Clamps

[Grammie]

Ok do you clamp just the backing or do you clamp all layers of your quilt? Sharon Schamber has a great set up on her site that shows how to keep the quilt more even on the outside edges. Was curious as to what set up others are using. I'm not sure I like just clamping the back fabric. I'm also concerned that I may be tightening it just a tad too much. So far it hasn't affected anything I've quilted but I want to get it right. Too loose makes me nervous I suppose. Darlene was most helpful when I phoned her to order some new supplies. Me the dummy didn't realize that the Plastic came up to put the Pantos under. DUH!!! I felt like an idiot but hey you learn something new everyday. For some reason that was never discussed. I was about to purchase Clear vinyl that I didn't even need. I will be trying to get my leaders hemed after Christmas. My question is do the leaders come completely off so that I can hem by machine or do I do it by hand? I know too many questions. I don't have my internet set up in my quilting room yet so I rush in the house to use Hubby's. Excuse my poor typing/spelling. I'll check back later. Have a great Day and a BLESSED MERRY CHRISTmas!!!

[Grammie]

My Bernina Bobbins seem to fit well in my APQS but is it ok to use them without harming my Machine? I have a few hundred of them and this would be a good thing as long as it is safe and unharmful to my machine. :cool::cool:

[Myrna Ficken]

Hi Tammie,

Isn't that you "given" name or do you prefer Grammie,

When I sew on my zippers I just use my Millie. Just take your time, start in the middle and work out on both sides. IF you have someone to give a hand and hold up the side you are quilting away from that's great.I hope this makes sense. When I sew on the first zipper to whatever leader. I have the zipper's zipped together as they are in the bag when you get them. Sew on one, side as an example to the take up roller. Then with them still zipped together I sew the other half to the backing roller. Again a helping had is good. This ensures that they are sewn on even at both ends with each other. Is that as clear as mud.

Always ask your question. How else do we learn? We all have different ways of doing this and you will find what works best for you.

Myrna

Hummm I'm sprprised to hear that you Bernina bobbins work in you machine.

[Myrna Ficken]

Oh I forgot, only clamp your backing. These clamps are to support your fabric only. Not to put tension on with.

[Mary Beth]

Okay, speaking of zippers on the leaders...I know there have been a million and one posts on the subject, I just can't get the visual in my head. Can someone explain this process - slowly - to me. From what I get you sew one side of the zipper to your leader, then do you pin the other half of the zipper to your quilt...and which leader are we talking about? Is it the #1 leader for the backing fabric?? Do you also sew a zipper to the take-up roller...I'm really sorry to be such a dunce, but I don't get it!! I don't own any zippers, so your answer doesn't have to be speedy, unless it is something you think I can't live without - then by all means let me know what I am missing out on so I can get some:D

[jeri]

Grammie. I gave up on my clamps 2 years ago. I replaced them with strips of no roll elastic that fit through the slots and use big safety pins rather than the clamps. My quilts are now flat and no clamps to run into and swear at. My elastic is long enough that I can attatch each end if I want to and have 4 attatch points. It cost me around $5.00 for the elastic. jeri

[Myrna Ficken]

Hi Mary Beth.

When you purchase you zippers (Machine Set) You will get 3 sets of zippers. One for each leader, take-up, quilt, and backing. One half of the zipper sets are sewn onto the leaders. I sew them on with my Millie as stated in the post above) and the other half gets the fabric attached to it in the process you like best. I still pin my fabric to the zipper as I would if I didn't have zippers. Some choose to baste the fabric at their sewing machine. Quilt as usual. When ( I think I am finished quilting) I can zip the quilt off take it to my cutting table, cut any looses threads that I might have missed , Check to see if I have missed any quilting or need to do any touch ups on the quilt. If I do, then I can just zip it back on and do any repairs or whatever to the quilt . After that only do I unpin the quilt from the zipper. I really enjoy pinning my quilt on as that is the time I learn a lot about the quilt . But I do not like repining because I have missed a spot.

