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Loading a Quilt
TNquilter
Joined: Jan. 30, 2010
Posted: Aug. 3, 2010, 6:48 PM
Gosh, I sure hope loading a quilt on "ToTo" gets easier. It seems like I spend a good part of the day running back and forth from computer watching the video on "How to load a quilt" and actually loading the quilt. Any suggestions to make it easier or does it just take practice?
Re: Loading a Quilt
shc312
Joined: July 1, 2010
Posted: Aug. 9, 2010, 9:01 AM
I am having to do the same thing and never feel that it is loaded like they demonstrated on day one. I can't wait for it to become second nature!
Re: Loading a Quilt
Connie
Joined: Dec. 3, 2008
Posted: Aug. 9, 2010, 11:15 AM
Fellow HQ'ers,
I remember being so corn-fused with loading so I feel your pain. It actually helped me to stop looking at the video, close my eyes and relax. This is what i do,
Mark the top & bottom centers of the BACKING with a pin
Mark the bottom of TOP center with a pin, set aside
Hold the top of the BACKING with the right side of fabric away from you
Pin the center of the BACKING to the center of the back leader*
finish pinning the backing and let rest of backing just lay there
Take the TOP with the pinned center and lay it out across all the poles
with the right side of the TOP facing the ceiling, pin from the center
out to the middle leader/pole.
Roll up the TOP
Grab the BACKING off the floor, pin the center of the backing to the center of the front leader and finish pinning, roll it up.
Waa Laa !!! you are done.

*I duck under my front poles to do this, it is far easier but I have a Fusion so might be too tight with the Avante. Give it a try.

p/s when the backing rolls up and is loose on one side and tight on the other, just roll the back and front poles back and forth a few times, it will straighten it out.
Good luck, Connie

Re: Loading a Quilt
sueprice
Joined: Oct. 24, 2009
Posted: Aug. 13, 2010, 6:52 PM
I thought I would just stick to pinning my quilt onto the HQ leaders that came with my Avante... That's until I tried the Quick Zip system ... you can find them at several sites... just google Quick Zip System.
(about $60 but well worth every penny! And the directions are great!

Go buy yardage of CANVAS the length of your table/ or the length of the zippers you order. Cut 6 pieces of the canvas 6 inches x length of yardage and attach the zipper to the middle of two pieces of canvas. The zippers even come labeled as to which roller they should attach to...

I pinned one side of the zippered pair to the HQ leader and that's where it stays. I used permanent marker to label the parts that attach to my quilt top and backing. Be sure to put all leaders on the rollers before marking any centers.... learn from experience!

My leaders are all marked up with center markings, and reminders : pin here ; bottom of backing-- wrong side facing up; takeup roller ; top edge of backing here; wrong side facing up. etc.... And the best part is you can sit and watch TV while pinning the quilt and backing. (and sometimes have to re - pin because I wasn't paying attention! )

I even made a mini model of how I should pin the quilt and backing to leaders which I kept by my machine until I was comfortable pinning...

When you are ready to load, just zip the bottom backing and roll completely on roller; zip quilt top and roll, then zip takeup roller that is attached to quilt back top edge. slide batting between two layers and straighten. Baste stitch top edge of quilt top/batting and backing and you are ready to go.

I recently bought another zip of zippers and made more leaders so that I could switch up and remove an unfinished project if a paying customer brings in a quilt!
Good luck
Susan
Re: Loading a Quilt
greenman99
Joined: Aug. 19, 2010
Posted: Aug. 19, 2010, 9:25 PM
I'm new to longarm, just took a class on the Avante and really like it. The store where our class was held has the canvas / zipper set up on their machine and it is the way I learned. Seems to make a lot of sense to me and since I will be renting that machine for the forseeable future, I will be learning this method pretty well. Our instructor uses it at home in her business, says it is great to be able to change out the project she is working on by just zipping one out and another one in and get quilting.

My current challenge - now that I've used the machine twice by myself is getting the edges secured and straight and being able to stitch within the 1/4" at the edge that will be hidden by the binding. Any hints? The roller tension makes sense, but the side clamps have me stumped.

thx, mackenzie (greenman99)