DebraK

once you've Snapped, there is no going back ;-)

quilter1

T pins are useless for this purpose. I use the long flat flower pins.

ckcowl

I've been using 2" long flower pins for years- they are sharp, flat and with practice I have managed to be much faster loading- I can generally load a king sized quilt top, backing & batting In less than an hour. just takes practice & getting a 'routine'...and nice sharp flat pins...the T pins I have seen are so thick...I can not imagine trying to force them through the canvas leaders- my flower pins are thin & sharp- goes through the canvas easily.

bearisgray

The Red Snappers concept looks a lot like the q-snap frame. Are they similar in concept?

AliKat

I fist used corsage pins: 100 in the box, sold by a quilt store that used to send a truck with orders from California.

I also have a Quiltak gun and use their 2" fasteners for the bottom of the top of the quilt. I found I could get closer to the quilt top edge when using my HQ.

I now have red snappers for the take up roller and the backing roller bars. I also used them for the quilt top but haven't finished the quilt now on the frame. So, not sure if I'll remove them from the quilt top when I get to the bottom of it.

Re: red snappers ... I couldn't put the rods together and had to get help from a fellow quilter's husband [he's an engineer and I knew he wouldn't harm my red snappers.] Also, the first few times using the r.s. will probably require more time and hand pressure. Mine took me a bit of time but at my friend's home her r.s.'s were easier to put on.

I also have the magnet bars from Harbor Freight so I can float my top. Just haven't used them yet.

MaryStoaks

I use the quilting pins with yellow plastic round heads. They come in boxes of 500, pretty reasonable price-wise. I just bought a new supply and tossed my old (5 years) ones. New pins do make loading easier. Just like rotary blades, change them when they're dull.

DebraK

yes, a sleeve snaps over the material and tubing. more flexible than PVC. Some sort of plastic extrusion. The tubing fits inside a sleeve on your leaders.

ArchaicArcane

I watched that video after you mentioned it. I can't figure out how the magnets don't deform the fabric (assuming they're earth magnets) or slide right off (assuming they're not) She does a good job with it, I must tension my quilts tighter than she does, cos it seems like it shouldn't stay, even though it does. I've read / watch a few of CraftyGemini's offerings. I agree, she seems competent.

I was going to use my chainstitching machine to do the zipper, but I can see how that will wear out and wear thin eventually.

I gave in. After all the rave reviews for the Red Snappers, I located a set in Edmonton. They were pricy, but I get to use them as soon as I get the current quilt off the frame. About $20 more than if I'd shipped them from Nancy's notions. I think it was the times people are taking to load a quilt that convinced me.

So you must be doing the baste the batting to the backing then use it as a reference then baste the top to the reference line method? It looks slick. I'll be trying that once I get the current quilt off the frame.

I probably phrased that badly. A month ago, I found someone who would order the zippers for me. She said she had no idea when she'd get the order done, so I can call her and say thanks but I don't need them anymore. The craft stores I can find. The others I'm not sure of. Luckily, I get wholesale on my sewing notions anyway, and corsage pins are one of the things I can get.

I had been thinking about having to create another leader for the zippers to attach to, and being able to get that crooked too, and,... you're right. The RSs seem like they're less fussy. I need less fussy, because I don't need anything stopping me from quilting.

Do the RSs ever deform the fabric with how firmly they install?

I would probably look at the Red E-Edge clamps if I hadn't built the side leaders that Sharon Schamber uses.

Yes, Apparently I am very motivated by avoiding pain

I laughed out loud when I read this. The people in the food court of the mall I was walking through thought I was a nut. This settled it for me.

Thanks for the warning about the first couple of uses. I'll make sure DH Is around to help if necessary. I'd like to hear what you decide to do when you get to the bottom of your quilt!
What was difficult about assembly? It looked straight forward in the video I watched, but if there's a gotcha....

How do the magnet bars work? I don't think I've heard of that before... or is this the same as quiltingloulou mentioned above?

DOTTYMO

I have a longarm and I stitched a piece of fabric very well onto the thick ticking. I then pin using any pins but I have recently started using curved safety pins to the fabric. Much easier than pushing through the ticking.

Hope you find your answer.

Geri B

Ditto on above mentioned flat flower pins....can take two bites w one pin....and pin head to toe across the canvas. Have been doing this for over ten yrs!