Puckering quilt top when using high loft batting

[cnosburn]

I have started long arm quilting again and was using Legacy Wool high loft batting and my quilt top is puckering around the stitching.  what am I doing wrong and what do I need to do to get the puckers out?

 

Thanks,

Carol 

[Quilting Heidi]

Carol can you post a picture?  Did you baste the top and sides and have on the clamps on the side of your sandwich?

[Corey]

I do like Heidi does. Lots & lots of flathead pins are needed when I quilt with hi loft batting, I baste the quilt top area as I stabilize & stitch in the ditch & come back later for fillers when doing custom.

Posting pics will help us help you.

[ffq-lar]

High-loft batting is challenging when using a longarm. I suppose the puckers are because the hopping foot is plowing over the puffy batting and pushing the top fabric ahead of it. You can raise the hopping foot a bit, but many times this will compromise your stitch quality. Options are to raise the hopping foot and adjust your timing to compensate, or you can baste the entire quilt with a four-inch grid to control the pouf and make it easier to quilt. To baste, stitch at the slowest manual speed, set your channel locks, and move across so you make 1/2 inch stitches. You'll be able to move across during the raising of the hopping foot.

[apylinski]

Just finished a small quilt that had high loft to the batting. I didn't like the finished look. The back was Minkie and it looks great but I think raising the hopping foot would help. But I don't want to compromise my stitch quality so I am going to try the basting method next time. Here is a pic of it. The batting was Hobbs Tuscany Collection Premier Polyester. She provided it.

[zeke]

Sometimes it the nature of the beast. This is why I don't do high loft quilting. Zeke

Too much headaches.

[Liam]

For the most part I avoid high loft batting, but some quilts scream high loft or double batting. So when I do, I only use it with custom quilting (panto quilting is a pita). I baste and pin as the others suggested. I usually guide the machine with one hand and stable the quilt with the other. My quilting is much slower when I use high loft or double batting. But the extra time and effort can be amazing on the right quilt and with the right quilting!

[cnosburn]

Thank you all for your input.  I got to thinking about what I was doing to cause this.  First, I was doing practice to check on my tension to make sure it was OK.  So I just used a piece of muslin backing for the top and back and had the wool batting in between. I guess the wool was not happy with that  so I put a piece of Moda fabric on the top.  So what I had was Moda on the top and muslin backing material on the back.  Yes what?  It quilted beautifully with no puckers and perfect tension top and back. I guess the wool needs a more stable fabric on the top.  Anyway that was what I experienced.

 

Again, thanks.

 

Carol

[cnosburn]

P.S.  I didn't answer all your questions.  Yes, I did baste top and sides and used my clamps and I was doing edge to edge and I am using a 2006 Millie.  Sorry, I don't have a picture to post.

 

Carol