zippers

[quiltjunkie]

I pin while I\'m watching TV, tried sewing but didn\'t like picking out the leftovers, I do have a chain stitch machine and will use that on short backings... but found that it seems to stretch out the edge even if I don\'t pull on it, so I pin and I\'m really fast. Start at the center and pin one direction and then the other side;)

[QuiltingComforts]

I may get sued for telling you all this but here goes...does anyone staple to the leaders??? I\'m a newbie and asking lots of questions and getting help from a local gal who pittied me when I ask about pinning the quilts on and how long it took. She said I normally don\'t give out trade secrets but I\'m in a good mood tongiht. She bought a business from a gal about 15 years ago and that lady taught her to staple everything. She demoed it for me and I was sold. I bought the stapler, staples, and staple puller that night. She didn\'t say I couldn\'t spread the word so I hope it is okay.

The drawback I noticed was that her leaders were pretty chewed up and then folded and sewed up several times. I\'m thinking of trying to melt some bees wax to toughen up the fabric/threads and maybe add a piece of wire screening in my hem pocket for some added strength when pulling out the staples. Any comments about whether my plan would be positive or in vane are appreciated.

Now mind you I have not tried it myself yet but can\'t imagine a problem. I\'m stuck in finishing up borders, backing, binding land right now but anxious to get quilting.

So does anyone staple???

Blessings,

Cindy

P.S. - This group is A+ TERRIFIC!!!

[smhowell]

Originally posted by RitaR

Darlene, thanks for the reply. Because the lenni rollers come in two sections, they don\'t have anything attached, they come with self stick Velcro, which doesn\'t self stick, unless I keep a LONG leader on them, to wrap around. I don\'t want to use a LONG leader for small baby quilts, place mats, etc. Even the glue we bought isn\'t holding that velcro on. Wish I could find another solution. We are thinking of gluing the leader directly to the roller and forget the Velcro.. maybe that would stay on.. but if the glue won\'t stick?

Hope I understood the problem. When they brought my Nolting, they didn\'t put the leaders onto the bars until they had the machine set up, so that the center could be accurately marked. They used strapping tape to stick the leaders onto the metal rollers, but it is imperative not to unroll them all the way, because the tape will eventually loosen then.

[smhowell]

Originally posted by Mary Beth

One more thought...some sergers do a chain stitch, if you have one you might want to check into it.

I have the top of the line Husqvarna serger and found that the chainstitch draws in the zippers every time. A basting stitch on the sewing machine is my favorite way to attach the quilt bottoms. Then iI rip it out cutting every third stitch on the top and pulling the bottom thread.

I might be in trouble though. I put on this last practice piece with a long zig-zag, thinking that it would be easier to catch the thread to cut it.

[Jeanette]

I guess stitching to my zipper leaders work because I float the top so there is no stretching like some of you seem to have had happen.

[jmyhogan]

I have stitched the zippers to the canvas leaders. The other half of the original zipper I have stitched to double thickness muslin and I usually pin the muslin to the quilt batting.

HOWEVER, if I need to take a Big project off of the Millie to do something quick and easy, I can unzip the item on the machine - I use another strip of zipper and stitch it to the new project\'s backing using a method like Sonja and others have described above. I also use up old cotton thread for this tacking. In order for this to work well for me the backing MUST be Squared and the edges that I put the zippers on Must be straight.

I almost Always float the top.

[smd719]

Hi!

I bought one of those hand-held machines "as seen on TV". Works great!