If you have steam dryer, you can put it in and steam it for several minutes but pull it out before it starts the drying process. If you don't have access to a steam dryer, you have two other easy options:
- You can wet the quilt and spin it out in your washer. The less drippy wet it is, the faster it will dry.
- You can dampen it by using a spray bottle. I also use this technique if there are a few drier spots from the steam dryer.
I have a foam core design wall where I pin my quilt. I space my pins about every three inches but it really depends on the the quilt and how much you are stretching it. I usually just slide my hand across the surface of the quilt to ease out any wavy areas or edges.
After I get the first pinning done, I measure across in several places, both in the horizontal and vertical direction. I then make any pinning adjustments to get them to match. My final measurement is from corner to corner, diagonally across the quilt. Whether the quilt is square or rectangle, these dimensions should be the same.
If you don't have a design wall, this step can be done on carpet or other area you can pin into. In the past, I used foam board that I taped together and used in the garage or outside on a patio.