hbuchwitz Posted November 29, 2016 Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 I've had some issues with extra wide (king) quilts & ending up with excess fabric by the time I get to the bottom. Happens floated, pinned, with the pinned I can see the problem earlier but still don't know how to fix it! My side borders bow outward even if the top itself doesn't. I even had this happen on a whole cloth quilt with extra wide back for the backing & the top... no piecing at all and I didn't even worry too much about the edges being off - I just quilted straight down & made my "cut" line if that makes sense.... but I still ended up with loosey goosey in the bottom when I got there. I posted a question pertaining to this in pantos but didn't get any response. This section had a similar question but I saw a lot of comments about straightening rollers - mine are pretty new still (machine since July). So I'm wondering - would basting across & up/down all the way through the quilt and then going back to quilt help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted November 29, 2016 Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 Yes! I read your last post, but didn't understand, and figured it was just me. I baste across the top, then as I roll, I use a tape measure, attached to my leaders, so make sure the sides are always lined up with the top of the quilt. You can either baste using a long stitch, or I l do needle down, needle up, and drag the machine down the sides, dropping the needle every inch or so. Does that make sense? You can pin baste the sides of the quilt, but I avoid pins like the plague. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted November 29, 2016 Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 I just read your title again...so you baste the top and sides as you work your way down, you baste the sides, until you get to the bottom. When floating, I pin baste the quilt all the way across at the end of the quilting area, next to the bar. That being said, I don't float anymore. I was not good at it and gave it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbuchwitz Posted November 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 So nobody actually basted across and down the entire length of the quilt without quilting the exposed area? That's what I was wondering to counteract the problem on the very large quilts. How does the tape measure thing work Mary Beth? Do you have a picture? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted November 29, 2016 Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 This is what I did. I won't show you mine, because I am challenged by life in general. I put it on back ward. Here is the video I went by: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted November 29, 2016 Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 I hope I understand what you are asking. I only baste around the edges, and I do it within the 1/4" area of the binding seam. If you are asking about basting the body of the quilt, I have never done that. I do stitch in the ditch if I am doing custom work. And if there are large areas, I might pin baste it so it does shift or feel loose. I think the great thing about a longarm, is the way you load the quilt, the frame holds it in place so you don't have to baste. Like I said, I don't float. I don't like how loose the and shifty it all feels. I prefer everything to be fastened down. So, in answer to your question, no do not baste all the way down. Just baste across the top. Then baste down each side as you go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbuchwitz Posted November 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 Thanks Mary Beth! This last one was a lot of piecing on the diagonal - so I started out with it on the top roller but just couldn't get it to roll nicely no matter how much finger "scrunching" I did (Dawn's twisty method that I have no idea what it is really called - but to overcome the seam bulk & load it "tight" on that top roller.... it was a challenging quilt with a lot of bias stretch in it. The customer has another one coming so I want to know what to do next time to make life easier! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 Yes, that would be a game changer. Lots of funky seams. You are right to float, but then some people do it all the time. So when you float, just do the pin baste very close to the bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbuchwitz Posted November 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 I love that idea & I think that will totally help! I tried those magnet bars - but they don't "stick" super good - so I'm thinking I'm challenged or Harbor Freight changed them. I ordered some of the clips that Quilter's Apothecary sells but they haven't shown up yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cegates Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 On my machine, the quilted part of the quilt tends to bunch up as it is rolled onto the back bar. After every advance, give the rolled up part of the quilt a good tug at each end. This may help with keeping things straight. Carol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnP Posted November 30, 2016 Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 ACTUALLY, this just happened to me, and Ive never had problems after loading. But just did. So I am taking it off the frame and turning it around so the bottom is on the top and I can quilt it. At least its my quilt and not a customers. Wish me the best. There is a first time for everything. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbuchwitz Posted December 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2016 I pinned a quilt today along the bottom every few inches between the top & bottom roller bars in the front. Not densely like I would when attaching it to the rollers -just enough to hold it in place while I quilted. Kind of what MaryBerth suggested but I did it between the bars so I had easier access for getting my fingers in & knew they couldn't be hit by the machine. That really helped! I ordered the clamps from Quilters Apothocary.... the magnet bars just don't work at all for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted December 2, 2016 Report Share Posted December 2, 2016 I am glad to see you found something that works for you. I will have to look at the clamps at Quilter's Apothocary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted December 7, 2016 Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 Great! Glad you found something that worked for you. I always anchor the bottom of the quilt, I use the clamps until I get close to the end, then I pin so I can get the border area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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