How to Baste a Quilt Using Pool Noodles

Basting causes issues for many quilters. It's a challenge to get the backing smooth and the quilt top straight when layering the quilt sandwich. Using pool noodles is an effective and easy method. We hope you’ll give it a try!

[@avamae1487]

I wish my grandmother was alive to see this. She would love it! I will certainly be trying this with my next one.

[@Jen-CelticWarrior]

I learned about this a year ago, and it’s amazing! Especially for people like me who can’t crawl around on the floor after a leg injury. Thanks!

[@judilovato4248]

This is genius!!! Worked like a charm for me. Whoever "discovered" this idea deserves an award!

[@deborahmeares1048]

The one time that I used pool noodles on a larger, actual king size top I took a magazine from Keepsake quilting I believe it was and rolled it and put it in one end of a pool noodle and then just put the other end of it into the second pool noodle it worked great

[@sewliloquies]

I was wondering how this would work with larger sizes of quilts.

[@Jen-CelticWarrior]

A piece of dowel rod can work, too.

[@lenavanvintage]

Magazine pool noodle connector.. brilliant!

[@eileensorochty3270]

A spool works as a connector as well, but I like the pvc connector because it's stable and a little longer, so a un-wobbly connection can be made. So creative you gals.

[@nancyjohnson7193]

Absolutely brilliant! Thank you for sharing.😊

[@maudegone1]

So i tried this method this evening and I am thrilled to say it worked perfectly. It took me 15-20 mins to baste my quilt. The result is a no wrinkle fully basted quilt. No clearing furniture, no sore knees or back. I am so incredibly thankful for this video. I will no longer dread and procrastinate with basting. Now onto FMQ my quilt😊 thank you

[@allpeoplequilt]

Yay! So glad it helped!

[@robertastewart2083]

This is such a useful video and well explained! Now all I need is a large table!

[@allpeoplequilt]

Try a 6' folding table (it folds in half). This is what one of our staffers uses! (And it comes in handy for other crafts and potlucks too!)

[@auntiear126]

Absolutely the best KZbin video on this technique! Great vid, short and to the point! Thanks a bunch.

[@PhillipPresswood]

Behold, the unrolling of the holy quilt scroll.. 😂 Seriously, this is a great idea!

[@SpanishTutor]

If you have a larger quilt you can connect two pool noodles with a dowel rod.

[@jmcqueen6611]

Best tutorial using pool noodles to baste a quilt. Have used it many times successfully. Thanks.

[@allpeoplequilt]

Great to hear!

[@quiltingforthesoul]

I see a sweetheart of a little lady do this year’s a go on KZbin. And I use it every time for my quilts .

[@LoveforAaronBushnell]

You: my new super hero. Thank you. My husband made me a small dollie to baste on the floor so I could roll around the quilt.....uggh. the taping. The rolling. This method is so civilized. ♡

[@JohannaVanWinkle]

What a great idea! Thank you for sharing!

[@ss11557]

No pool noodles at the dollar store in January. The lady there suggested foam pipe insulation wraps. It was about $7Cdn for three and they are six feet long. I’m just heading to my dining room table to pin baste. I am so happy to have found this method. It makes this last part so much easier! Thanks!

[@hemidancer64]

I love this! Brilliant!

[@dianemakes]

Genius idea! Thank you! You are saving me so much time and frustration. ❤

[@Quilting_jules]

Thank you! Very clear instructions.

[@kathygustafson9034]

I retired a couple of years ago. I used to quilt and have just decided to take it back up since I retired. This method is brilliant and I can hardly wait to try it! So much easier than when I used to lay everything out on the floor to baste it (in my much younger years!).

[@allpeoplequilt]

Glad it helped! Much easier than working on the floor.

[@valhightower7618]

This is brilliant! I have a quilt waiting to be basted, and I am going to use your method. Thank you for sharing!

[@debraeckard399]

THANK YOU i needed this

[@susansh9948]

Brilliant! Thank you. I’ve been struggling with this step of making quilts and getting the fabric to lay flat!

[@jillpiggott2295]

This works perfectly & goes so quickly! I used foam pipe insulation, rather than pool noodles, because I was ready to baste midwinter in Maine, and no one had pool noodles for sale. Thanks for the video.

[@joaneldridge1048]

Very good teacher. I think I can do it on my own now.

