Mary Beth Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 I have decided to post pictures of my canvas' to show the problem I am having and find out what to do about it. My centers cannot possible be "centers" as you can see from the pictures. My back roller is 2 1/4" off on one end and 1 1/16" off on the other end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted July 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 this is a picture of my other 2 rollers.... they are from 1" to 1 1/4" off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted July 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 Sorry I can't figure out how to post more than one pic to a post. Anyway, I have tried stretching, tugging, everything. Should I moisten them and try to tug? Do I need new canvas?? Help!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 Mary Beth, mine are the same way. They are all off from 1 1/2 to 2 inches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted July 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 Is that normal to you think?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted July 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 let me try that again... Is that normal do you think?? How can our centers be centered? What is the point in marking centers if the canvas is going to be so off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debberdo Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 Mary Beth...very good point! I asked that myself to my distributor and just got a funny look. You may want to RE measure your center and see if it still is... When I do small quilts, I pin on one side and toss it over and let the quilt top hang and pin when the top is straight and not pulling off to one side. Good luck with that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crafty Unicorn Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 My canvas leaders are doing the same thing, but my center marks still line-up with each other. I do use the zipper system. (best money I have spent, since my machine) I would think that as long as the center points on the quilt top are perpendicular to the rollers, it really doesn't matter if the quilt is in the middle of the machine, as long as it is square to the machine... Does that make sense? Leslie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted July 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 okay, that sound right, if the center marks line up then it is still center. I guess I am wondering where the extra canvas went. If the canvas is not as long as it was in the beginning, yet my center marks are still center - then somewhere between the center and the end something is missing. Does that sound right? So lets say you are pinning your top in and you have measured and it is 60" wide. You mark the center, pin to the "0" mark on your canvas and then you pin at the 30" mark for the edge - but that may not be the 30" mark - right? I'm really not trying to be particular, but this seems very important. My next purchase will be zippers - but how do I know my markings are correct before I stitch them onto my canvas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debberdo Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 The canvas IS shrinking from side to side because it is getting pulled across, but it is only getting pulled from one side, the other remaining on the roller is set. It's physics...I would measure that 30" with a non-stretchy tape...let us know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted July 20, 2006 Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 If you get the current issue of Unlimited Possibilities Magazine, there is an article in there about straightening and centering your leaders. It is by Renae Haddadin. Here's the link to the magazine's website: http://www.upquiltmag.com/ Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted July 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2006 I just received my magazine yesterday, I have only read most of it already;) I brought it to read at lunch, I will read that article and see if it helps. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calicoquilter Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Mary Beth, I also use the zipper system and one of the perks with that is that you can zip your canvases together and it helps straighten and realign them. You might want to look into it. It is a relatively small investment and the benefits are many. Colleen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grammie Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Take a look at Sharron Schambers website. www.sharonschamber.com I like her prepared Leaders. She has hemed the sides Square and used Industrial VELCRO (WIDE) to attach them. They look really nice and the hemed edges will not distort at the pace these too THIN canvas leaders are doing. My backing leader is all wonky and I just received my new one. I don't plan to put it on until I have it squared and hemed. I plan to order new ones for all my leaders once I get set up in my larger space. I may even look at purchasing some Heavier canvas but haven't found any as of yet. Also I'm not too thrilled about DUCK TAPING as suggested when installing the New one. I like something alittle neater. Two wide Industrial Velcro around pole and the canvas isn't going anywhere and can be removed and repositioned if need be. Take a look for yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeri Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Where on Sharon's site are these photos? I must be missing them. I have new leaders sitting in a box, one of these days I will get them on my machine. Thanks jeri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeri Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Mary Beth, Did you take Dawn's beginner class? In the one I took she demonstrated how to straighten a quilt top on the front roller as you roll it on by carfully twisting it with your hands. When mine look like yours I unroll my leaders all the way and roll them up a little at a time using Dawn's straightening/tightening method starting at the center and working towards the edges. Mine are nearly 4 years old it works great. I'm replacing them when I get around to it simply because they are looking rather grubby. It means taking the zippers off so I'm stalling jeri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted July 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Jeri, Yes, I did take Dawn's class. I have unrolled the leaders and had my husband tug and pull on one end while I pulled and tugged on the other end. It helped somewhat, but didn't take long till they were right back where they were. I will try the Dawn Cavanaugh trick and see if it works. I too am going to the zippered system, but I want my canvas to be correct before I go to the trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grammie Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 JERI Go to home page www.sharonschamber.com and click Longarm and then open the PDF on Floating basics. She explains how she has her leaders attached in this PDF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GERRY Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 Reading this forum is the best, I just read Sharon's page on floating, man is she smart. Thanks again folks, I just learned 2 new things I didn't already know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted July 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 I am from the Missouri Ozarks originally so I am a little slow, but I don't understand Sharon's directions. (Gosh I wish there was a smiley face with red cheeks). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeri Posted July 24, 2006 Report Share Posted July 24, 2006 Thanks Grammie, will go take a look, maybe I can find it this time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrylanequilting Posted July 24, 2006 Report Share Posted July 24, 2006 Another way to straighten your leaders when they become a little warped is to zip (or pin) one of the front leaders (top or backing) to the take up roller, put just a little tension on them and let them stay that way overnight (or all day). Then repeat this same process with the other front leader. Dawn's method of doing the "wrist twist" when loading a quilt top and backing also helps keep the quilt straight when loading them; especially when there are seams that do not want to lay very flat. This process will flatten out those bulky seams and help the quilt roll flat and square. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted July 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2006 Janet, Is the back roller the take up roller? That is the roller that my little motor is on that rolls up my quilt;) ? That is the one that is off the most. Are you saying that by pinning the back roller to the front roller - the front roller will pull the canvas on the back roller back over where it needs to be? Thank you for responding, Mary Beth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giftedhands Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 This is exactly what I was asking about on my newer thread. My concern is that the green marks that were on the leaders to begin with are not centered with each other. The leaders were "wonky" when the machine was delivered. So am I to understand that I need to pin my loading leader to my take up leader, stretch them and then let them stay overnight? Cynthia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Thiesssen Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 When you first set up your machine you'll need to check that your centres line up. I've always taken centres not to mean specifially the mid-point on all the leaders, but just a point that is perpendicular to the take-up leader (the one with the motor attached to it) that lines up with all the other markings on the other leaders. You'll need to re-check your centres periodically, especially if you leave quilts with a little tension on them overnight. Or do maintenance that requires removing your machine head (and therefore the take-up roller) Many people will release any tension from the quilt when leaving it overnight in order to avoid the kind of leader distortion that the above photos are of. To me, the bottom line is - fabric is not a solid thing. As long as we're using fabric leaders, they're going to move and shift , we just have to re-square every so often. Both Renae's and Sharon's methods are awesome. Sometimes a quick fix is just to zip the leaders to each other and roll them back and forth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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