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Help please Trying to Load Quilt top


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Well, I'm trying to float a quilt top and the instructions for mounting a quilt on the frame are clear as mud in the manual I have- even the hand drawn pictures aren't much help. I pulled the following directions out of the archives but I need some help. Is the take-up roller the first roller if you're standing in front of the machine? Is the backiing roller the 4th roller away when standing in front of the machine? I'm a little frustrated but still singing along to the tunes so I guess I must have having fun! LOL

Here's the instructions I pulled from the archives.....Mercedes

1 pin the backing to the take-up and backing rollers lining up the center marks with the center marks on the canvas leaders. Roll up the backing onto the backing roller until it is taut across the top.

#2 Lay the batting on top of the taut backing on the frame. I do not pin the batt to any canvase leader. Some folks pin or stitch baste the batt to the backing. I like to lay my batt so it overlaps where the backing is pinned to the take-up roller. It just protects my fingers a bit.

#3 Lay the quilt top over the batting being careful to line up your center mark on the quilt top with the center mark on the canvas. The quilt top does not get pinned to any canvas. The quilt top gets pin-basted from the top, thru the batt to the backing. I use about 5 pins on a lap size quilt. Then I stitch baste across the top near the edge of the top canvas catching all 3 layers (top, batt, backing). Remove the 5 basting pins. I also stitch-base the left side of my quilts to keep them from migrating to the left. I pin baste the right side. Then as I quilt, I can make small adjustment to the quilt top because it is loose at the bottom.

Your batt and quilt top will be dragging on the floor. I just give them a gentle kick under the machine.

The only thing that I would caution you about is that your floor needs to be clean and free of stray threads which can be pulled up into the quilt sandwich.

This is how I float. I used to pin the quilt top to the quilt top roller but found that as I quilted and the quilt shrunk in on the sides, the bottom corners still pinned to a canvas were not able to "quilt in" like the rest of hte quilt. This made my bottom corners look like bunny ears. That's when I started floating my quilts.

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Hi Mercedes,

The take-up roller is the roller furthest away from you as you stand at the front of the machine. You pin the top edge of the backing to the take-up roller. The backing roller is the roller closest to you. You pin the bottom edge of the backing to the take-up roller. I think the instructions from your archives are good, once you figure out which roller is which. Let us know if you need more help. The rollers are frustrating for everyone at first.

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Mercedes,

As you stand at the front (or freehand ) side of your Millenium.

The furthest roller from you is the pick up roller it is marked on the canvas.

The third roller from you is the black levelling bar.

The second roller is the quilt top roller.

And the one closes to you is the quilt backing roller.

I pin the backing to the Pick up roller first and wind it almost all the way on- making sure it goes under the levelling bar.

I then Pin the backin gto the backing roller and wind it off the pick up onto the backing roller. I find I get a more even backing doing it that way.

Becomes second nature after a while but the first few quilts I photographed each one to make sure.

Lyn

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The take up roller is the furthest away from you when you are standing at the front of the machine. It is the roller the quilt/batting/back roll onto after quilting. The backing roller is the closest to you when you are standing at the front of the machine. When I got my Millie the leaders were stamped with the names, i.e., backing, quilt top, pick up. The backing is pinned to the backing leader wrong side up. If you are going to pin the quilt top to the quilt top leader it is pinned right side up. After putting backing and quilt top on the leaders, I then roll the backing to the pick up leader (under the dead bar) and pin it. Then roughly match up top ends of batting and quilt top and pull them up to the top edge of the backing. Then I lay back the quilt top and pin the batting to the backing, and run a basting stitch across to stitch them together, and remove the pins. I use this basting stitch to line up the quilt top, pin it in place, run a basting stitch about 1/8 inch in to baste all layers together, and remove pins. Be careful not to stitch over the pins. I hope this helps some.

