Jump to content

Leader canvas


Recommended Posts

When I got my Lucey a few years ago, the edges of my canvas were not even as I rolled it up....but it looked straight along the bars....what the installer did was to have me take a long measuring tape and measuring from the sides of the frame mark each canvas in the center with a permanent marker.  I have had no problems with this....but the edges still do not line up straight on the canvas...but importantly, my quilt top and backing edges do line up and there are no wrinkles in the top and backing when loaded...so it is good I think.  so if it is the edges of the canvas not matching up when you roll it, I would not worry...but if the length of the canvas is not even along the length of the bars,  then some adjustment needs to be done...does that make sense and someone else will probably give some input here.  Lin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sheila:  You can mark your leader more accurately with a stitched line than with a measured marker line.  Simply extend your take up leader ( or either of the other leaders for that matter) to almost the maximum reach of your machine, apply the horizontal channel lock (either electronic or manual) and stitch a line.  You'll probably have to pin to another leader to keep it tight while you stitch.  You can use that as your reference line, or fold and stitch a pocket then cut the excess off.  Your leader will be straight for a while.  

 

The long term problem is that the leader fabric will distort over time from pulling and rolling, and eventually be out of alignment again.  I don't know what kind of fabric your leaders are made from.  It seems to me some machines come with a rather light fabric (mine did).  I replaced my leaders with a fairly heavy canvas. and they have held up reasonably well.  I made my leaders quite long (you might refer to them as deep rather than long) so I could keep the selvage on both edges.  The selvage helps to control fabric distortion.  Hope this helps.  Jim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Sheila:  You can mark your leader more accurately with a stitched line than with a measured marker line.  Simply extend your take up leader ( or either of the other leaders for that matter) to almost the maximum reach of your machine, apply the horizontal channel lock (either electronic or manual) and stitch a line.  You'll probably have to pin to another leader to keep it tight while you stitch.  You can use that as your reference line, or fold and stitch a pocket then cut the excess off.  Your leader will be straight for a while.  

 

The long term problem is that the leader fabric will distort over time from pulling and rolling, and eventually be out of alignment again.  I don't know what kind of fabric your leaders are made from.  It seems to me some machines come with a rather light fabric (mine did).  I replaced my leaders with a fairly heavy canvas. and they have held up reasonably well.  I made my leaders quite long (you might refer to them as deep rather than long) so I could keep the selvage on both edges.  The selvage helps to control fabric distortion.  Hope this helps.  Jim

 

 

 

Jim - do you pin to backing or to the other leader to do this?

 

Thanks!

 

Heather

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Heather:  I'd do it to another leader, but I guess it would probably work OK pinning to some backing fabric.  You just need to make sure the leader you're stitching on is pulled tight across the entire width so you don't inadvertently stitch distortion into the line.  Good luck.  Jim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...