Quilt tension - not thread tension

[Sheagatzi]

I've run into this a few times now and wanted to see if I'm doing things right, because it just seems finicky.

 

Sometimes I need to baste down all edges, etc and stabilize a few blocks while I'm doing more custom work.    While I'm moving my quilt back and forth on the rollers it just seems more floppy and uneven instead of gently snug when I float my top.   I know it has to do with all 3 layers being rolled up back and forth, but is there a way to make things more snug?  

 

I tighten as much as I can with my rollers -  but then the edges of the quilt are all floppy.  I use the clamps and a ruler to 'lift' the edges to create a bit of tension.

 

Any tips for me, or   "it is what it is???"  

[RitaR]

I've noticed the sides of the quilt get saggy..  I use a piece of foam rubber or batting to hold it in line where it should be.

   I also always use the side clamps.

 

It can drive ya nutso, huh?

 

Rita

[Busy Quilting]

How tight are you puting on the side clamps? Are they stretching the sides?

I rarely clamp the sides of my quilts, and it is only when the backings are 6 " or more wider that I get floppy sides. That is because there is no wadding or top on the extra fabric.

[Quilting Heidi]

Sometimes I get that on wide quilts.  A wad of batting like Rita suggests tightens it right up.  

[FloridaMissy]

Not only do the sides get a little floppy but the entire quilt gets that way but not as bad as the sides.  I've tried numerous things but the solution I like the best is I keep 3 neck roll pillows and if necessary I stuff them between the 2 bars.  By using those it doesn't interfere with the head movement as much. 

Do you find that the quilt top gets bouncy?  It makes it hard to see because the area around the hopping foot bounces.   

[Quilting Heidi]

I'm curious about those having this issue all the time.  I usually don't have this issue I think it happens more with extra big backers or fabrics that have more give.  I thought I'd post my normal way of loading my backer and that might help with some of the issues you are having, I know it helps me.  I first load the backer onto the take-up roller.  I try to keep it reasonably flat stopping and smoothing if it goes wonky.  Then I attach the front backer roller.  I keep tension on this as I roll from the take-up to the front backer roller so it rolls up pretty tight.  I roll back and forth if it goes wonky and make sure there are no wrinkles.  Deloa Jones taught me this when I first started and I have to say it has served me well.  For me the key is to keep tension as I roll to the front backer bar and make sure it is pulled out to the edges as I go.  It takes an extra few minutes but it works.

[Sheagatzi]

Thanks for the replies so far.   I don't side clamp while I baste.    I don't have this problem if I am just quilting from top to bottom, edge to edge.   It only happens when I have to baste the entire quilt, or work on specific blocks and go back and forth up the quilt or down the quilt.     

 

I am working on a baby quilt at the moment, and it is occurring.   It's just annoying.    

[jimerickson]

Andrea:  I don't know whether this might be part of your problem or not, but I always load my backs with the seams parallel to the rollers.  Then the "bump" caused by the seam, takes up the same amount of fabric across the entire quilt.  I'll load the top sideways if it's necessary in order to accommodate the direction of the backing.

 

My leaders have streached some I think, so I don't get a uniform tightness across the entire back.  I've also noticed a lot of backs are not square.  I try and load the back with the selvage attached to the leaders.  Most of the time they are nearly parallel with one another.  I had to load the quilt I'm currently working on with the selvage to the sides (it was too long the other way to fit).  To get it to be anywhere near square, I cut a piece off one of the cut ends that was about 8" on one side and 1" on the other.  I still don't think it's square because the other cut end was probably off too, but it's reasonably taught across the fabric.  I notice that when I roll the quilt back and forth I have a similar problem with the sides of the back.  I think it probably has something to do with the sandwich being crushed.  I'm sure it also has to do with the fact that the wide sides of the back don't have any batting or quilt top piled up, so the roll is much thinner there.

 

To deal with it, I try and avoid rolling the quilt back and forth as much as I can.  I also frequently double roll the back like Heidi, but I always attach it in the conventional manner, backing roller first, take-up roller second.  Good luck with your project.  Jim 

[Quilting Heidi]

Thanks for the replies so far.   I don't side clamp while I baste.    I don't have this problem if I am just quilting from top to bottom, edge to edge.   It only happens when I have to baste the entire quilt, or work on specific blocks and go back and forth up the quilt or down the quilt.     

 

I am working on a baby quilt at the moment, and it is occurring.   It's just annoying.    

If you are leaving areas unquilted pin the snot out of them.  It is amazing how much the fabric can move even if you've basted.

[Bonnie H]

I do as Heidi does. Definitely keep tension as you advance. If a quilt backing is larger than the batting, that can give tension on the backer issues as you roll. I keep extra strips of batting nearby so that I can lay them down the sides of the quilt if there is not enough of the clients batting to cover the backer, and I add these pieces down the sides as I roll, if needed. Also I add batting strips near the bars when needed, especially on the backers where I load the seam where it does not run parallel to the bars. All these extra pieces of batting do not get quilted into the quilt: they just act as aids.