Ritathequilter Posted July 10, 2007 Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 Usually I don't have a problem aligning pantos on the table top but I just now am using Surfs Up (the one with the double row) and am not sure whether this should align with the edge of the glass top or with the edge of the plastic that covers the panto. Can someone tell me which edge pantos are really spose to align with....the edge of the glass or the edge of the plastic so that the whole panto is covered by the plastic. If it aligns with the glass then there's about one inch of paper exposed to be ripped or whatever. Thx Rita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted July 10, 2007 Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 I don't think I am following your question. Are you aliging with the edge of the plastic closes to your body or the very back edge of the table? When I put a panto on the table I use a ruler and just decide where I want to put the panto - if it was 3" from the very edge (or whatever straight edge I measured from) then I just went down the length of the table and made sure that the edge of the panto or the dotted line on the edge of the panto was 3". I now have the Pattern Grid and I use the markings on the grid to line everything up. I hope that helps and is not more confusing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted July 10, 2007 Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 Rita, I have trouble with some wide pantos, too. Just getting those big guys lined up and under the plastic as far as I can push them toward the front of the machine can be a pain. Some of my pantos are roughed up on that bottom edge but it's no big deal. I have had to tape a couple but they still work for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyonden Posted July 10, 2007 Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 When I first got my machine, it had a narrow piece of plastic attached to the middle of the table. This is where the panto was supposed to go. Well, that didn't work for me so I removed the plastic that came on the table and replaced it with a plastic cover from (whisper here) Gammill. I also have a Gammill machine so I knew their plastic covers were large. I attached the plastic to the top of my machine with clear tape wrapped around the plexiglass on the front side of the machine. Since then, Walmart sells some clear plastic that is larger and you can use that. Now, the whole table top is covered with plastic and I can put the panto anywhere I want it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ritathequilter Posted July 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 HI Girls Mary Beth, sorry if I didn't explain that properly....one of my deficient traits. <LOL> The design on the panto I'm using is printed a long way from the edge of the paper....so when I put the panto onto the table that comes with Milli, the panto is aligned with the edge of the glass and the panto is then off the edge of my quilt. So then I have to push the panto way up under the glass to get it so that it will stitch the design starting at the end of the quilt. It's a hard one to explain. I did get it to work...just had to move it around so that it lined up properly. Next time I get together with another longarmer I'll have to show them exactly what I mean and see how they line theirs up. Rita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiltsinmotion Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Rita , Instead of pushing your panto up[ line it up straight ] , put your machine in place where you want to start , adjust your laser to starting point on panto . You may have to move your quilt away from the leader . Its much easier to adjust laser & quilt . Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Rita, Carol is right. Roll your quilt to the point that you have a lot of room to work. I try to roll my quilt to the point that I can safely hit the edge of the quilt without bumping the machine on the back roller and that gives me then entire area between my bars to quilt. Then I adjust my laser light so that the highest point on the panto just touches the highest point on the quilt top. There may be a place where you will run off the quilt a bit, but that is normal if the quilt isn't square or maybe not rolled onto the front roller evenly. I usually try to adjust so that my first row is on the quilt entirely, it just takes some tweaking of the laser light. If you have Carol Thelen's book, "Long-Arm Mahine Quilting - The Complete Guide..." It is very good about explaining everything. I keep this book at my finger tips at all times...there is something for every situation. Hope this helps. Mary Beth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crafty Unicorn Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Maybe I'm just lazy but... I just plop the panto on the table- under the plastic flap, so it looks sort of straight. Check the high spot and low spot to make sure I can reach both of them without running out of room. I like pantos closer to me, I'm tall and don't like having to peer under the take-up roller to see what I'm doing. Then (this is my "duh" moment from 2 months ago... ) engage the channel lock (I only have side-to-side) focus the laser on the edge of the panto closest to me and roll the machine side-to-side to fine tune the panto alignment. No Measuring!!! To start stitching I put the laser on the panto where the edge of the quilt is, roll the quilt so the starting spot is under the needle, take one last sweep down the table to make sure everything lines up right and away we go. Oh yes, remember to take the channel lock off Probably tkes longer to type this than to actually do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynne Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 I don't align with either edge. I get my panto on the table, turn on my laser light, engage the channel locks and run the laser light along the edge of the panto, adjusting the edge of the panto as necessary. I figure the channel lock is the straightest line I'm going to get. Then once I'm sure the panto is straight, I fiddle with the laser light to be sure the panto is positioned correctly to the quilt. Works for me:) Lynne in Ann Arbor Can someone tell me which edge pantos are really spose to align with....the edge of the glass or the edge of the plastic so that the whole panto is covered by the plastic. If it aligns with the glass then there's about one inch of paper exposed to be ripped or whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9patch Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 I line my pantos up against the metal trim that is along the outer edge of the panto area. Some of the paper is exposed, but that has never caused a problem. I figure that if I move the panto further in then I am just reaching more to follow it. I also use dry erase markers, a ruler and the laser light to draw a line on that plastic cover where the edges of the quilt fall on the panto. Then I scoot the panto left and right, adjusting it so that I'm happy with how the design falls on both edges of the quilt. Be careful not to draw on any exposed paper, or that line will be permanent. Learn from my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Those pantos that are too large to fit well under the plastic protector have had scissors taken to them to make them fit! Just don't cut into the dotted line. Usually their size can be adjusted so that nothing is extending beyond the protective plastic, then you're not dealing ragged edges or subjecting the panto to tearing. Pat AZ:cool: Mille Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryLou5740 Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 My table plastic (APQS) is 20" wide, that is certainly wide enough for any project. When I load a Panto/quilt...I do a dry run from edge to edge (with the machine off) to make sure that the design is 'balanced' on both sides... then I tape a piece of painter's tape about 6" from the edge on both sides. This tells me that "we're nearing the end of a row" and gives me a few seconds to plan my next moves. I also try to figure the size of the Panto design, the length of the quilt, and figure how many inches from the ends and between the rows will give a nice finished look. PS. I'd rather adjust the laser than have to adjust that long piece of Panto paper. ML Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ritathequilter Posted July 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 Linda, I line mine up exactly like you do. I took a class from Darlene Epp and that's what she taught us. Those water soluable markers are awesome for marking the start and end.... and when it comes to stitching the very last row on the quilt I draw a line straight across the plastic so I know where the edge of the quilt is. Rita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9patch Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 Rita, I also mark that last length of panto with the marker. That way we don't have to do any more stitching than necessary. If the panto is complicated I redraw some of it to eliminate stitching that falls off the quilt. Same with the edges. I redraw lines that will get me from place to place without wasting thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanette Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I took the plastic off of my Nolting, couldn't see the panto for the glare from the overhead lighting. I line it up using the wheel rails to measure from and use a couple of small refrigerator magnets to anchor it in position. Also a visitor had set a cup of hot coffee on the table and I didn't see it until I hit it with the machine and tipped it over. Bubbled up the plastic and stained a new panto for half the length. I salvaged the panto but the plastic would never come out of its warp so between that and the reflection it had to go. BTW, Nobody sets foot in my shop with a drink in their hand now. I don't care how rude it sounds when I tell them No. Jeanette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryLou5740 Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 Jeanette, you just joggled my brain a bit! I've never thought about the consequences of food/drink being brought into my studio...new sign going on the door..."NO FOOD NO DRINK NO PETS " I've got too much time and money invested in this venture to take the chance of having someone accidently tip something and ruin either a quilt or my machines or a stack of fabric. Thanx ML in Mo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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