Leaders That Are Stretched Can Distort Your Machine Quilted Quilt Tops

Morning everyone, well it is almost done, another quilt for the new book with a working title of "From Quilt Top To Quilted". So far we are on track for early 2011 publication date. It is full of tips quilters love. Thought you may enjoy a gimpse of a trick that you might find helpful that is included in the trouble shooting section.

Do your leaders bow out in the center? Are your leaders starting to stretch in the center where all the pressure is exerted since we pin from the center out and rarely pin the entire length of the leaders? And, if your leaders are bowing out there is a chance it can distort the shape of the quilt top as you machine quilt.

To get your leaders squared to your rollers again take this simple step. Go to the end of your table and look down the entire length of the rollers making sure your leaders are completely wound their respective roller. with the end of the leaders laying directly on the top of the roller. Do the edges ripple, or maybe the edges form waves along the roller and are not in a perfectly straight line from end to end.

Canvas or cotton duck leaders are not supposed to strink, though the fibers will migrate, hense the bowing in the center. It is a quick fix, to help them back to their original square up position with straight edges. First lock your rollers with the dogs or clamps. Let out about three feet of canvas and grab the outer two feet of canvas at each end of the rollers with both hands and tug at a 45 degree angle away from the center of your machine. Do one side first then the other. Keep tugging until the bow disappears.

Finally roll up your leaders again with the end of the leader lying on top of the roller. Coax the outer ends of the canvas by working them with your hands to take up any slack. Your canvas edges should have straigthened out. Do this after every quilt and your leaders will stay straight and your quilts will always be squared up.

Hope this helps, sally