LadyLake Posted September 17, 2011 Report Share Posted September 17, 2011 I learned recently that some quilters remove the top roller bar (that you pin the bottom edge of the top to), so I thought that I'd try it. Only problem is, now there is no place for the manual brake to attach to (besides the belly bar). Any ideas on how to still have a brake, with the top roller gone? TIA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted September 17, 2011 Report Share Posted September 17, 2011 Joan, You can get a brake bar from APQS I believe. You also could get some PVC and rig it that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmilner Posted September 17, 2011 Report Share Posted September 17, 2011 Great question!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Brown Posted September 17, 2011 Report Share Posted September 17, 2011 I purchased a break bar, which is a short version of the pole and used that.... only problem was .... when I wanted to use the QZ I didn't have the top bar to attach it on. So I put the top bar back on raised it so the baseplate could slide under it and quilt just as far to the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newellyn Posted September 17, 2011 Report Share Posted September 17, 2011 Here is pic of the "Little Adapter" I got when I removed my top bar. If you go through the search section and enter Little Adapter, I think a previous discussion will come up with details. Very reasonable and works really well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted September 17, 2011 Report Share Posted September 17, 2011 How do you like having the belly bar off? Any big benefits? I lean on mine sometimes but really have no need for it. My elbows may miss it though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busy Quilting Posted September 17, 2011 Report Share Posted September 17, 2011 I took my bar off for over two years and loved it. I put it back on to use the Upfront CL, but I know I prefer it off. Better vision, more room to pin baste at the bottom, and I haven't used the upfront anyway....... But I am using it more to line up the sides of the quilt, easier than the T-square method I used without it. Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyLake Posted September 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 Thank you for all of this information and photo. I had no idea that all this was going on out there (ya learn somethin new ever day here...). Anyway, I do have a Quiltazoid, so unfortunately it is not going to work to take off the bar. Oh well. Lyn, how do you line up the sides using your top bar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busy Quilting Posted September 18, 2011 Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 I have the quilt clips From Dave-Jane (Thanks Grasshopper) And I place them on the top roller. I have the pink measuring tape with the sliders on my leveller bar. So I mark outer edges, first borders etc on the leveller with the pink tabs and the top roller with the clips. Then just eyeball a straight edge between the two. The trick is -- one of your eyes is usually the predominant one. You can work out which by closing one, and eyeballing. One will have the edge level, the other eye will play tricks and the edge will move!!!! So use the eye that doesn't move the line! Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyLake Posted September 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 Thanks, Lyn! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 So how do you line up your quilts without the top bar and clips? I would like the top bar removed, but I do use it with the clips to keep the quilt top going straight. How would I mark these points without the top bar? Does anyone have another method when they have the top bar removed? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newellyn Posted September 21, 2011 Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 I use a tape from Colonial I'm not sure of the correct name. It is pink, has velcro on the ends to attach to the end bars and had little pink sliders that I place in the center and at strategic areas like major border seams and the outside edge. It also defines my quilting area so I don't run into the front bar since the top bar is not there to remind me. Another advantage I see in the top bar being removed is I can see most of the quilt top. I seldom mark a quilt and usually design the quilting as I go along so being able to see the whole picture helps with the inspiration. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted September 21, 2011 Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 Thanks so much Linda, that is just what I am looking for, it sounds just want I need so I can take that top bar off. I will check out colonial and see if it's available. After finding that floating is more successful to me than rolling on the top bar, this is great news..... (Now found it at Kingsmen quilting. Thanks again Linda.....) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandmaLKB Posted September 21, 2011 Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 I ALMOST took off the top bar, but then realized I needed it to use my QZ ! So, it stays on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilted charm Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 How hard is it to remove the top bar? I just hate that it gets in the way of the hartley extender base, and really reduces my quilting area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busy Quilting Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Leslie, if you are not using your top roller bar why not raise it up so it is out of the way of the extended base. If not, it is fairly easy to take off as long as the bolts on either end are not man tight. Remove the right hand side wheel, then undo the black bolt on left hand side, the collar will come off too. Move the whole bar to the right to get it out of the left hand side. SIt it on the top of the LHS and then move it to left to get it out of the RHS. You will need to have some form of short break bar to put in the front brake. Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilted charm Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Thanks Lyn. I'm not very mechanically minded, but I'll give this a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borderline Quilter Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Originally posted by Busy Quilting .... if you are not using your top roller bar why not raise it up so it is out of the way of the extended base. Lyn Duh...takes someone with a brain cell or two...Thanks Lyn! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klwheeler Posted May 4, 2013 Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 I would love to use the top roller bar as the batting bar on the bottom of my machine. I don't mind ordering a batting bar from APQS either. Does anyone have a good picture of how that is done? I am really thinking the batting bar is what I want as I always float the tops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathyh Posted May 4, 2013 Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 Duh...takes someone with a brain cell or two...Thanks Lyn! Ditto, here, definitely a lightbulb moment! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted May 4, 2013 Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 You can order a short brake bar from APQS. It's called the "Texas Hold' Em", designed by one of our Texas APQS dealers several years ago. I use it on both my machines, and my last 2 machine sales have also decided to go this route. One of my customers had her fella rig up something to use the top bar as a batting bar. I'll try to have her send me some pictures. I love being able to see the whole quilt while I'm working on it, and also like that I can keep seam lines straight with the Harbor Freight 18" magnets. Then I can deal with extra fullness right where it originates instead of having it all pile up at the bottom. I also like that I have a flat surface to work on for the dreaded "frog stitching". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.