Centering Pantographs

[Helen G]

Try as I might I can't seem to get my pantographs centered perfectly on a quilt. Is it considered tacky to run your pantographs off the edges of your quilts?

Being a newbie I appreciate any and all advice!

[ramona-quilter]

Hi Helen and welcome to the group. Pantos are frequently run off the edge or used in an edge to edge (E2E) configuration.

I like to find a good starting place for the right side (from the back of the machine). I don't want to start half way thru a flower or other design element. I can shift the paper pattern until I find a good starting point. Sometimes, I have to make a loop of my own or curl into a a spot that I want to start. I don't want a spot where the design will take me back off the same edge that I started on.

Once I find a starting point, I move my machine with the laser "on" to the other side of the quilt. I see where the needle is on the edge and then see if I need to just follow the design off the quilt or if I need to curl, curve or loop my way off the edge.

E-2-E are the bread and butter for quilters for hire. There are so many patterns to choose from.

The other thing to remember is to check your bobbin BEFORE you start the next row. It is such a pain to run out of bobbin thread halfway thru a row. This is especially true since your eye is usually focused on the laser light, not the quilt. You can stitch for a while before you realize that your bobbin is out. Grrrr.

Good luck and happy quilting.

[Bonnie]

Helen...personally the few that I have used, were started just off the quilt and sometimes finished just off the quilt edge. I first baste down the side and then do the panto....I baste so the edges don't get turned back over and into the quilt when I come back into it....I don't have any idea if this is the correct way to do it, its just my way.

Honestly don't use many of them as I do mostly freehand stuff, but with the new pantos out there, am starting to collect and we will see if i like them or not.:cool:

[meg_marsh]

Run off the edges both sides. I also run off the edge at the top (about 1/4") to make sure everything is hidden in the border and there are no gaps in the patterns. Just be sure to baste the top and the sides down very! close to the edges so the fabric does not turn over. Not only do I ck the bobbin for the amount left at the beginning of each row (I agree - you do not want to run out in the middle of a row) - I also run a quick tension ck at the beginning of each bobbin. Better to be safe that to frog a row of panto! Ask me how I know:(. You really don't have to center a panto since in the end, it is an all over pattern and they tend to just flow. I am a newer quilter also and really have enjoyed working on pantos. They are helping me learn to quilt smoother and the number of patterns out there is just great!! Have found that going too slow is bad and going too fast is bad - just a nice medium speed. Enjoy!!

[Primitive1]

Ditto on that Meg,

I also have found that keeping my elbows in to my sides makes the flow go better as well - makes for curvier curves...

Vicki

[IBQLTN2]

What about going backwards if the design repeat itself. Do you stop and return to the end you started and do a second time or do you go back wards. I find it easier to only go in one direction, but not sure what others do. Jeanne

[Sandra Darlington]

I don't do many pantos, but I do always start on the right and stitch to the left. When the row is complete, I end off and start again on the right side and stitch to the left.

I also run my pantos off the side edges as well as the top and bottom.

[lym95]

If it is a panto that I can easily follow backwards, then I just roll quilt (if large panto) or go on up to the second row and just quilt my way back to the right. Some don't seem to be directional, but some do.

[meg_marsh]

Never work right to left unless it is a very simple beginning/ending partial row. Also keep my elbows in and really have to work on keeping my hands relaxed. I still hold too tight, but with elbows in, it keeps me from jerking my hands - It is all body movement!!!!!!!!! Also, certain pantos are harder than others - long flowing lines can be hard - tend to go off track a bit still. Also, pantos where you have to backtrack over previously stitched lines are very hard - very tough to get that retraced line exact so don't do those - maybe when I get better. If a panto is directional - just put the quilt on upside down. I like to look at the panto right side up.

[Helen G]

Thanks for your replies. The obvious must escape me sometimes....yesterday I was doing a pantograph, pinning down my edges like I usually do and stitched right through the head of a flat flower pin! So then I am trying to arrange the pins so carefully so as not to get the heads in the way of the needle. Why didn't I think of basting the edges??

I really am blonde too!

[IBQLTN2]

MEG

It is a good thing the needle goes through those flat flower pins isnt it. I got too close to my edge on my first quilt that I loaded and quilted right through the leader and flowerhead pin, a few times. had to frog it to get it off and never even broke the needle. LOL

[gable428]

I would imagine if you are going to do a panto it is best to stitch baste down the sides and not use pins. Scary to think what could happen to the machine if you hit a pin:o I love pantos and do lots of them. I start just off the edge and finish the same way.

