Quilt "grows" on one side while advancing

[Pat C]

Hello all, I hope someone can help answer this as I've had this problem for years.  I hope my description below makes sense.

I have a 2009 (I believe) Millie with 12' table, blissed about 2 years after I purchased it.  As I advance a quilt it "grows" about 3/4"-1" on the lower right-hand side (when facing front of the machine). So ultimately the bottom of my quilt is not straight across when I come to the end of the quilt.

I've measured each roller bar to make sure they are level and the same height on each right and left sides.  I have adjusted the take-up roller up or down a bit, purposely making it not quilt level, just to see if anything would change, but it didn't.  Possibly I didn't adjust it enough as I expect to see some change, either better or worse.

Usually I quilt each row as I go rather than baste the entire quilt first.  Just for fun, I completely basted the quilt I'm working on now just to see if it would "grow" or not and it still did, just as if I quilted each row along the way.

I usually do custom work so I quilt both directions (left to right and right to left) so I'm not in essence "pushing" the quilt the same direction all the time.  Whether I do customs or pantos, the quilt still "grows" on the right side. 

I'm baffled.  Any ideas what else I can look for?  

Thanks in advance! 

[Gator]

How old are your canvas leaders?  The leaders can/do stretch over the years.  One side may have stretched more than the other.  This would cause your quilt to roll uneven.  Most of the time the canvas stretch cannot be seen with your naked eyes.   If you have zippers on your leaders, zip them together and roll a few times forward and backwards.  You can also zip them together an roll fairly tight, spritz with water and let dry.  There's probably a "how to" on this website, I'll try looking for it when I get home from work.   I'm sure others will chime in with this idea.  Oh no zippers, you can pin.  New leaders are also reasonably priced in the APQS store but try correcting the ones you have first.

[Pat C]

Hi Connie, the canvas leaders are original so about 10 years old.  I only do about one quilt per month so not a heavy quilter.  No zippers.  I did pin the canvas leaders together a few weeks ago and they appeared to be very even.  I'll try it again and see if notice anything different.  I imagine even if off just a bit it can make a big difference.

Thanks for the suggestion!!

[Gator]

Hi Pat,

It's hard to see if the canvas has stretched or after years of rolling become off square.  It's probably time for new canvas leaders.  I have a 2009 Millie and mine is the same, I'm getting ready to change them out.  If you go to the online store, parts and notions and search canvas, it will come up.  The price isn't bad and well worth your sanity. 

 

[Pat C]

Good to know Connie.  I'll probably just do that since I'll be moving my machine in a few weeks anyway.  Good time to start with some fresh canvas!

 

[jimerickson]

Pat:  Do you use your channel locks to keep the quilt square?  That should help some.  Fabric stretches, especially long border pieces of fabric without piecing seams.  In the future, make an effort to "square" the quilt each time you roll it.  Use the locks to maintain vertical lines on the edges, and across the quilt wherever there is a horizontal line.  You may have to quilt in some fullness each time you roll.  If you pull the top tight, you may be moving any fullness in the piecing to the bottom corners.  Hope this helps.  Jim

[quiltmonkey]

10 hours ago, Gator said:

Hi Pat,

It's hard to see if the canvas has stretched or after years of rolling become off square.  It's probably time for new canvas leaders.  I have a 2009 Millie and mine is the same, I'm getting ready to change them out.  If you go to the online store, parts and notions and search canvas, it will come up.  The price isn't bad and well worth your sanity. 

 

Hi Pat,

Connie's suggestion about your leaders is good. However, I don't know if you want to...or need to buy new leaders, or if you want to give your current leaders a "hair cut" ...  There's plenty of extra canvas on you rollers, if you want to try the hair cut route.

These are the steps: 

Pin the take up leader to the bottom leader, overlapping the edges a few inches.

After pinning, pull these two pinned leaders taught as much as you can.

As you roll out the take up leader and roll the bottom leader canvas that's pinned to it, do this until you have about 12 inches or so of fresh new section of canvas from the top leader. 

Next, if you have channel locks, turn on the horizontal channel lock and using a cream colored thread in top and bobbin, slowly sew a line across on the fresh new section of the take up leader. 

While everything is still pinned together, roll forward until you have about 12 inches or so of fresh new section of canvas on the bottom leader. 

Repeat with channel locks on stitching a line of thread across the bottom leader. 

Leave the pins in. It's easier to trim the brand new straight line while everything is taught. 

The thread line you sewed on each leader is a line as a guide to carefully cut your brand new fresh clean straight edges for both take up leader and bottom leader. 

You will want to clean up the edges on your top leader, too.

Repeat steps for pinning the take up leader to a fresh new section of the top leader (about 12 inches down), stitch a line across the top leader leader. 

Leave the pins in. It's easier to trim the straight line while everything is taught. 

Viola! 

 

[Pat C]

Thanks Jim and Shana.

Jim -- I don't use my channel locks as I advance but I will start doing that.  By just eyeballing it along the way it appears OK, but I don't see that gradual shift happening until but obviously it is.

Shana -- thanks for the good instructions on the canvas leaders!  I give this a try after I have my QOV quilt off the frame.  

I appreciate all suggestions!  

[CrazyQuilter]

I have this problem with a brand new machine and table and I've been long arm quilting for over 2 decades. May I ask if you are floating your quilt top? If so try to attach the end of it. Hope this helps.

[quiltmonkey]

7 hours ago, CrazyQuilter said:

I have this problem with a brand new machine and table and I've been long arm quilting for over 2 decades. May I ask if you are floating your quilt top? If so try to attach the end of it. Hope this helps.

Agree with you. I do not float my tops - I've always felt better control with my top pinned to the leader. 

[BCinAB]

I've had the same problem for years -- only it's the left bottom corner that ends up out of whack!  I've tried the above remedies to no avail.  

[Sandra G]

I had the same problem on my 12' Grace frame which rolls long on the right side.  First thing I did was get rid of the thick canvas leaders.  I made my own leaders using pin striped cotton quilting fabric and I use the plastic tubing leader clamps .  By accurately sewing your sleeves for the clamp rods and lining up your quilt top using the lines on the fabric you can pretty well start out with a quilt square to the frame.  As you roll your quilt use your carriage lock to track a seam line across.  If you are lower even a smidge on one side tuck a sliver of batting under the top roll along the quilt until the seam line is even.  I do float my quilt tops

Another reason quilts don't roll evenly is because they  are getting torqued on the roll.  When I load my quilts I put blue painters tape on my dead bar right at both edges of the quilt top.  With each advance I adjust the quilt top to make sure it is positioned correctly at both edges.

Hope that helps!

Sandra G