basting sides

[ncutt]

How do you baste the sides as you advance? Do you disconnect every time?

Thanks!

[Stagecl]

I pin baste and remove the pins so the machine doesn\'t hit them. I also have to watch the sides of the quilt to make sure the hopping foot doesn\'t catch the fabric.

I just don\'t like disconnecting the cables every time I advance the quilt...lazy, I suppose I am, but is suits me just fine to pin the sides.

Cheryl

[Nadia Wilson]

I baste using the CQ....

I always have the "Straight Line 1" (found in repeatables folder) on my setup screen (one of my six choices). I use it to baste the quilt top to the batting/backing on the top and I baste the bottom edge once I am there. I rotate it -90 in the rotate pattern box located on the setup screen to baste down the sides (quilted width 1" and quilted length I use 15" because I have a Millennium--you can make this any length you want)...there is no need to disconnect the cables to do this. I baste using the CQ as I advance the quilt each time. It is really quite easy to do. Sometimes I remember to make my stitch length larger like 7 stitches per inch, and sometimes I forget and have around 10 stitches per inch. I also turn the anchor thread to "0" on the execute page so my basting can be pulled out if needed without having to pick out anchor stitches. Does this make sense?

Nadia

Millennium with CQ

[ncutt]

Yup! Thanks so much!

[carolynbanderson]

I hand baste

Carolyn Anderson

QuiltFrogs

Ashland, VA

[yeoldeforest]

Hi Nadia,

How far down from the top of the quilt top do you baste with CQ when you are attaching the quilt top, batting and backing the first time?

I have been manually basting the top without CQ for the initial top basting line but your method sounds easier.

Thanks,

[Nadia Wilson]

Hi Joanne,

Let\'s see if I understand your question...what I do to baste.....I have my backing fabric on the frame, load the batting and use the CQ to baste the batting to the backing fabric (once smoothed down and in place by hand), I use the straight line pattern and I start from the center of the backing/batting and stitch to the right hand side. I then jog to the LH side (at the top again) of the backing/batting and stitch from there to the center. I usually do this basting line about 1" or so down from my leader. The reason I start in the center to baste is to eliminate/reduce the batting being pushed to the RH edge by the hopping foot (this varies with what type of batt is used). If the back/batt/top is smaller in size then I just start from the LH top edge and go across the whole width with the CQ and I smooth with my hand to keep the batting flat in front of the hopping foot and a bit of downward pressure with my left hand just behind the hopping foot.

Okay, so now I have a perfectly straight and true line across the width of the top of my backing/batting and the 2 layers are basted together. I use this line as my reference point to line up my quilt top now...this ensures I have it on the sandwich perfectly even/straight across the top. (the CQ line is straight, so I have a true reference point). This really is no different if I was loading the stuff manually to do freehand, I would just use my channel locks to get my "true and straight" line. I again take my CQ and jog to the top center of the quilt top and baste across doing the same as for the backing/batting. I jog to the LH top and baste across to the center. I put this basting line on the quilt top under 1/4" from the top edge of the quilt top. The CQ stitches "dead on" accurate providing everything is lined up perfect with the true reference line and my quilt top is now basted to the sandwich. This all sounds like alot of work, but can be done within minutes, it is really very fast and easy to do.

I can now tell how out of shape the top/side borders and/or body of quilt are and adjust accordingly. I can use steam at this point on the borders in view on the frame or adjust the fullness of fabric within the whole body of the quilt (to a degree of course, there are many variables). This is a whole different topic of discussion.

Once I have my top relatively straight and "square" down the sides on the back/batt, I jog my CQ to baste down the sides by either doing a large basting stitch down the sides about 15 - 16" in length or if there is alot of fullness in the borders that I have to deal with as I advance the quilt I jog the CQ into place inch by inch and do the needle up/down and make a stitch that way. Depends on the situation. The CQ allows me to be very flexible in the way I handle each quilt. I just love my CQ!

Nadia

Millennium with CQ

[yeoldeforest]

Wow...great information Nadia!!

Thank you, thank you!! I am going to try this method on my next quilt! I thought there had to be an easier way with CQ!

[JoAnnHoffman]

I flip the switch off on the side box, keep the cables connected and baste the sides with the stitch regulator on.

It\'s a little heavy feeling but it works.

Then I flip the switch back on and continue.

Fast and easy.

[rcck00]

JoAnn,

What switch do you mean?

Thanks,

[JoAnnHoffman]

The large grey box attached to the table frame on the left hand side that says, stepping motor power.

[TinaCollins]

If you turn off the stepping motor, you can manually move the cables... Just make sure you turn it off!! LOL!!!

Also, if you flip off the CQ control toggle switches, then your Millie will be electrically disconnected and the handle controls will work as usual.

[smorris]

Hi Tina and Joann

Thanks for mentioning that you don\'t need to disengage the tension blocks to baste the top and sides. I have been doing it this way too recently and it does save time. I only do it on the sides though.

I start my quilt by manually basting the top edge then flick the switches to turn on CQ, then every time I roll on I do the vertical basting with the tension blocks on. When I come to the last pass of quilting I INDEX down and place my pin to mark the Pattern Start for the last row, then disengage the blocks to do the basting horizontally, then engage the blocks and move back to the start position and quilt the last row. I could leave them engaged but it seems to take me as long with the drag than it does to disengage and engage again if its a wide quilt.

I could be imagining it, but the coating on the new wire seems to allow us to move our machines more easily than the original wire. since I have been doing this, I haven\'t had to adjust the tension on my wires, I thought before I did it this way that it might mean I had to adjust the tension on my wire more often.

best wishes

sue in Australia

[ncutt]

Thank you, all!

[Jess]

Jo Ann, Thanks for mentioning this. This is what I do also. I also turn off the box once I am close when moving/jogging to a starting position. Then move the machine manually, & flip the switch back on when I am where I want to be. I prefer this to doinking around jogging a tenth of an inch 20 million times to get to where I want to be. I know that this is probably not so much of an issue for those with a touch screen. I don\'t have one YET... so I\'d rather run back & forth just one time instead of a dozen to check to see if I am where I want to be.

I figured that there is pull on the cables when the CQ is running, so as long as I didn\'t jerk the machine around & just move slowly all should be fine.