[meg_marsh]

Jeanne,

When you hit the pin, you must have jumped a mile! Hope you didn't have to re-time or anything.

I always make sure my batting is about 1 - 2" down from the leader. I also square up the top of the batting before putting it on the frame and put this end up toward the leader. Then I use the channel locks to stitch down the batting & make sure I stitch the batting down about an inch from the top of the batting. Finally put the top on matching the top of the quilt top with the straight line I made when I attached the batting. By placing the top about an inch from the top of the batting, this allow room to run off the edge for pantos. A little extra room at the top never hurts. Hope I am explaining this so you understand.

I never use pins down the edges - will pin about an inch in from the edge or more (if I do pin) and then baste as close to the edge as I can. Don't use the channel locks when going down the sides. A couple of times I have used spray baste but didn't really like it.

When I was taking a class last week, my partner did the same thing only it was one of those horrid T-pins. I taped the pin to the front of the machine - nasty me:P She didn't make the same mistake again!!! Let's face it - there is so much to learn as newbies/beginners, it is hard to remember everything. Have had my baby for 2 1/2 months now and finally a few things are becoming automatic - yeah!!!! Loading a quilt is one of the very easy things now. My 2 weeks of pantos has really been a good thing - they are definitely getting better. I will be taking pictures and posting them soon. The other thing I really have to do is make some labels for my quilts - I'm very bad at that.

Keep up the good work!!

[KathyA]

Another thing to think about is modifying either end of the panto by using a vis-a-vis marker on the plastic. Then slide a piece of small white paper under the area you inked to hide the printed part - so you only see the marker adjusted pattern in that one small area. I do this all the time to avoid messy ends. I still stitch right off the edge but make it 'prettier' when I begin or end a row. I use the pattern grid (I think it's called) on my table. Love it.

[JoAnnHoffman]

I never center and I always run my pantos off the top, bottom and sides.

Baste your side before you do a row so you don't have to worry about running over pins or flipping the fabric.

Butterfly open edges on quilts are hard to trim and bind.

Pantos give texture to the quilt, no need to center.

You might slide it over a bit to get a good starting point, but that's about it.

I would put drafting tape on top of the plastic to mark the edges of my quilt so I knew when to stop sewing, but could still see the pattern if I had to continue the design on and off the quilt to begin or end a row.

Sew right to left each row.

[meg_marsh]

Just reread my post - I said that I never go right to left - I don't know my right from my left....LOL - Actually I always go right to left. Hope I didn't confuse anyone.!

[fabric007]

Another option for the top and the bottom of the quilt for pantos...Sew a leader to the top and the bottom before you pin it to the canvas leader ..I use the left overs from the backings of the quilts you trim off before you bind..I use an 1/8 inch seam... also be sure that the customer adds the binding, not sews the back and front together..you will be picking out the stiching..

[caroljean]

for me the hardest part is making sure at the bottom of the quilt..

when you get to the end making sure it comes out with a full pattern

sometimes this is hard to do. i measure twice and quilt once some times.

end up with a free hand version of design.

and with practice and more practice it gets easier.

i am still learning.carol

[Lynne]

That's exactly what I do Kathy A. but instead of inking the plastic, I use wide adding machine tape to create a new beginning and ending of my panto and I put it between the panto and the plastic. It also serves to tell me when to stop!

Lynne in Ann Arbor

Another thing to think about is modifying either end of the panto by using a vis-a-vis marker on the plastic. Then slide a piece of small white paper under the area you inked to hide the printed part - so you only see the marker adjusted pattern in that one small area. I do this all the time to avoid messy ends. I still stitch right off the edge but make it 'prettier' when I begin or end a row. I use the pattern grid (I think it's called) on my table. Love it.

Kathy A

Liberty

kathrynsquilting@comcast.net

[meg_marsh]

I don't worry about a full pattern. If the pattern is fairly large - I estimate how many passes and compare to length of quilt - then start at an approximate place in the panto on top that will be an approximate duplicate of the last partial row on the bottom. It is just too hard to make everything work out perfectly - fabric shrinks up as you quilt and a panto is a panto - over all fill for texture in a design that compliments the fabrics. If you want everything to match - then you need to custom.

[pigletaz]

Another quilter here told me to use blue painters tape to mark the start and end of the panto. The tape is also so visible so you really know the end is coming up if you need to slow down, etc. or make your own swirl or ending.

And it comes right off the plastic and doesn't leave any residue and it doesn't mark up your panto because the next time you use it, it will have different beginning and ending points.

Good luck.