Bernina 830 with Bernina Long Arm Table
 

When I bought my Bernina 830, I bought the Bernina long arm table that was available to go with it. I watched a YouTube video on how to set it up and how to properly put the quilt on it. You have to sew the quilt to a piece of fabric attached to a pole on one end. Is that how long arm quilter's do it? Then when I'm done quilting, I'm suppose to rip out the stitches I did to attach it to the fabric. I haven't set up my long arm table because I'm afraid of it and it looks complicated to put a quilt on it. Maybe I am misunderstanding how to put the quilt on it.

Not sure what video you watched but yes that sounds correct. On a LA people use a couple of different ways of attaching the back/quilt to the "leader": Pin the quilt back to it, sew it on to it (using the largest stitch you have), I have seen some people staple it, there is a system called "Red Snappers quilt tool" (you can see a video on it), etc. Don't be scared of it, I have a ong arm and felt the same way when I got it - waited almost a year and once I got started felt that was a year really wasted.

I have the little sister to the 830, the 820, and Bernina's quilting frame that the machine sits on. Is that the frame you are talking about. I have quilted over 30 quilts on the frame but just upgraded to the machine a few months ago. I have never heard of sewing the fabric on the "leaders" I pin the front and backing on the "leaders" with T pins availabe at most fabric stores, I notice a difference using the t-pins vs regular quilting pins. If you do have the Bernina frame, the instructions to putting the frame together are really good, but when it comes to directions on putting the quilt on the frame, it is terrible. I made some really bad mistakes. Your first quilt should be a practice one that you do not feel strongly about, I ruined my first one, and it is now the quilt that is in my car. The thing to remember when loading the quilt is "lock to load" unlock to unroll. The backing should be face up when you load and the wrong side of the quilt top is facing up when loading the quilt. When loading the backing and the top you should hear a "click, click, click" then you know it is looked. I would be more than happy to help you if indeed you have the same Bernina frame as I do. PM me, if you need to.