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I have ordered a Lenni and would like some help on whether to pin, sew on zippers or go with red snappers in regard to the cloth leaders. Will cloth leaders come on my machine? I’m making a list of things to order, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself! Thank you.

So when I first decided I was going to buy a Millennium, I started asking longarmers what I would definitely need. On an instruction video from Manquilter I saw them using leader grips. After talking to many folks, I bought a set of Red Snappers for my Malcolm, even though I hadn't even ordered a machine yet. They stood in the package over at the side of the room. Three months later, I had a Millie all set up and ready to play in my home. I could not quite figure out how to install the rods on my leads and I kept putting it off saying that pinning isn't that bad. Last week I quilted a queen-sized quilt, and pinning WAS that bad. So yesterday, I finally installed the red snappers to my machine's leaders. Minutes ago, I loaded my first quilt top with the leaders. Such bliss! It took me all of maybe five minutes to load the top, batting, and backing, and to sew the top and sides. Why didn't I do this last October when I set up the machine? The "quilt top" I loaded is actually a light weight upholstery fabric that looks like a quilt of 4-inch squares in muted country colors. I bought this fabric for a song a decade ago, thinking I might want to use it as a backing, but it was never "right" for any quilt I was making. It has become a perfect fabric for me to practice my ruler work and hand-guided quilting with my Malcolm. It's about 4 feet wide by 9 feet long, so I have lots of practice ahead of me! Yay! It'll make a serviceable picnic quilt when I'm done playing. And I am still stocking up my little studio with 'essentials' I might need one day. I figure I should be well-stocked so I'm set to go when I retire and have less of an income. Just ordered a couple gross of magna glide bobbins and a new bobbin case to use just with them. (under $12 for the case from APQS) Happy fourth everyone! Kevin