I will try to get some photos on my website later of the process. Then I have extra sets of zipper referred to as quilt sets. . In the quilt set you have three half sets of zipper. (only one side) These are for pinning quilts on ahead of time. Your backing, top and bottom, and the quit top itself. Some like to sit and pin several quilts on ahead of time maybe while watching TV with the family.

Maybe you need to take an unfinished quilt off and put another on for whatever reason. Just zip it off it will go back on as straight as the first time as it is still attached to the zipper. I may have a class and I have to zip quilt off. I have a set that is attached to a Thread Garment I am in the process of that I did not finish after a class. Hope this clears some of the confusion up . This is a few reasons why Zipper are a must. (To Me)

Myrna

[ammueller7]

I agree - I don't think I'll ever quilt without using my zippers - the couple times I thought "oh, I won't have to take this quilt off - I'll just pin it right on the machine" I've had to - you guessed it- take the quilt off - either because another one had to go back on the machine quickly or some other reason - never never never quilt anymore without using my zippers.

[annkathryn]

I'm a newbie. So far I have yet to get the fabric loaded straight. I was wondering if the zippers would help alleviate this problem? Does anyone have an easy method of attaching zippers to the backing and top? Also was wondering if anyone had a good way of straighting the large backs? Thanks.

annkathryn

[Myrna Ficken]

Annkathryn,

If your backing isn't going on straight then it most likely isn't square. Fold the backing and trim the top and bottom of your backing to be sure it is straight. If you need tips on that let me know. If it is too large to do alone perhaps you could ask someone to help you fold it evenly them trim.

Myrna

[artinfabric]

Ann Kathryn . Myrna is right you must square up your backing. Then place your backing on your machine. wrong side upward. And roll it back and forth between the take uproller and the backing roller. do this a few times. I find it helps.

[BarbWetzel]

Myna... I would like to see how you set up the zippers on your quilt machine. How do you put the zippers on the quilt?

I am lost.. but intereted..

Barb Wetzel

Ivy Corner Quilting

Altoona, Iowa

[Myrna Ficken]

I will get photos on my web shots tomorrow. I have just loaded a quilt so what good timing. I stitched half to the leader with my millie (not very well I might add) and I pin the backing and quilt top to the other half. I will post the address tomorrow for photos

Myrna

[Darlene Epp]

I have a few tips that will help you immensely when you install your zippers. I LOVE the zippers from the Quilting Connection, and that is what I sell on my web site.

One of the things I love is that each side of the zipper is marked with where it goes. eg. Backing Fabric - Lower Left Side. When my brain doesn't function well (which is often!), this marking is a great help.

Another thing that is great about these particulars zippers is that they're strong! You can pin to the zipper (without the need for an add-on piece of muslin) over and over and over again and they still look like brand new (unless you nip them with your scissors ).

And last, but not least, the Machine Set comes with a great instruction book, complete with colored pictures of the step by step process.

NOW, for my own additional tips.

Like Myrna mentioned, it's good to have some extra hands to help you out, and you never do when it's time to sew the zippers on. Here's what I do.

1. I fold the selvedge over and press it to form a hem. You can do this right on the roller. Press it in the direction that the zipper will cover. (After installing the zippers, you may want to stitch down the loose edge of the hem.)

2. Put on your extended base. ( in lieu of friend #1;))

3. AFTER marking the centers, separate the zippers. PIN each side of the LEADER zippers to it's prospective canvas leader, aligning the centers and pinning from the center out.

4. NOW, BEFORE sewing, ZIP the backing zipper to the takeup leader zipper. (in lieu of friend #2 ).

5. Snug up the leaders so that everything lies nice and flat, but doesn't pull, and slowly stitch next to the folded edge of the leader, removing pins just before you get to them. There is no problem with the hopping foot going over the teeth of the zipper. (I use the clamps to put extra tension on the end of the leaders, in lieu of friend #3.)

The extended base gives a nice flat surface to rest your hand on and keep everything in line as you stitch.

6. After stitching both sides of the backing and takeup leader zipper, unzip the backing zipper and zip up the quilt top zipper to the takeup leader.

