ramona-quilter Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 I poke myself so much when loading a quilt on a machine, I just dread it. I think it is a combination of not being able to see everythig without flipping it over and then twisting like a pretzel to get the pin in the right way. So I thought about zippers. But I don't know exactly what a set of zippers consists of. If a normal zipper has an A and a B side so it zips together then would a set of zipper be an A and B for the just one roller? Or do you just buy two sets and sew an A on the front backing roller and an A on the takeup roller and then pin the two Bs to the top and bottom of the quilt? Do you find that you get 'stuck' less with zippers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jhend Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 I love my zippers for that same reason...I kept getting stuck. If you buy a zipper set, it's the complete package. One side for all the rollers that you permanetly attach and the other side to pin to your backing and top. I use safety pins to attach to the backing and top, but others sew them with their DSM. I'd say go for it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Hi Linda, When you get a Machine set of zippers. You will get Three sets of zippers. One for each leader. One half gets stitched to the canvas leader the other half gets gets the quilt top and the backing pinned to it. I would not want to be without my zippers. They are such a time saver to me. The quilt sets are for pinning on quilts ahead of time or if you should need to take a quilt off to pin another one on. These set are only half a set of zipper as you have the other half attached to you leaders. I carry the Quick Zip Sets. They come with very good instruction to put them onto you leaders PS: I have free shipping on the until Jan 21. Myrna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieBrewer Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 Linda in Ramona-I am VERY new to longarming (working on second project) and put the zippers on before the first quilt. Good thing since I forgot to quilt the center of one of the dresden circles. They were extremely simple to install and I really like them. the instructions were terrific and I took my time doing the work.-Marie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted January 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 Marie, It's so good to hear an opinion from a fellow rookie. I just ordered a machine set of zippers from Myrna at www.aquilterschoice.com. She explained the setup to me and it finally sunk in. I can't wait to get these things and retire my band-aid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 All right Marie! A woman after my own heart. :cool: That's the very first thing I sewed on my longarm too -- no way, no how, was I gonna stand there and pin. I hate pins. I have a wonderful chain stitch machine that I use to sew my quilts on to the zippers. When I'm done, one pull and off they come. Ya gotta love it. Linda Linda - do get the zippers. The Quick Zip system by Sue Schmieden is the cat's pajamas. Step by step instructions that help you get them on perfectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfjett Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 Another new quilter here. I learned using the zipper system and my first comment was I couldn't imagine standing at the machine to pin the top and backing on and I COULD imagine all the blood I would leave! If you simply look at efficiency (read spending less time to make $$), zippers are the way to go. Once installed on the leaders, you can baste them to the top and backing on your home sewing machine (sitting down is nice, too) and then walk over to the longarm, zip everything on and get on with the business of making money!!! Deborah Jett McVay Maidencreek Quilts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnuGram Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 I love my zippers now, but it took me over a year to put them on and only after a friend kept extolling their virtues. Now I love them and keep an extra set on a large sandwich of muslin so I can zip it onto the machine for some quick practice work. I used to pin quilts to the zippers but then I still had the issue of pins poking me, so the quilt I am working on now (which I have taken on and off several times) is basted on with my DSM and that is the way I will do it from now on! Sara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltaholi_518 Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 I LOVE ZIPPERS!!!!!! I can sit at night while watching TV and pin a couple of quilts (I have 3 sets now) and then during the day I can just GGGOOOOOOO!!! They are also wonderful for helping straighten out a wavy quilt. I measure through the center of the quilt (like I was adding another border) then I measure out from the center of the zipper half that measurement and ease the quilt into that area. VOILA! Square quilt! I LOVE ZIPPERS! PS. If you have the last pin point in, instead of out, you get poked a lot less! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susanri Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 I understand you put the zipper on your take up bar for the quilt back do you do the same for the bar that holds the backing?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ritathequilter Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 Since I'm still waiting for my machine, I guess this would be a good time for me to get some zippers...I can't sew themon til the machine gets here tho. :>) Can someone post a picture of their set up, with a good shot of their zippers? Thx Rita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssissenwein Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Question about the zippers vs. pins: When I took the beginning class from Dawn she showed us how to "fix" minor top out of square issues while pinning by matching the quilt top edges to the average quilt top dimensions on the leaders (which we marked). (That is possibly as clear as mud but I hope some of you know what I mean) Can you do any of this type of adjusting when you are using zippers? Sara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Sara, You can do the same kind of adjustments with zippers. Just do the same as if they aren't there. Rita, You are so excited. Congratulation. I read your other post. Are you sleeping at all? You need to book classes. You have the Start-up/ beginners class coming from buying your machine. Do you have someone close to you? Myrna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ritathequilter Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 HI Myrna, APQS told me that they wre booking a course with Darlene Epp in March for me...Mar 23 -25th. I am so excited...you've just no idea! I've been looking at the APQS machine since I went to Houston in '95. I almost bought a 13 year old machine a couple weeks ago, and DH talked me out of it. He said I'd be inheriting 13 years of wear and tear and that I'd never be happy because it didn't have any of the features I wanted. So I order the Milli!! It just can't get here fast enough for me. :>) 4 or 5 more sleeps! Rita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted January 20, 2006 Report Share Posted January 20, 2006 Rita, I think I have a pretty good idea of how you feel. You will be so happy with your machine. You will get a veido of how too's, a couple of pantos, a thread package. needles, bobbins. Everything you need to get started except batting and fabric. Darlene is a great lady and a wonderful educator. Have fun keep asking questions, It will help you and others. Myrna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted January 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 I guess I was punchy last night - I thought I posted this already but did not see it today. So the "Explain zippers" saga continues... Last Wednesday after work, I called Myrna and spoke to her about zippers. I just didn't get the concept. She explained the process and I ordered a machine set of QuickZip zippers. They were waiting for me when I got home from work Friday. Myrna is so speedy, I just love it. I couldn't install zippers because I had a kingsize bedspread on the machine. So Saturday morning, I'm about half way thru a 12" border and notice a major wrinkle on the back between the first and second border. I was so bummed. It was so much rip-out, I took the quilt off the machine, getting several pin sticks in the process (what else is new). So I decided to install the zippers before putting the quilt back on the machine. My husband helped me install the zippers. The install instructions are clear, even has pictures. The zippers are labelled . It was easy and took us 1.5 hrs. I basted the quilt side of the zipper to the kingsize bedspread and "zipped" the quilt back on. And when I was done, it zipped off. I love zippers. I'm going to order several quilt sets. I appreciate all the opinions and advice I got from everybody. No more pins - woo hoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LA Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 Yes, pictures are worth a thousand words Linda! I posted this link in another post, but for those that missed it here it is~ http://community.webshots.com/album/546642825jbQNUg Once you have them, you wonder how you ever got along with out'em! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 Hot Dog Linda... you go woman Once you have "em" you can't live without "em" Just let me know when you want more sets. Myrna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbWetzel Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 OK... Thanks Linda for posting some pictures. Do the Zippers come with some direction? I am really interested but need to know just a little bit more. Barb Wetzel Ivy Corner Quilting Altoona, Iowa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LA Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 Yes, they do Barb! You just can't go wrong with the step by step instructions & pictures! You can do it! I carry all sizes of zippers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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