Jargon of the Week - Basting

Dictionary.com defines Basting as:

bast⋅ing [bey-sting]

–noun
1. sewing with long, loose stitches to hold material in place until the
final sewing.
2. bastings, the stitches taken or the threads used.

Origin:
1515–25; baste 1 + -ing 1

–noun
1. the act
of moistening food while cooking, esp. with stock or pan juices.
2. the
liquid used in basting.

Origin:
1520–30; baste 2 + -ing 1

This is one of the few times where the first definition found in the dictionary is the definition used in the creative world. There are a few other alternatives to basting than just sewing long stitches. Here's a few alternatives:

1. We can use a basting spray. This is a temporary adhesive that we can spray between pieces of fabric or layers of a quilt to hold them in place.
2. We can use a basting gun to tack layers together. (Note: I used to love this method. The guns are fairly expensive, but very convenient. I've given up on this though, because I've broken two guns and they aren't really repairable.)
3. Safety pins are a quick and easy way to baste a quilt. All you have to do is spread it out and pin through all the layers. This prevents a lot of wasted thread and is much quicker (in my opinion).
4. You can also use a basting tape in some circumstances. This wouldn't work well in quilting because you need to be able to remove the basting after you have completed the quilt, but it could be handy in sewing or other craft projects.

Pin It