How do you handle this?

[qltnbe 385]

Still a newbie here.  I have leader grips on my Millie  What do you do when trying to stitch close to the edge when your machine keeps bumping into the leader grips? at the beginning and the end?  Along with bumping into the grips on the sides?   That causes a real problem when you are doing a panto and you keep bumping into it.  It really messes up the stitching.  The gal I bought my machine from said she uses curtain rods to hold up the ends (sheer on type rod).  Just checking to see what else someone might do to prevent this. 

[quiltmomof2 6]

I'm a Newbie also, but I have had a lot of luck with a yard stick under the clamps and across the bars keeping my side clamps from hitting the machine.

[qltnbe 385]

Thanks quiltmomof2.  Does that help with the beginning and the end of the quilt, too?

[b.glass 15]

I use cheap sliding curtain rods and put the clamps over them.  They work great!  Just remember not to lean on them-they bend easily.

[JenniferBernard 376]

I have red snappers n my leaders. I load only the backing into the top and belly leader. Then I center the batting and stitching frm the center out, I use my horizontal lock to stitch the batting to the backing about 1 inch away from the top red snapper. Then I center the top, lining it up with the stitching line on the batting. I pin it every 6 inches perpendicular to the stitch line. Then sew the top 1/8 inch away from the edge from the center out removing the pins as I go.

I bought red snappers for all 3 of my leaders, but I took the one that the top attaches to at the belly bar. I, too, was bumping into it as I finished the bottom edge of the quilt and would take the red snapper off and use pins to finish the last section. I finally decided that I was doing too much work re-pinning so Now I just pin the top to the belly leader. I can now get close to the edge.

I hope this makes sense to you. Sometimes the red snappers are in the wrong spot and just get in the way and it is irritating!

[LisaC 569]

I used yard sticks for a period of time then my husband; a woodworker; made me a set of maple rods shaped like the curtain rods. He bends the end of them; they are beautiful and no metal scraping on my rollers. They work great and never move; I love them!

[shirleyl 240]

The only way to eliminate your top and bottom issue is to make your backing a little longer. You could sew strips of muslin to the top and bottom to give you the room, on the sides the curtain rods for $3 from Walmart is what I use. Since I have put on my red snappers I keep a bolt of cheep muslin and add to backings that aren't long enough, usually a 2" strip is enough extra space. I have one client who gives just about an inch all the way around and they are pieced, I quit wasting my time trying to get her to make them bigger, I just sew muslin strips top and bottom and she'd gets to remove them, I thought after the first time she would get the hint, but nope. I charge her $5 extra. She doesn't care. For her edges I pin a strip to the sides and hook my clamps to it.

Shirley

[Gamache 40]

I do the same as Shirley. I add a 3-4 inch strip of muslin to the top to keep the red snappers from catching on my machine. If the quilt backing is narrow, I add a muslin strip on each side - just baste it on and it rips off easily when I'm finished quilting. This keeps the clamps away from my machine when quilting the very edge.

I serged the edges of the muslin strips, so they are neat and easy to work with.

Chris

[QuiltGuy 250]

I used yard sticks for a period of time then my husband; a woodworker; made me a set of maple rods shaped like the curtain rods. He bends the end of them; they are beautiful and no metal scraping on my rollers. They work great and never move; I love them!

Lisa,

 Do you have pictures of these?

Dave

[SandyK 18]

A while back, I read a poster's tip about using the opposite end of the orange grips and pinning the velcro to the sides of the backing instead of using the orange grips. That way the machine has nothing in the way and slides without bumping into the orange grips. This was perfect when I am doing pantos especially. I even bought the Leader Grips side grips and didn't like them bumping the machine. Now nothing gets in the way when I use just the velcro to pin to. 

[LisaC 569]

Dave, I'll try and post some pictures tomorrow, OK?

[pumpkinpatchquilter 1,269]

I actually made side leaders using Sharon Schamber's video on YouTube...they help keep your tension a bit more even out to the edges too. 

[quiltmonkey 440]

I think I spent $6.00 on to pairs of curtain rods I bought from KMart about 7 years ago. They still work perfectly and serve the purpose!

[Mountainofquilts 0]

I also spent a nominal amount on a pair of curtain rods. Haven't given them a thought since. They work wonderfully and haven't made any scrape marks on the bars at all.

[Busy Quilting 441]

I keep the olde selvedge edges from my own quilt backs and sew  or pin these to  customer quilts to give me the extra length I need in the backing.  My curtain rods do the trick on the side clamps although I got Red edges from my husband for chrsitmas which I will try out tomorrow.

[maggienoella 250]

I'm so glad to see this...I'm going to do something too as this is very annoying. Thanks for the info...

Joan

[The Last Stitch 26]

We bought cheep curtain rods but they bent a little over time so I bought 2 foot long 1"x2" 's at Home Depot and duct taped them to the curtain rods and they work great.

[QuiltGuy 250]

Dave, I'll try and post some pictures tomorrow, OK?

 

That would be super! Thanks!!!

[LisaC 569]

Dave, I was mistaken. My husband made my set out of quarter sawn white oak. He's made a couple other sets as well. Thanks for looking!  Lisa

 

Les Clamp Support by Callender Quilts, on Flickr

[QuiltGuy 250]

Lisa,

 Those look great!

Thanks

Dave

[CWBowser 79]

I have used curtain rods but those wooden rods are great but I have had some backing that is too small side to side so I have reversed the clamps. I clamp to the piece that folds down on the elastic to keep it in place and then I take the elastic and fold it to the length I need and safety pin it to the backing. I don't even close the safety pins. it is a pain but having to take the backing and sew something on to it is a nuisances too.  

I hope you find something here that will work for you.

[qltnbe 385]

Thank you so much for all your ideas.  I tried out the yard sticks as that is what I had handy at the moment and I found they worked great for me.  First I had them right under the clamps and that seemed to make the sides of the quilt a little too rigid. Then I put the yardsticks under the elastic just behind the clamps and that held great with just a little give. I had no problem with bumping into the clamps.  Now, if I hadn't already attached the quilt to the frame, I would have tried adding muslin to the beginning of the quilt, but as it was, I was working the machine (for a panto ) with one hand and slightly holding up the leader grip with the other hand just so that the machine wouldn't bump into it.  That was awkward, but served the purpose this time around.  Next time, I know what I will be doing.  Now.....if I could get my son to make me some of those wood  ones like Lisa's I would be in heaven.  They are gorgeous.  Thanks again for all the info.