7. Sew the edge of the quilt top zipper.

8. Unzip and then attach the other side of the zippers to the top and backing sides. These are the zipper sides that you'll pin or sew your backing and top to.

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My OWN personal preference is to attach both backing and top with a long wide zig-zag stitch on my Pfaff. If has the built-in even feed foot, so there's no problem with the top layer being pushed ahead of the bottom layer. I start in the center and work to each end.

I can have a King size quilt mounted in 15 minutes this way. If I pin on, it still takes me forever! and I stab myself NUMEROUS times in the process. I've only pinned to the zippers once, and said "never again!" I had the bottle of hydrogen peroxide handy on that one! Some people use safety pins and thus avoid the stab wounds, but I have BAD wrists and safety pins are difficult for me.

To make SURE I put the quilt on the right side up , I take the backing and top to the machine and pin to each zipper side, just in the middle. I no longer trust myself to remember, as I've put it on upside down too many times! :cool:

I hope that helps. I LOVE the zipper system and could have saved MANY hours, days, weeks, months of time in the last 8 1/2 years if I'd only given in sooner!!

This picture shows the edge of the zipper sewn to the folded hem edge of the canvas leader, with the backing muslin zig-zagged onto the zipper.

[Darlene Epp]

This picture shows the quilt top attached. Normally I would stitch a straight guide line with the channel lock and line up the top of the quilt to that, but this is just a Compu-Quilter practice piece that I'm having fun with, so I skipped that step.

Did I mention that I'm having loads of fun with my CQ??!!

[Darlene Epp]

Old habits die hard! I just looked at the picture and I didn't skip that step. Good for ME!! LOL

Darlene

[Myrna Ficken]

Now that I see hapw pretty the stitch line is supposed to look I do have to take mine off and redo them. I stitched them on at a show when I set up the table and they look a mess.

Darlene, I too wonder how I ever did without them

Myrna

[Ursapoo]

Darlene: Your explaination of sewing the zippers on was so timely!! I received zippers for Christmas and just installed them. I used the directions that came with them, but your added help made it so much easier. I used the extended table and zipped them together which made the sewing so much easier. Thanks.

Barbara:

[Grammie]

Thanks Myrna and Darlene,

I don't know what I would do without you!!

I can hardly wait to get my zippers on. Hopefully Monday. Thanks for the tips Darlene. Makes sense to me. I am very excited to see how they work. PS. Darlene the CD was most helpful.

With nothing loaded I was looking closely at my leaders today and they do not all line up. I will be double checking my centers so to load zippers correctly. Should each of the leaders be equal from end to end? Just want to make sure I have an EXACT CENTER on each Leader. Once I get them neatly hemed and Zippers on my DH will careful mark out a ruler rather buy the Zero tape.

[Circle Square]

I have devised another method for clamping the sides of the quilt. I'm going to try to post a photo. I first pin the edge of the quilt top to the back. Then a few inches away from that, I pin on the canvas side leaders I designed. Then I attach the clamps to the edges of those. This prevents the machine from bumping into the clamps, it secures the quilt edges better, and it isn't in my way like the curtain rods. The only draw-back is: I have to un-pin it when I am ready to advance the quilt. But I find this is a small price to pay for the extra stability and convenience.

The canvas side leaders are made from 18" x 10" pieces of canvas. I sewed a rod pocket in one long side and slid a half a yard stick inside. That is where I attach the clamps. If this seems as clear as mud, I will be happy to try to clarify.

-Ann

[klwheeler]

Have to load a customer's quilt on my Millie and usually float the top, but this quilt back is the same size as the top.

I think I will have an issue with keeping it exactly square, and not run out of backing at the end.

How would you pin it or baste it, and clamp it so it can use the back and top? She has pins all the way around the perimeter of the back and top to hold them together?

I am adding the batting once it is on the frame.

I've had some charity guild quilts that had very little extra on the back, so I worked around it.

I just made the side leaders and it took only a few minutes, but I had the 10 x 18" muslin cut already and a spare yardstick to cut in half. Wow, can't wait to try them.