Attaching leadergrips question

[MelissaNH]

Hi Everyone,

 

     I have been loading my quilts by pinning to zippers.  Since I'm tired of having bandaids on my hands, I got some leadergrips to try out.  I was thinking of making a casing and sewing it to the zippers so that I didn't have to take the zippers off right away (everything is all marked and centered on the zippers, so figured just go with it).  My question is, should I use canvas material for the casings or would a muslin work?  I can't seem to find canvas long enough without piecing it, so I thought if canvas was the better material, I could order a leader from APQS and cut that up to make casings to attach to the 3 zippers.  LOL, or is that whole idea not good?  I appreciate your advice.  Thanks a bunch, Melissa

[Matt Sparrow]

I think it might be easier to remove the zippers than go through all that trouble. I can't see any reason you would ever use your zippers again. You are going to love how much time they save.

[qltnbe]

Question to Matt. I just bought a new Millie and also bought the leadergrips in Lancaster.  Since the canvas on the machine does not have a pocket, what do you do to attach the leadergrips?  Thanks.

[AHuffman]

Here's what I did when installing Red Snappers (FYI- I just bought LeaderGrips to attached to my new Millie that arrived last week).

 

Pin the canvas leaders together. Measure about 1.25" in from each edge of canvas leaders. Turn on your channel locks and run a line of stitching which you'll use as a reference guide all the way down both leaders (again, about 1. 25" in from edge). Now measure 3/4" in from that line (toward the where you've got them pinned together). Turn on your channel locks and run another straight line of stitching exactly 3/4" in from your first line- you might use a different dark color so you don't get confused. The first line of stitching is the guide you'll use to make the fold. The second line is what you'll use to sew on top of after folding to make the actual 3/4" pocket.

 

Unpin leaders and fold back the leaders along that first straight line of stitching you just made- the one that was about 1.25" from edge. (Make sure the middle of the fold lines up with the first line of stitching.Consider ironing it to give a nice flat crease) Now pin or have a buddy hold the canvas as you go or use the clamps to carefully make a line of stitching on top of the reference line you made that was 3/4" away from original reference line of stitching. It is okay if you are PERFECTLY on that 3/4" line but be close. Put on your extended base if you have it as that will help. 

 

You'll have a bit of extra canvas outside of your casing which you could stitch down if it bothers you. It never bothered me. 

[RunningThreads]

On my old table I had the Red Snappers with zippers. It was nice to be able to baste the top edge and unzip the right edge and double check the tension by turning the edge over. I don't have the zippers on the larger table but I would never go back to pinning again.

Nigel

[cegates]

Angela,

Thanks so much for the detailed instructions!  I just got a set of Red Snappers for my birthday and plan to put them on this weekend.  My poor family had a difficult time understanding that these long red tube-like things would be a really great birthday gift and would make me very happy.

 

Carol

[Oma]

I just did this last week.  I posted why I did it.  I had zippers on and I had attached another piece of leader fabric to one of the zippers and sewed a fold on it so I could use the Red Snappers.  I never once used my zippers after trying the Red Snappers the first time.  After several years I decided to take the zippers off.  Since I had decided to replace my leaders completely because one was crooked, I had way too much fabric on the leaders and all of that along with the zippers took up space on the rollers so sometimes I couldn't quilt an entire block or row because I would be just 1/2 inch short.  It was easier to take off the old ones and cut new leaders to size before I put them on my rollers.  I folded over the edge as Angela said and sewed them with my DM.  Except for the take-up roller.  I didn't take that leader off and replace it because it was straight and on well.  I folded it over and sewed it with my Liberty.  That's why it didn't look as good as the other two.  However, I've decided to live with it.  I used double-sided carpet tape and put the ones I replaced back onto my rollers.  I don't know if I will come to regret that, but they look good and work well right now.   

 

Red Snappers are so much easier than anything else I've ever used (pins, zippers, Leader Grips).  I highly recommend them.

[MelissaNH]

Thanks Everyone!  I knew I'd get the best info here. 

 

Matt... ok, I'll take the zippers off.  LOL, I'm a change resistant person I guess.  Still in the stage where I'm so new, I'm still a little afraid of it.  I loved your video of loading the quilt onto them. 

 

Angela... Thank you for the detailed instructions.  Guess I have a project for this weekend!  Yay.  no more bloody pins!  So excited.

 

Carol...LOL... my family said the same thing when years ago I asked for a dremmel drill press.  "you want a what??" was the reaction I got.  hahaha.

[MelissaNH]

Thanks Oma!   I think I will take the zippers off and use just the leader grips.  I ended up getting the leadergrips at MQX but didn't see any Red Snappers.  Curious, Why are the Red Snappers easier than the Leadergrips?

