great idea. Wish I had thought of that sooner before I pock marked my quilting table. Judy in AZ who learns things the hard way

Sharon, I always use an old spoon when basting with safety pins. I will try it with the thread basting, too, what a good idea.

Peter, I have a huge mat, 72" long, that I've had for many years, on top of my cutting/basting table, I can just put it on my dining room table when I want to baste, another very good idea.

This is why I love The Quilt Show!

Pat in Rockport, TX, who got three 84" trim boards yesterday--one to cut in half for wall quilts.

Hello everyone, I just watched Sharon's video and I really like her technique. It's so much better for those of us who can't crawl around on the floor.

Have any of you tried using a spoon when basting? You lay the spoon down and bring the needle out into the bowl of the spoon, then tilt the spoon up and it's much easier to grab the needle. It saves the needle sticks for me.

Have a great day, Sharon in TN

pknord wrote:
Pat,
I used one of my rotery cutting mats and just slid it along as I went to protect my dinning room table. Worked fine for me.
Peter