What is basting in sewing?
The word “basting” has its origins in the Middle Ages. Basting is a term used in various sewing techniques and is sometimes synonymous with tacking or tacking. Basting can be a single stitch sewn with thread on the sewing machine or a combination of different stitches.
Basting by itself is not a fascinating technique. It’s a means of holding two fabrics together so that they don’t curl or flap in the wind while you sew the next one. It is the job of the basting stitch to hold the top layer of fabric taut while the next layer is being sewn. A basting stitch can also be called an invisible stitch.
In return of What is basting in sewing? Some people think that basting is a different process. In reality, if you are having trouble finding the right stitch, you can baste the fabric until you find it. Basting can also be used to temporarily hold pleats in place until they are sewn into place. If you are basting a piece of fabric, you can stitch the basting stitches with a straight stitch or a zigzag stitch.
A few points of basting
1. Holding two pieces of fabric together.
2. Basting can be done by hand or machine and some other stuff.
3. Most important for slippery fabrics.
4. There are different types of basting thread.
Basting stitches are used for various sewing tasks, from holding the fabric to a quilt block to sewing on elastic or buttons. There are many ways to Baste, depending on the task at hand. Different techniques are appropriate for other fabrics, too, since basting lines can vary widely in size and shape.
The Different Forms of Basting and how to apply these basting methods
Whether you sew by machine or by hand, basting is an essential skill that every sewist should master to help hold your fabric together without puckering, bunching, or wrinkling.
Hand basting
You can reduce the amount of time you spend hand-basting using a reliable, easy-to-use tool to speed up the process. The Handy Baster tool is a small plastic tube with a needle and thread attached. Insert the needle into your project and make a running stitch along the seam that is being hand-basted. The tool automatically feeds the line through the hand, so you can use as little or as much thread as you like.
How to do the Hand basting stitch
Hand basting is the most effective way to get accurate control over a project. Especially helpful when sewing sleeves into armholes or joining curved pieces. It is necessary to hand baste even for experienced sewers.
Thread the needle with a strong polyester thread and an all-purpose needle. When threading most fabrics, the double thread should be used. For ultra-fine fabrics, one thread may be enough to prevent large holes from forming.
Basting stitches should be simple up and down running stitches about 1/4 – 1/2 inch (6mm-12mm) apart. A smaller stitch will give you more control. For rough hand-basting stitches, you can do several up and down stitches at once. Precise basting stitch should be sewn with one stitch at a time on a marked line.
Machine basting
If you’re new to sewing or want to add extra stability to your seams, you might want to consider machine basting your layers of fabric before sewing them together. Since this technique starts with your raw material, you can create a running stitch or simple stitch to make your first basting stitches before you even start sewing. This method can be used for any sewing, not just sewing machines.
How to Set up Basting Stitch on Sewing Machine
When basting, a straight stitch is used with a foot attached to the sewing machine.
Set your machine’s stitch length to the longest possible. This should be 4.0. Some machines can go from 6.0 to 9.0. You should check your sewing machine’s tension. Even if you are going to remove the stitches, you may need to loosen them a bit.
If you need to remove your basting later, using a contrasting thread will allow you to do so with ease. You can usually hold the loose tail steadily to pull out long stitch lengths.
Pin basting
The garment can also be stitched with pins attached to the seam instead of sewing. Once you have permanently sewn the stitch, you will remove the pins. Because pin basting requires removing each pin before stitching, it is difficult to stitch fast. This can interrupt your sewing flow.
How to do pin basting
One of the most efficient ways to baste it with pins. The pins should be placed vertically or horizontally to the seam.
It is not wise to sew over pins, so remove them to avoid damaging your needle or machine! Consider doing it in a flat surface.
Double-sided and Iron on tape
Instead of temporary stitch, the iron-on tape is a great alternative. Sewing thicker materials, such as leather, requires this.
How to Use Basting Tape
Using iron-on tape such as Wonder Tape, you can baste knit fabric hems before sewing them. In addition to preventing puckered hems, double-sided tape can be used to hold hems in place on the leather, vinyl, or cloth, so they don’t fray. This can also prevent pins from poking through.
Wonder clips
Bags or quilts are often basted with the Wonder Clip because they have bulky fabric and seam is bulky.
How to do Basting with Wonder Clips
Quilters and bag makers use these cute little clips to hold bulky seams in place. Generally, they slip a little on thin fabrics, so I save them for bulkier projects.
Basting spray or glue
This glue allows fabric layers to adhere to each other. It is washable, which is one of the main advantages of this glue. Therefore, once you finish stitching, the glue can be washed away.
How to do Basting Spray and Glue
Quilters use basting spray to hold the layers together temporarily. Usually, the glue washes out of finished items. Those who sew leotards with applique layers often use basting spray.
This glue is not permanent, allowing the fabric to be repositioned until the right position is achieved. Please read the instructions carefully before using most of these sprays. They should only be used in well-ventilated areas.
Improvised Basting
Consider putting the vinyl or other fabric in your cabinets if you need to hold it in place, and it is easily marked. You can use hair clips, paper clips, or even pegs.
How to do Improvised Basting
Improvised basting depends on how you plan to use it, which is why it is called improvised.
How to Remove Basting Stitches
After completing the final stitch, it is necessary to remove the basting stitch. Additionally, it is vital to remove it on time.
If you choose hand basting or machine basting, you can use the seam ripper to cut the stitch thread. Keep in mind that a seam ripper can cut through every other material as well, so be careful about the original thread.
In the case of pins, tape, and clips, you should remove them by completing the sewing. There is no other stuff needed to remove them; just your care is enough.
For the spray and glue, you might use some water to remove the basting. Washing is sometimes needed to remove those.
Though it might seem like a lot of work at first, it is worthwhile and not so difficult once you get used to it.
How to sew a Basting stitch?
Does my sewing machine have a basting stitch?
These days, Most computerized sewing machine and traditional sewing machine has an enabled basting stitch option. Even if your sewing machine does not have this option, you can always use a simple running stitch in 4mm or 5mm length.
In that case, you can say that every sewing machine has an option for a basting layers of fabric.
Do you have to remove basting stitches?
Basting stitches are a temporary option. You must remove it after the original stitches have been put in the sewing projects.
Otherwise, they may cause extra headaches for the user, and the cloth can become dirty. The basting stitches are not heavy enough to remain attached to the final product for a long time.
It can result in a considerable disadvantage.
Conclusion
You may view basting as a tedious task if you’re unfamiliar with sewing. However, this is not the case in reality. By avoiding mistakes in sewing, basting can save you a great deal of time. Once the project is completed, you are left content without feeling frustrated or disappointed. You also can consider basting as beginner sewing tutorials.