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OK, Thanks everyoone! I now have the backing pinned to the takeup roller and the back up roller. I'm now ready for the next step - load the batting and the quilt top. This is a used machine so my leaders aren't marked - but I've marked the rollers so next time I'll know. I can tell this will take some practice but I have a lot of 2 - 3 yard pieces of fabric for practicing so I'll be doing a lot of loading.....Mercedes

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Put zippers on your canvas leaders!!! This has been the best time saver for me. And you can put them on with your longarm!!

I use water soluble thread in the top of my DMS and regular in the bobbin. Then I just center the backing and baste them to the zippers. WALAA!! Same thing with the quilt top. When you are ready to take them off a little lick from thumb to thread and pull them apart!:P

And if your leaders get wonky; you can stretch them back in shape with the zippers.

Have fun:P:P

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I have the zippers and new leaders which I want install - the leaders I have on the machine are stretched out. Problem is I don't really know how to attach the zippers to what leaders and in which direction. Then, of course, I have to figure out how to put the new leaders on. I assume you attach the zippers first before putting the new leaders on. Are there any directions anywhere for attaching the zippers to the leaders? Mercedes

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Mercedes - it looks like everyone has given you good advice. I hope you have lots of fun with your practice pieces. I did the same and then used them for my dogs or my moms cats. They love them. Regarding the zippers, mine came labeled as to which leader you sewed them onto. Look at the ends to see if it is printed on one side or the other. If not, I can look to see if I still have the instructions.

Heidi girl - Flip zippers? you are starting to cost me alot of money, ha ha... I tell you I would have the edgerider wheels if they made them for Lenni's and I love my maginifier. Keep the tips coming :) lol

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Originally posted by LinneaMarie

Put zippers on your canvas leaders!!! This has been the best time saver for me. And you can put them on with your longarm!!

I use water soluble thread in the top of my DMS and regular in the bobbin. Then I just center the backing and baste them to the zippers. WALAA!! Same thing with the quilt top. When you are ready to take them off a little lick from thumb to thread and pull them apart!:P

And if your leaders get wonky; you can stretch them back in shape with the zippers.

Have fun:P:P

Hi LinneaMarie, your post was interesting. I like the idea of using water soluble thread. DMS stands for domestic? Also, I'm trying to picture stretching the leaders back in shape with the zippers. Not sure I understand what you are talking about.

Thanks,

Linda

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Originally posted by roberta

Heidi girl - Flip zippers? you are starting to cost me alot of money, ha ha... I tell you I would have the edgerider wheels if they made them for Lenni's and I love my maginifier. Keep the tips coming :) lol

Hey girl good to see you posting again! You know I'm just trying to help you girls out! flippers saved me on the first quilt I loaded after I purchased them so I'm sure I'll be getting my use out of them! I'm glad you love your magnifier. Hopefully they will come out with the Lenni wheels soon. I just love mine!

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Originally posted by hmerrill

Hey girl good to see you posting again! You know I'm just trying to help you girls out! flippers saved me on the first quilt I loaded after I purchased them so I'm sure I'll be getting my use out of them! I'm glad you love your magnifier. Hopefully they will come out with the Lenni wheels soon. I just love mine!

It's is good to have a some time to post again :) and I have actually had some time to quilt. I have missed it. The flip zippers sound great! I am going to have to get another magnifyer though because dh borrowed mine for his workshop. He loves it too... see your just spreading your goodness all around, ha ha

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  • 1 year later...

Hi ladies where do you get the zippers for your leaders, I just got my Millie in December of 2010 and I am trying to get myself set up. I like the idea of using zippers. Thanks for any help with this. Also I am planning on doing e2e pantos and want to know if I will need to pin the sides of the quilts as I load them in my frame.

Mary

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Mary, welcome and congratulations on your machine!!! I am sure that your question was overlooked because of the age of the original post! I bought my zippers from Lakeside Quilting. Measure your leaders before you order. I have a 12 foot table and I ordered 10 ft zippers. You will love them! There is a super demo of how to install them on The Quilt Rambler. It is a blog by Karen Overton and you will find it in the archives for April 11 2010. I am so happy you are joining us!!!!

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