QuilterMomma Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 I have a quilt, actually two pieces of fabric one has a border around it that measures 120 x 135. I have a 10 foot table so I am totally challenged on this one. I can turn it so to do the 120" side and will quilt the 135" down. But, she has made the top and bottom exactly the same and does not want to loose any of the size. Yes, I informed her it would not be that exact because of streatch and such. I really need to get her to understand that I need that extra space to hang onto the quilt. But anyways, do you have any suggestions about the best way to handle this size? If were my old Nolting, I could do it but with the Gammill, I have not done one this large before and to be so precise. How would I pin it? Do I float it? Floating would allow the top not to be stretched but with a panto, will that work? I am using Golden Threads Feather Plume on it. Should I change the panto to Linda Taylor's easy feathers with less quilting on it? It will be a comforter so using a 6-9 oz poly, not sure which one yet depending on how it loads. Any suggestions is helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 Yikes! Your frame is 10'--how wide are your leaders? I have a 12' frame and won't take a 120" backer, much less a 120" top. My leaders are 120" and the widest backer I'll accept is 118". The top needs to be smaller, of course. I'm not telling you to turn away business, but you will need to decide if you can get a good result. Better to be honest and send her somewhere else than have a finished product that isn't up to standards because it was too big to load. Educating your customers is hard--new quilters and decorators don't understand the process--and usually don't care. So YOU must tell them what you will accept because you're the one with the knowledge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 Linda gives good advice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 I've done a few that size but I have a 14 ft frame and I can't imagine doing it on a 10ft one. Like Linda says you're leaders might not be wide enough. I've never measured over how much space you have if you put your machine all the way to the right or left. As for precision that is going to be near impossible. Your backer and top will adjust as you roll unless you sandwiched it and then loaded it but that presents a whole other set of problems. I'd take an Advil before I started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuilterMomma Posted December 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 That is what I am thinking. I am going to have to tell her no or rent the one at Heartbeat Quilting and charge her the rental fee. The quilting is not the hard part, it is the lining it up and the space. Unless she wants to have someone else do it. It was pushing me anyway being so close to Christmas. I am going to double check the width on my machine and see if there is someway but Linda is probably right. If I do get it to work, Also, is there a way to fold over one side, quilt up to that amount, do next row, then detach at end, move it over to do the folded edge, repin and line up panto to work to finish that edge? Never done it but thinking of ways to get it done. We must only do this for our friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 Never done it but thinking of ways to get it done. We must only do this for our friends. you would be a better friend than me. I'd disassemble the quilt into 2 parts, quilt it and then let her put it together like a quilt as you go kind of project. Probably better to find a bigger machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busy Quilting Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 I have a 12 foot frame and will only put on backings that are 125" or less. Tops need to be less than 120" or the handles of the machine runs into the ends of the table. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heirloom Quilter Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 I had a 10 foot table on my Liberty before I upgraded to a 12 foot table and the 10 foot table only had 98" leaders. I don't see how you can put a 125" quilt on 98" worth of leaders. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Bigger machine is the only option, My current frame is 14 feet, I traded my original 12 feet frame for the same reason. DH wants our bed quilt 120 x 120. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 I have an 11 foot frame for my Liberty. The very max I can do is a backing of 110" and a top of 104". That does not give me any extra space at all. My machine has to rest on top of the fabric. Loading is a real PITA. When stopping for a while I put a piece of plastic, covered with a paper towel (or anything else that will absorb any oil that could leak) under my needle bar area to be extra careful. I am getting asked for larger and larger quilts. Unfortunately, I do not have the space for a larger frame, so I have had to refer customers to those with the longer frames. I can't imagine you doing a larger quilt on a smaller frame. The numbers just don't add up for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enchanted Quilting Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 I agree with the rest of the forum members...your table is not going to make it for this quilt. Even if you did a pin and repin, it would be like winning the lottery to get the panto lined up again. The other challenge you have is the lack of additional size for the backer. Good luck to you and your friend with this quilting adventure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuilterMomma Posted December 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Ok, last night I laid out the back on the table and it just fits with maybe a couple of inches left open. The machine just barely hits the end. If I do this I will have to be very accurate so that the design lines up, but I think I can do it. I know there is panto creepage on the ends a bit so that will give some fun, will have to make up a strap on the end to hold quilt in place. Saw that on The Quilt Show for an idea using a piece of canvas sewn to the end of a velcro strip. I think I will let her know that she may loose an inch on each side. If that does not work for her, then she will need to find someone else because I can't do it then. It will be interesting also to see if that much bulk rolled up under the longarm will give me enough space to be able to quilt my 17" panto design by the time I get to the end. I have not done one that long, yes, long as 120" but not 135". I have a Gammill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuilterMomma Posted December 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Thanks ladies for your help. Sometimes we need to check into reality of what we are actually capable of doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniemueller Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Do both you and your customer a favor.....refer her to someone who has a bigger table. Who needs a headache like that so close to the holidays? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamu Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 I think you are really taking a chance here in trying to do this quilt on a 10' frame. I would rent the machine and do it on a larger frame, much less hassle and you will like the out come better. You might start out okay, but as you advance the quilt you are going to run into alot of problems. Avoid the heart ache and head ache... rent the larger frame machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuilterMomma Posted December 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 You are all such dears. I have phoned her and talked about the situation. She of course is disappointed. But it came to me, what would happen, since she has a six inch border around the outer edge and it the base of the fabric lies in the middle fitting in the reaches of my machine, you do the panto on the inside then do the outer border individually by repinning? Has anyone done that before? I know I have done it on smaller quilts doing a leaf panto in center of quilt then doing the border totally seperate design. Does this sound doable? She is aware it will be coming back if I cannot find anyway to get it done. Told her she could go rent the machine at Heartbeat Quilting and do it herself then for the charge of me doing it with possible bad results. Then if she is not worried about the actual design on the quilt, there is the gal who bought my old nolting with 12' frame and she could do it but would not have the full design options because of the small throat plate on that machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamu Posted December 8, 2012 Report Share Posted December 8, 2012 With a 6 inch border on both sides...you might be able to fold that up and out of the way and do a panto on the inside then do the borders separate by taking off the frame and turning it.... BUT... then you still have the length (135"?) to contend with....So, I would have to say that this is not a good choice. Why doesn't she rent the machine, meet you there and you can quilt it for her? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted December 8, 2012 Report Share Posted December 8, 2012 If you folded back those borders you could probably do it but it would be tough and I'd worry about dealing with the extra bulk on the outside edges rolled back out of the way and then getting them all to lay smoothly. I think this would be more fussing than I'd be willing to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuilterMomma Posted December 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2012 Took your suggestions and gave the quilt back. Felt bad, but it sure did lift a burden off me and attempting to do something that my machine is not fully capable of. She said she would find someone else to do it for her. I hope so this close to Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamu Posted December 14, 2012 Report Share Posted December 14, 2012 You made a good sound judgement call here. I'm sure you feel better about it and now she can get her quilt done by someone with a larger frame and be happy with the results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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