hockeymom444 Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Hi everyone! My Lucey was just delivered last week and so far I have loaded two practice quilts. I have a question about loading and would appreciate ANY and all comments and suggestions! Here's my question: What have you found to be the EASIEST and FASTEST way to load SMALL quilts onto your longarm? I'm not talking about anything larger than a twin. I'm talking about wall hangings up to maybe a lap size quilt. Please include any and all "gadgets" that you have tried too. I need ALL the help I can get!!!!! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 hi chris - i haven't invested in any gadgets for loading quilts. instead, i pin the back to the rollers, and full float float the tops. i do this on all my quilts, only i partial large queens and up. i use linda rech's instructions for loading the back without marking. i'll try to find it for you. saves a TON of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda G. Craig Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 I may be a little predictable in my loading of quilts, but I do load the small quilts exactly as I load the large quilts. I prefer the traditional pinning of my quilt backs and tops, I like to have everything lined up just so, with the right amount of tension on the quilt, so my stitches are as pretty every time. I'm sure there are others who will give you some great ideas, but this is what I prefer. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 hi chris - i found it and brought it up to the top for you. it's called loading a backer without squaring it up first. it's originally posted by linda..."ffq-lar" thanks again, linda! i'm telling you, its genius! good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o2b Quilting Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 I full float the smaller quilts but either pin or use pvc clamps (by Dave Jones aka Grasshopper on this forum) to hold some tension on the bottom of the quilt top. The clamps are put on the quilt backing roller and hold the batting and top to the backing roller so it doesn't "draw up" while stitching. Saves a good deal of time. You simply remove the few pins or the clamps each time you advance and then put them back in place and quilt away. Easy Peasy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 I use my zippers for everything. They were the first thing (literally) that I sewed on my long arm, and they have served me well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie Quilter Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Hi Chris, Like Linda Craig, I load all of my quilts in the same way, regardless of size. I do a full float and use Leader Grips on the backer instead of pinning - it's a lot faster for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 I float all of mine too, just load the backing the same as you would any other quilt and if you have several small ones it saves time if you can use the same backing and just put them in line side by side on one large backer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busy Quilting Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 i load the straightest edge (usually the selvedge) onto the backing roller with my red snappers. with the fabric draped across the front roller, roll all of the backing fabric onto the backing roller. spritzing with a spray of water to get out creases. once you are almost at the end you can see if the front edge is straight. attach the bottom edge to the front roller. i mark where the skinniest part of the sides are as i roll it all back into the front roller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiltsinmotion Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 I load small quilts the same as large , it will get faster for you no matter which way you choose to load them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilt Happy Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Meg, how did you find that post by Linda? I would like to read it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilt Happy Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 figured it out. I will get used to computers some day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie in Ok Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 I haven't figured out how to find the post by Linda, can someone tell me how they did it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCramer Posted October 13, 2012 Report Share Posted October 13, 2012 I found Linda's post about "backers", how do I save it? learning gets harder the older ya get. thanks for any help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheri Butler Posted October 13, 2012 Report Share Posted October 13, 2012 I used to float all my tops.. Then I went to the zipper system. I can sit ANYWHERE and pin my tops to the zippers, zip em on and GO! I dont have to stand at my machine to do so. LOVE those zippers! I have another set of zippers, where i've sewn on additional take up fabric to them, and have inserted Ranea Haddadin's red snappers into them. I like doing those when I have baby quilts to put on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted October 13, 2012 Report Share Posted October 13, 2012 i bumped again for you guys.... don't know how to save to favorites.. hoping someone chimes in to 'splain how to us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 I use my red snappers for all quilts. Love them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie in Ok Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 so what happens when you bump something and I can't find out where the bump is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 hi bonnie & everybody - the thread from linda about loading without squaring up is in the forum 'quilting how to's' if it's not the first one, its very near the top as i have bumped it. hope you can find it - it's worth the trouble. not sure if this will work, but i will copy the link and we'll see.... http://forum.apqs.co...-it-first-long/ well, it's not blue so it probably won't link but that is the address. i just tried copy and pasting it into my internet address thingy and it worked. good luck! and thanks again, linda! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 HI everyone, This thread has a few "how do I" questions embedded into it. Here are answers to a couple: If you want to "save" a thread, you'll want to click on the button "follow this topic" at the top of the screen. You'll find those topics on your dashboard. Your dashboard appears when you click on the arrow next to your login name at the top of the screen. To actually create a "link" to another thread or anything else, first find the URL to the link, and then "copy" the entire link using the copy function or by highlighting the entire URL and then pressing "Control-C" which is a keyboard shortcut to copy something. For example, if I wanted to share the link to our timing video with you, I'd first go to the timing video itself (I usually do this by opening up another tab or page in my browser so that I can see the Forum on one tab, and the other page in another tab.) Then I'd use my mouse to highlight the URL at the top of the page, making sure I got everything. Next I'd "copy" the URL using either the "copy" command or "control-c"--keyboard shortcut. This copies the URL to your computer's clipboard, where it sits until you "paste" it somewhere, or displace it by copying something else. Next, go to the forum and create your post. Type in the name of the link or other descriptive words into the post. For example, for that link to the video on timing your machine, I would literally type "Video Link to Timing your Machine." (You don't HAVE to do this, but it helps make it clearer to the readers exactly what the link is for and where it will take them.) Now, use your mouse and highlight the descriptive words (in my example, Video Link to Timing Your Machine). With that highlighted, click on the icon in the reply editor that looks like a little link to a chain, with a "+" sign next to it. That will open the hyperlink box. In the empty box that pops up saying URL, paste in the URL for the link you had saved to your clipboard. It will make the words you typed become the link to the other information. Hope that makes sense to someone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queenie123 Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 i load the straightest edge (usually the selvedge) onto the backing roller with my red snappers. with the fabric draped across the front roller, roll all of the backing fabric onto the backing roller. spritzing with a spray of water to get out creases. once you are almost at the end you can see if the front edge is straight. attach the bottom edge to the front roller. i mark where the skinniest part of the sides are as i roll it all back into the front roller. Still getting use to this new thing but Lyn ,I am in loveeeee with your avatar ,sat up almost all night not too long ago reading and learning from your blog and many others here but I just cant stop admiring that quilt ,love your lil buggies ,so cute ,I have had diamonds on my mind since but not good with triangles but I just have to try to make me a quilt just like it ,nothing boring ,it keeps me busy on my dry erase ,love them buggies !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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