[@adventureswithfabric6710]

Great job!

[@bobbiejoyce1402]

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. ❤

[@leemiller2811]

Fantastic. ❤

[@nancyknight9059]

Thanks sounds really easier then what I do.

[@debbiewood2675]

I am going to give this a try tomorrow. Just bought 3 pool noodles. Hope it works as I have a hard time keeping the backing from wrinkling no matter how hard I try to get it smooth. Thanks for the demonstration!!

[@allpeoplequilt]

It's such a great way to baste - hope it works well for you!

[@nancyincanada5553]

Wow, that's a great idea!

[@aggiemakes]

Thank you so much❤

[@shannonwhitwick3443]

After crawling around on the floor and unsuccessfully basting a quilt which ended up with wrinkles and crooked I went out bought 3 new pool noodles and started again. Almost perfect results with less back strain and frustration.

[@AH-gk9we]

You can also roll up some paper and use that paper tube to connect your noodles.

[@bettygentry9672]

THANK YOU so much!

[@suecarswell7380]

love. love love

[@jspyrogram]

Thank you!

[@jspyrogram]

Wonder if you could have another one on the other end and roll on to the basted side to keep it from hitting the floor?

[@tinahill4507]

It worked really well. First time of doing a bigger project. I can't wait for the noodles to be less bendy. Thank you.

[@blonde7155]

I have used a hardwood dowel to join the 2 pool noodles and it works great to keep them from bending too much 😊

[@allpeoplequilt]

Excellent tip!

[@sherikuykendall2621]

Thank you this was a game changer for me.

[@allpeoplequilt]

It's such a great way to baste!

[@deeannmariee]

I didn’t know you could spray the fabric. I thought you had to spray the batting only. I’m getting pool noodles this week!

[@babszollak2512]

Great idea! What if your table isn't quite big enough? Let it drape off the sides?

[@rmm9110]

I love this method, but instead of pinning the backing to the noodle etc. I put a slit down the noodle and tuck the individual layers into the noodle. It wirjed great fir ne,

[@lindafecteau52]

I just watched your video then sandwiched my quilt. Thank you so so very much. By the way I’m 76 and too old to crawl around on the floor. Lol.

[@ivybichon8582]

What diameter is the pvc piece

[@jadcock58]

I have a question about the batting. Can you put that in the dryer for a few minutes to get the wrinkles out of it?

[@tammynicholas2525]

Yes...at least Warm & Natural & warm & white brand. I spray batting with water bottle and dry in dryer.

[@barbaramatthews4735]

You showed a pvc connector. Would pvc pipe work? It seems more sturdy than noodles. Instead of pins some masking tape could be used to hold fabric. I don't know but I'm willing to try one or the other on my next quilt.

[@allpeoplequilt]

Yes, we have heard people use PVC pipes too! (They're likely more expensive though. The nice thing about the pool noodles is you can find them relatively cheaply.)

[@ceciliaschleicher278]

Where do you get straight pool noodles? I have never seen a straight one - they are always curved

[@allpeoplequilt]

We bought ours on Amazon!

[@nancybacher]

@@allpeoplequilt I bought mine at The Dollar Tree

[@rebeccamarkley5231]

Also Five Below still had them in September…

[@adventureswithfabric6710]

You can put a dowel rod or curtain rod into the pool noodle to keep it straight. Even if you buy a straight pool noodle, it may not stay that way. Also, this method works even if your noodle isn’t perfectly straight. Good luck.

[@MB-cj4zv]

What is the diameter of the pool noodle?

[@ChristineKrannich]

It depends on the brand and where you buy it. Most I have seen are 3-4” in diameter. The Dollar stores are less expensive but the foam is flimsier.

[@francisgerry3883]

This makes no sence to me , I make queen size quilts .

[@marilynsanderson4363]

She makes this look amazingly simple. and it is NOT. I won't try this again

[@maudegone1]

It worked simply for me. I would suggest you give it another try

[@adventureswithfabric6710]

Marilyn, this is a great alternative to getting down on the floor. I’ve used this method many times and made a video about 4 years ago. One thing I omitted from my video was to make sure you have a few extra inches of batting and backing all around. This gives you some wiggle room. I think THiS video does a really good job, but you might want to watch another one or two.