alleyoop1

When I first got my quilt frame I followed the directions and bought t-pins - well, that didn't last long! They are way too thick to get through the fabric! So I switched to regular straight pins. I also have red snappers and use them for the backing and then I float the batting and quilt top. I run a straight line of stitches along the backing and batting and then line up the top to that line of stitches and then I stitch the top in place with a second long straight line of stitches. I use the straight pins to pin the backing to the leader that it rolls off of.
If I am quilting a big quilt, I don't use my red snappers because they take up room and I am using a regular machine with a 7 1/2" harp and every 1/4" counts!! Hope this helps.

tessagin

I spray baste and pin. I have T-pins that are sharp. Have had them for years from when I worked in the salons. I went to a beauty supply house that the public can go to and purchased another box. They're all sharp. I use a variety of pins when basting.

thequilteddove

I use corsage pins... This isn't where I get mine, but it's a great picture of what they look like. The are strong/hold well. They will make you bleed if you stick yourself or happen to run you arm across one accidentally http://www.longarmsupplies.net/corsagepins.aspx

thequilteddove

Oh, I just realized that perhaps your frame doesn't work the same way mine does. I only pin to the leaders... I pin the bottom of the backing on the lower leader, roll it a bit. I then pin the top of the backing & the top of the batting at the same time to the top leader. I then 'lock' my head and baste a line. Lay the top along that line and zigzag baste the top. Smooth it all out, clamp the sides & then baste the edges of the quilt top to the backing/batting.

Wish I could find the video I initially learnt this method from... it's been a LONG time

mighty

I use red snappers and just love them.

sandybeach

I have started basting a 2.5 or 3 inch wide piece of scrap fabric to either end of my quilt top. Then I pin (with the flower pins) the back to the take-up leader. Then pin the top (using the scrap fabric) to the backing. I do this on my ironing/cutting table as I use Velcro to attach the leader to the metal rods. Then I mount the leader on the take-up rod. Then use the red snappers on the backing and the top. Then just insert the batting between the backing and the top and it stays where you put it. This method makes it possible to quilt right up to the very top and bottom of the quilt top and doesn't allow the pins or the red snappers to get in the way. And removing the scrap fabric is easy as it was just basted with the longest stitch on my machine. I only have a 9" throat on my Pfaff so it gets to be very close quarters.

feline fanatic

I have yet to spring for the red snappers. I have been doing just fine with my flower head pins too. I can usually load a 90" quilt and backing in under an hour. I know the snappers take less time, but I don't mind and I am not doing the kind of volume that 30 minutes makes that much of a difference as quilts that large usually take me several hours to quilt. I can load a child size quilt in about 20 to 30 minutes and a crib quilt in 15 to 20

delma_paulk

Find yourself some Red Snappers I think on Amazon.....fantastic and takes NO TIME to load a quilt! About $60 and sooooooooo worth the money.

delma

ArchaicArcane

This is the method I used to do the quilt that was on my frame before I asked the question yesterday, besides the red snappers. I liked the lack of time spent trying to get the top straight.

I'm curious as to why you don't use the red snappers for both the top and bottom of the back? I'm using the Juki, so I'm playing with just under 9". I definitely felt it today when I reached the end of the quilt I was working on. I can see a mid or long arm being in my future.... just not the near future.

Those are the ones I like!! I have about a half dozen of them from various vintage machines that I've bought.

I figured out (duh!) how to make sticking myself less likely. It was a weird epiphany when I woke up this morning. Stick the pin down, bring it up, stick it back down. No exposed point. I have no idea why it never occured to be before.

Then I dropped my super sharp scissors on my toe. Blood everywhere and it's bruised from a tiny virtually weightless pair of scissors, but I missed the quilt this time. *sigh*

I'd say that's pretty close. I have to make a "manual" channel lock, and I can't zig zag, but otherwise, pretty much the same.

I really like this idea, but do you ever find that the scrap fabric can make the top and backing crooked? I've seen a few people online who've added scrap borders.

In all honesty, I'm not doing that volume either. I just got my 4th charity quilt off the frame, and that's all I've done besides a practice sandwich that was loaded when I test drove the machine.

The biggest concern I have is that I will decide that it's taking too long to load and so I don't quilt.

I had been looking at velcro for my leaders, and or zippers, and and and. At the end of the day, because I didn't have any truly workable system without some other investment, the RS are not that expensive considering what people think of them, since the velcro was going to cost me $35, the zippers at least another $20,...

I have to straighten my leaders, and then I will install the red snappers and report my thoughts of them

kyquiltlover1942

I use velcro. One side is attached to my leader, and the other side is machine basted to the quilt backing. then I pin the backing and quilt to that. goes pretty fast.