How to keep your quilt square while longarm quilting

[@susanlee2313]

Awesome videos! I just purchased my bernina longarm! Please share more videos. Your teaching method is so clear!!!

[@nicolechristie9042]

Your tip to use the top leader to keep the top aligned is BRILLIANT! This might just be exactly what I need to solve my greatest long arming challenge! Thank you!

[@Kathyla1]

Great video, Denise! Your videos are clear and to the point. You are a wealth of information! Thank you!

[@KAline-sp6zn]

Your videos have been soooo helpful. Thank you, I just loaded and started to quilt my first quilt on my new long arm after watching your 2 videos. I’m sure I would have had a very wonky quilt had it not been for you. Awesome!

[@cathymontowski1263]

Thank you for sharing, great idea!

[@erichaskell]

Came to solve one problem and solved several. Thank you.

[@mjp5129]

I like to glue my quilt sides. That way if I mess up, I can pull it loose. Good idea with the leader. I do worry about my leaders, because my take up leader is printed cockeyed and not sewn straight. Crappy leaders. They came with my Grace frame. I have remodeled, somewhat my frame setup. So, it’s better now. Thanks for the video.

[@rbebut1]

AWESOME! I have been using a 1/4 inch rope and curtain stoppers that work just as well. But this is a great guide as well.

[@thehopeyoder]

Great video. Keep making them, please!

[@camerongreer623]

Thank you so much! Such good info and presented brilliantly!

[@riettedolezal7550]

Really helpful and clear video! Thank you

[@winonaely6703]

I really like this idea

[@lindadavis6193]

Where did you get such long leaders? Mine aren’t neat that long

[@Westernwilson]

I agree, brilliant tips and tutorial...but I have a question! How do you keep pieced backings square? Can you check their squareness as you quilt the quilt?

[@CottonBerryQuilts]

I love this idea of using the leader to keep the quilts square. What if you have a quilt that is not square and just very wonky?

[@dgldesigns9070]

The goal of this process is to take a wonky quilt and make it square! In that case, it requires denser quilting in areas to tighten them, lighter quilting in others. I am always watching sashing and border seams to make sure they’re aligned as well. Hope that helps!

[@renabartlett2514]

Great tip. I think I will use pins also. I don't like to baste!!

[@nataliarodriguez6766]

Great video. Just ordered my Q24 with Qmatic. Do you use quilt clips for larger quilts?

[@dgldesigns9070]

Natalia, yes! I always use the quilt clips, no matter the size of the quilt. Thanks for watching!

[@halliewarren2566]

Regarding pinning the top and sides rather than basting, so as you’re sew head Gets close to the pins you pause the sew head to remove the pin. Is that correct? The reason I’m asking this is because I go over into my safe area with my edge to edge design.

[@dgldesigns9070]

Hallie Warren yes. I either pause the machine or just pull the pin out before I stitch that area. I prefer that over machine basting!

[@sharonkwilter532]

I don't understand how you would do this if you're doing a large quilt with a fair amount of batting hanging. I like the idea, I just don't see how you get the batting out of the way to pull up that leader.

[@dgldesigns9070]

Can you tuck the batting in between the backing bar and leader? On the frame in the video, I can feed the batting in the space between the two bars so the leader can pull up. Hope that makes sense!

[@bookmama45]

I LOVE your videos! My question is regarding the backing. I watched your video on loading the backing but what has happened to me a few times now is that the backing sags on the ends, what is causing this? The backing is 104" and is flannel and I did wash it but it's from the retail store that starts with a J. I'm kinda pulling it and using the cords on the ends to make it tight but there has to be something else I can do but what? Thank you for any help you can offer.

[@dgldesigns9070]

Shirley LeClerc is it sagging before you start quilting or after you’ve quilted a bit? Make sure you’re using consistent tension on the fabric across the entire rail. We always want to overtighten the ends and the middle is baggy, causing the edges to sag. Also as you quilt, make sure to keep consistent tension of the quilted portion on the takeup rail. Hope that helps!

[@bookmama45]

@@dgldesigns9070 It was sagging (a lot) before I even started. I'm going to try your method tonight and see if that helps. Thanks again!

[@Westernwilson]

@@bookmama45 How did that go for you? 108" fabrics are notoriously warped on the bolt and have to be squared before use, which is tough to do thanks to their width. I think the Longarm University has a video on this, but it is a topic that needs more explication!

[@bookmama45]

Westernwilson I rolled it back and forth as suggested by someone else and kind of tucked and pulled and got it done. I’ve found that minky and flannel quilt up so nicely on a longarm.

[@keenesterrett4081]

@@Westernwilson There is a tutorial by "Angies Answers" that I found VERY helpful on how to square your backing before putting it on your machine...That simple step, has solved so many issues for me.

[@jacquelinebahi-acolchados]

genial! Gracias.

[@ss2short]

I’ll give it a try. Assumes I squared it up correctly 😅

[@traceyianmcwhinnie3013]

Wish I had a fancy machine. That is no good for basic long arm. DREAM DREAM DREAM ..... 🙄