RoseCity Quilter Posted February 21, 2010 Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 I unloaded a quilt today, that had a small pleat on the back under the SID of a inner border. I check back with every advance just before I start stitching. All looked fine. Any advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted February 21, 2010 Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 Ardelle, It happens so don't beat yourself up too much! What I have done that seems to make a difference for me most of the time is that I always try to load selvage to selvage on the leaders. This will save the fabric from stretching. Another thing I do is to roll my backer all the way onto the take-up bar and then back onto the backer bar, keeping it very tight as I do that. As I advanc I give a good tug on each side of the backer to make sure there are no pleates waiting to happen. I also try to keep my sandwich a little tighter until I have the SID work done. You'll be able to tell really quick if you have the sandwich too tight! I hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseCity Quilter Posted February 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 Heidi thanks for the responce, but that is how I have been doing it, except keeping sandwich tight while SID. I didn't take it out as the work I did on either side of it was up tight to the SID where the pleat was. Didn't know how to fix it. Should I have taken it out? It is a customer quilt. It is a tiny pleat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zora Posted February 21, 2010 Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 This just happened to me on a wall hanging I did for a friend. As nearly as I can tell, it occurred with SID, when I was stitching completely around a square, or stitching along a border where the SID I was doing was intersecting with SID already done. I don't know what caused it on this particular backing when I have not had it happen before. The backing was the 108" wide stuff, a remnant my friend had bought, and seemed a little softer and more stretchy than regular quilt fabric. I was also using a very lightweight poly batting, which I don't usually use. I have another wall hanging to do with the same backing, and I plan to starch the heck out of it before I load it. I don't think loading with selvages along the roller helped, as the pleats formed when I was stitching across the width of the fabric, which is the stretchy way. I really think it had something to do with the quality of the fabric. Lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted February 21, 2010 Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 Ardelle, Are you pinning unquilted areas as you advance and then go back to them? Not pinning unquilted areas and going back will cause pleates too. What kind of side clamps do you have? I have the grip light clamps and they are about 6" wide. I have 2 sets on each side. This keeps the backer pulled out well. I would probably not unstitch a quilt that had a small pleat unless it really showes a lot. Most of the time when you wash it it kind of disappears. Oh another thing you can do if you notice a pleat might develop. Push on the quilt sandwich to the left of the needle. This will pull the fabric on the back more taunt. Sue Patton uses a soup can to add a weight and says that works great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseCity Quilter Posted February 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2010 Heidi, Thanks again for your advice. I'm not quilt following what you mean by pinning unquilted areas. Could you try and explain that to me again. Sorry for my confusion. I also have grip light clamps, but only one on each side, I also use one that the machine came with so that there is 2 clamps on each side, even if they are different. I really like the grip light and should order 2 more. I suppose that could be part of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted February 22, 2010 Report Share Posted February 22, 2010 Ardelle, I think the grip light clamps are just awesome and I love that they hold a good portion of the backer and not just a little spot. That help avoid getting side pleats. OK on the pinning. Lets say you are doing the SID work first (that would be the proper order) and it requires you to advance forward. Before you advance put in pins in the unquilted area about every 6 - 8". That will hold the sandwich the way you want it and the fabric won't shift as it rolls around the take-up bar. I find that it is always the closest area to the close-up bar that shifts the most and it is so annoying! Now I pin it and I don't get that problem. I like the flat head pins for pinning. Quick and simple. Oh on a a save the hand from blood thought - pin down/up and then down into the top again so that the point of the pin in under the topper. Saves a lot of bandaids! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted February 22, 2010 Report Share Posted February 22, 2010 Very good advice. Ardelle, I'm glad you brought this up. I just finished my son's wedding quilt and while folding it to take it to the binder lady...there was a tiny pleat in the back. Only in one spot How irritating! I never have them in customer quilts, thankfully...just mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgene Posted February 22, 2010 Report Share Posted February 22, 2010 I have seen advice on DVDs and from training classes to not clamp your backing while securing down the edges of the quilt top. But if I don't I often get pleats. So if you're securing your quilt without the clamps on, that might be the cause. I always use my clamps now, no matter what kind of stitching I'm doing, unless I'm sewing in the middle and everything is secured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted February 22, 2010 Report Share Posted February 22, 2010 I don't put the clamps on until I've basted the edges, then I put them on and triple check to make sure I don't have any problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgene Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 Yep, there is more than one way to skin a cat, as the saying goes. It's really amazing how many different ways there are to handle a quilt, and yet I see beautiful work form everyone. So, whatever works is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseCity Quilter Posted February 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 Good advice Heidi and Georgene. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melora Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 This is my biggest pet peeve and I have worked hard not to get pleats. My ultimate solution is to never float the back. I keep the back tight. I also keep my sides pulled tight. The Moxies taught me how to make a leader for the sides that I pin on and my clamps then pull evenly. I have not had a pleat since doing this,except the one time I decided it had been long enough I could float. Not a good decision. pulling the sides and back tigh is crucial Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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