Nancy's Notions has cloth leaders by the yard...questions

[TooMuchFabric]

The leaders I made for my Little Gracie frame are too light weight. I need to make more using heavier fabric. I saw the Start-Right Precision Cloth Leaders by the yard in the Nancy's Notions catalog. Has anyone had any experience with them? The fabric is not cheap but it is already marked and says you would only need to serge the edges.

Please post any information you have on this product.

Thanks,

Jo Ann

[Holon]

Jo Ann,

Yes get them you will love them! They are worth every penny and then some! I got mine 2 weeks ago they come 3 in a pack so you only buy one pack. They are great!!!!!

[TooMuchFabric]

Holon,

Do you just cut them into the preprinted lengths and serge them?

I had compared prices for heavier muslin and found it is not going to be inexpensive and the leaders being premarked seemed good.

Thank you for your comments.

[Holon]

I didnt have to cut them at all they are a bit shorter than the polls on the longarm

[TwinquilterA]

I am also having fits with my Jewel. I took the class offered, but it seems the tension isn't right. The bobbin thread is coming up just a tad. I also learned to float the top, but I think I would feel more comfortable using all the rollers for now. I keep trying new things. Today, I will take out the needle to make sure I have the right one for the thread. I have just purchased these leaders, so I'm ready to put them on. My instructor said she uses pillow ticking; it's sturdy and has lines.

[cindyg]

I made my own leaders for the B-Line frame out of ticking. It's sturdy. I have a question...why do you need marks on your leaders? I was shown how to load a quilt without measuring anything.

Update: I went to Nancy's Notions and it would cost me $80.80 for leaders and the velcro to attach to them. I can get leaders at HandiQuilter for $75. and the velcro is already on them.

TwinQuilterA - In our HQ class we were taught to get the bobbin tension set correctly FIRST. She said that when you hold the end of the thread up in the air that it should come out of the bobbin case like a spider goes down a web - it goes down but not fast. We might even have to jiggle our hand to get it to spider down and tht's OK. After we get the bobbin tension set then the only tension we are suppose to fool with is the top tension. So far we have not had any tension problems. I hope you can get yours resolved quickly.

[TooMuchFabric]

Cindyg, do you mark a center on your leaders then load from there? On the video with my Little Gracie II it shows marking a center on all of the leaders then loading everything from its appropriate center rod.

[cindyg]

TooMuch - I load by pinning the backing first and, as long as the top and bottom of the backing is straight, all goes well. I pin the backing to the leader (which should also be straight on the pole) at the front of the machine and then lay it out across all the poles. Roll it up onto the pole at the front making sure it is rolling straight, as tightly as you can get it, and you don't have any wrinkles. Stop every turn or so and smooth it out with your hands. It doesn't matter if it's in the exact center of the frame. I then go to the back of the frame and pull the backing out just enough to pin it on the back leader. I lay my quilt top out over the whole thing and make sure I have plenty of the backing fabric showing on each side and then I pin the top to the pole nearest me at the front of the frame. The quilt top is smaller than the backing so if it's off to one side or the other an inch or so it doesn't matter. As I'm rolling it up on the roller that I've just pinned it to I make sure it's not rolling up crooked. The batting is next and I lay the top part out over the bar to sort of get it in the middle of the quilt top - I just make sure it's bigger than the quilt top on both sides. I grab the top of the quilt top and the batting at the same time and pull them across to the poles on the back side of the frame. This helps to keep the batting from tearing when you are loading it - the quilt top gives it some support. You are actually pulling on the fabric and the batting is along for the ride. I lay the batting on there making sure it's straight at the top and smoothed out, etc. I get the quilt top straight at the top and pin it all together in a few places then run a large basting stitch with the machine about 1/8" from the top. Loading your quilt this way it doesn't matter if your quilt is loaded all the way to the left side or the right side or sorta in the middle of the frame but you need to be sure your bungees will reach to both sides of the sandwich. this is why the professional long arm quilters want your batting and backing to be at least 4" - 6" bigger all the way around than your quilt top. Well, this is clear as mud. It's easier to see it on a video. I'm thinking the video I saw it on was the instructional video that came with the HQ-16 and I think they called it "Front Loading the Quilt". Sorry - didn't mean to write a book.

[aardvarq]

That was actually a very good description of loading a quilt Cindyg. Thank you!

The one thing I like about marking the leaders is that I can use the markings to help center up a smaller project to one side or the other of the frame/rail length, like when the serger hasn't been put away and that box of scraps has grown 'til it blocks my way to one end of the frame or the other!

I guess if I were neater, I wouldn't have that problem. Humm.

[RedVixen]

I know this is an older post but I wondered if anyone had added zippers to the preprinted leaders to make zippered leaders?