Straightening canvas leaders

[jebm]

I have to straighten (or replace) Miss Millie's canvas leaders. I found replies to a post by Kimmy Brunner on how to do this--but I can't find the actual "how to" post. Can anyone help please! Thanks, Jane

[yankiequilter]

I didn't find the original post, but it was one made by Tina Collins and I saved the information. Here it is:

Requested: Squaring Leaders- "How-To"

*I had previously posted this in another forum and was asked to repost the info here. The original post was about quilts not rolling up evenly..

Have you squared your leaders? Even if the machine is new... the leaders may not be perfectly square to your table. Also, if you have had your machine a while, maybe your leaders have stretched or been skewed by improper rolling... For example, if you advance the quilt without making sure to pull the leader tightly back to the right side after quilting right to left. When you quilt in one direction the quilt may migrate a little. This small distance of migration will be compounded dramatically over the length of the quilt, eventually resulting in leaders that have been stretched and skewed.

Here's the way to check:

1.) Pin your pick-up leader to your quilt lining leader.

2.) Roll the leaders all the way onto the pick-up roller keeping the tension between the leaders fairly tight.

3.) Then roll the leaders back all the way onto the quilt lining roller, again keeping the tension between the rollers tight.

4.) Now roll back to the middle, where the pinned leader edges are in your sewing field.

5.) Using your channel lock, stitch a horizontal line (on the pick-up leader) as close to the pinned edge as possible.

6.) Move your needle below the pinned edges and sew another horizontal line (using your channel lock) on the quilt lining leader as close to the pinned edges as possible.

These horizontal stitched lines on each leader will be perfectly square to your table. If you see a difference in length between the stitched line and the edge on the same leader, then your leaders are not square. Here's how to fix:

7.) Unpin your leaders.

8.) On each leader, turn down the edge, so that the stitched line is exactly on the edge of the leader and sew down.

9.) ADDITIONAL NOTE ADDED TO POST LATER :

P.S. Whoops! - Thought I had better add that I also stitch a new center line across both leaders using my vertical Channel lock while they are pinned together.... just to be sure!

After you have confirmed your leaders are square, then you can check to make sure the problem is NOT in your pick-up roller by simply placing a 90 degree square tool to measure the height of your pick-up roller from the table. Also, if you look at the eyebolts that hold the roller, you should see the same number of visible threads exposed. You can also place a level on each roller and adjust the eyebolts. This will only work IF your table is perfectly level.

To make sure your leaders are rolling up squarely every time, you can repeat steps 1 -6 and measure the distance between the stitched line and the STRAIGHT SQUARED edge to see if the distance remains the same across each individual leader.

I never use my quilt top leader, so I didn't mention it. If you do not full float, and are using this leader, you will have to square it as well (pin to the pick-up leader and proceed with the squaring process)

I place a piece of painter's tape on my quilt top leader right above both edges of the quilt to visually confirm that my quilt rolls up straight each time. Simply look to make sure the tape remains at both quilt edges after each advance.

I know this all sounds complicated, but it is really easy to do. Hope this helps!!

Tina Collins

APQS

Jackson, MO

tina@apqs.com

(573)576-3160

[jebm]

Okay, I can do that--But I think part of the problem is that where the leaders are attached to the rollers they are not smooth--there are wrinkles which like 1/4" seams multiply the problem as one rolls. I started to try to just remove the leader from the long horizontal tape--but quit as I pulled the entire leader off at one end. Now I don't know how to reattach! If I reattach the leader (what kind of tape!) then I will follow your process, makes perfect sense! Thank you so much! Jane

[SandraG]

I use duct tape to attach my leaders to the roller.

[Matt Sparrow]

Awesome! Thanks for the question and the great answer.

[jebm]

Okay! The duct tape works fine! Originally 3-4" of the leader was also taped with 2-way tape to the roller--and that's where the wrinkles are. When I tried to just remove that part of the leader from the roller I pulled off the first piece of tape which holds one end of the leader to the roller. Should I just remove the leader and start all over? Use the duct tape (running perpendicular to the roller every so many inches) and forget taping down 3-4" of the leader with 2-way tape that runs parallel on the roller, the entire length of the roller? Thanks! Jane

[seakitten]

I am getting ready to do this also, so thanks for the great tips. My leaders really are a mess; how do you know when they can be fixed, and when you just need to replace them?

[ffq-lar]

You can cut the leaders shorter without affecting much. Once the leaders are attached and rolled twice on the roller, they aren't going anywhere. So the rest is just for having some slack when you are pinning the backer and top.

Catherine, if your leaders are stained or stretched, cut off the bad part and turn the edge under. Or if you remove the leader, most of the bad stuff should be on the leading edge. If the edge that was attached to the roller is still straight and nice (without glue or adhesive residue) flip it so the bad edge is attached to the roller and the nice edge is to pin to. Straighten the bad edge before attaching. If there is residue, cut off a few inches and turn under and stitch.

Another thought, if you float your tops and don't use that top leader, remove the nice leader and put it on the more-used roller.

(Bayside sells several colors of striped canvas for leader replacement.)

[jebm]

Thank you thank you! I would not have thought of turning the leaders...that's what I need to do (and clean up the leading edge too--how will I get all that residue off?? Cut it...right. Off to work! Jane

[seakitten]

Thanks Linda. My leaders are stretched, & it seems to be getting worse, so I may have to replace them, but will try re-shaping them first. Hopefully this weekend.

[Gator]

I was at Georgene's last week and she was straighting her leaders. She has zippers and zipped the leaders together, misted them and left them dry. They looked perfectly even. You would have to as her for more details, if you have questions.

[LinneaMarie]

Also, Kimmy Brunner just published an article in Machine Quilting Possibilities magazine about straightening leaders. Very easy and informative!