loading and advancing quilts

[donnavans]

It seems that each quilt I work on, I have the same issue. My quilts are tighter on the left side than on the right side. I wonder if I am forgetting something when I advance the quilts. I have to work to keep the rows of the quilt even.

[Bonnie]

Usually if this happen to either the top or bottom, they aren't square. Doesn't mean you can't load, but means you have to take care in how you load so you don't wind up with a wonker quilt than usual. Also have you tried to advance the top and bottom, no batting, totally to the take up roller and then bring it back to the beginning position...sometimes if you roll the backer back and forth a couple of times it straightens it out....and also with the top. But if the top is wonky to begin with it may not work the kinks out.

[Quilting Heidi]

Are your leaders square?

[witha'K'quilting]

I wonder if your leaders need to be realigned. Maybe pin the take up leader to the quilt backing leader and advance them and see if you can't get them realigned.

Try this post for squaring leaders. http://apqs.com/quiltboard/viewthread.php?tid=17410

[Hollyrw]

That used to happen to me all the time, tighter on the left than the right. It still does sometimes and I've never figured it out. The bars are parallel and I've checked the leaders for square. Since I do mostly custom work from the front anyway, it hasn't been a big problem.

[donnavans]

Thanks so much. When I get this quilt off, I will definitely check on the leaders. Will get back to you. Thanks again for all of the input.

[juliagraves]

Make sure you stand in the middle of the bar and use equal strength in each arm to roll the fabric on. Look for guides, like a sashing line in the top, or a seam line in the backing, to make sure that you are rolling it on evenly.

You can make minor adjustments by twisting the fabric tighter or looser in the various spots to get it even.

Julia