[Oma]

Here is one thread regarding the differences. http://forum.apqs.com/index.php?/topic/30714-opinions-pleaseleader-grips-vs-red-snappers/

Originally I pinned my quilts onto my leaders like everyone else. I was forever pinning myself and it took so long that my back would give out. And usually, after I was finished pinning one on I would realize I went over a roller instead of under it or some equally stupid thing and would have to re-pin. AARRGGGG!!!

Then I found the Leader Grips. They were better than the pins, but they were hard to work. I'm trying to remember what I didn't like about them, but evidently it was enough that I jumped at the idea of zippers. I think they were difficult to press the fabric on and they had an angle to them that seemed to catch or something. I can't remember.

I wanted to be able to take quilts on and off quickly and easily. Sometimes I wanted to play with a quilt (custom), but needed to get another one done so I wanted to be able to switch them out. The idea is good, but what I discovered was I would have to sew (baste) one side of the zipper to my quilt back top...one zipper to the other end of the quilt (bottom) and also quilt top if I wasn't floating it. This became a pain in the you know what. Also, if I wanted to turn the quilt to do border work I had to repeat the process. And I can't begin to tell you how many times I sewed the quilt on upside done or something and would have to redo it. AARRGGGG!!!!

I saw the Red Snappers and thought why not. They were the cheapest thing I've bought and they work the best. They are fast and easy. I can load a quilt so fast and if I put it on wrong (yup still happens sometimes) I can take it off and redo it in a flash. Turning the quilt is just as easy. If I decide to work on a different quilt I can take one off and put another one on very quickly.

With the other systems I just found that by the time I got my quilt loaded I was exhausted and with the Red Snappers...I am ready to quilt right away. They are very much worth trying to see if they work for you. As with everything else...you will have to find what works best for you.

[Darlene Epp]

Still LOVE my zippers. I just pin the center of the quilt backing on both sides to the center of the marked zippers (while zippers are on the machine). Then unzip, baste the quilt back to the zippers starting from the centers out, on my Pfaff machine with the even feed foot. It's VERY quick and there are SO many things I love about using the zippers that nothing else has even slightly tempted me to switch. I just installed zippers on a customer's machine and she literally threw her Red Snappers out. She loves the zippers and no longer puts off loading a quilt.  All that to say this: "To each his own, and I'm keeping mine!"

[fineseams]

I found it hard to get the hang of using the red snappers - I must have watched Matt's video about 20 times, but I had trouble getting the edge lined up just right.  Also, when new, they are a little stiff so you really work to snap them, which adds to the difficulty of getting the quilt mounted EXACTLY on the straight line you want.  But, over time, I've gotten better at it.  I bought zippers when I bought my first machine, but before I installed them Leader Grips and Red Snappers came out.  So now I have brand new zippers sitting in my cupboard, and red snappers on my machine table.

[RoseCity Quilter]

Love my Leader Grips, would never go back to zippers.....

[klwheeler]

I made my own grips from 3/8" dowels, some 3/8 plastic shrink joints and the 3/8" plastic u-channels for led string lights. It was easy and cost about 40 dollars.

[Matt Sparrow]

Angela, I may try that. I just hold each leader out one at a time with the side clamps. Have someone hold the leader flat beside me. I then fold the leader's edge back 1" and press with my nail then sew as close to the edge as possible (1/8" in). Usually takes less than ten minutes to install on both rollers.

 

As far as the difference between red snappers and leadergrips, I have no preference, I just happened to stumble across leadergrips first. 

 

With over 300 quilters in our rental program there is simply not a more efficient way to load and unload quilts.

 

Darlene is right, everyone needs to decide for themselves.

[LisaC]

I use both my Red Snappers and zippers! When I have a custom quilt that I want to spend time on I load it on my zippers using safety pins. I can take that custom on and off as many times as I want and load a quilt I am going to finish right away in the interim. Best of both worlds for me and no stress about hurrying tp finish the custom.

[Beachside Quilter]

Still LOVE my zippers. I just pin the center of the quilt backing on both sides to the center of the marked zippers (while zippers are on the machine). Then unzip, baste the quilt back to the zippers starting from the centers out, on my Pfaff machine with the even feed foot. It's VERY quick and there are SO many things I love about using the zippers that nothing else has even slightly tempted me to switch. I just installed zippers on a customer's machine and she literally threw her Red Snappers out. She loves the zippers and no longer puts off loading a quilt.  All that to say this: "To each his own, and I'm keeping mine!"

I use zippers and load just like Darlene!  Great minds think alike!!!

[Quilts N Things]

I love my leader grips. Now it only takes a few minutes to load my backing and no blood to worry about getting on the quilt