Wrestling the waffle...

Amaizin' Blue is done, but not without some lessons learned:

• As enticing as cuddly, stretchy waffle fleece may appear in the store, it's not the most cooperative when it comes to quilt backing.
• Spray basting does not stick to this stuff, so you have to pin the daylights out of it perpendicular to the quilting direction so it won't slip.
• Pick up an extra package of basting pins (or two) while you're at Joann's so you don't have to make a return trip.
• Do minimal quilting, preferably only in one direction to avoid pinches on the back.
• Use a long stitch length.
• This would really be a bear without a walking foot.
• A heavier polar fleece would probably have been a better choice (less stretch).
• Don't use batting unless you really like to complicate things and enjoy ripping out stitches.

On a side note, has anyone else noticed how flimsy the newer Dritz basting pins are? Compared to the ones I bought about six years ago, these new ones are considerably more bendy (read: cheap) and give way too readily -- which means the cat (and little fingers) can actually open them now.

All in all, I'm happy with the quilt. It's lightweight but still cuddly -- Archie tested, Archie approved -- and it washed up wonderfully, but it took me longer to pin baste the darn thing than it did to actually quilt it. So it may be a while before I use this as a backing again.
 
On the upside, it's another one done way before Christmas! Woo-woo!