very clear.
i have never basted the sides, but i saw a tute on youtube that showed that.
okay...so the top of the batting and the top of the top are basted down to the backing. veeerrry close to the top edge. within 1/4" i assume. or actually, if it's basted, it doesn't matter.
so you don't float anything cause it's stitched along the sides all the way.
do you roll the batting (i don't)?
i have always pinned the backing to my leader. my backing has had to be longer to accomodate this method or else i quilted right into the leader. i then pinned the batting and top together on the backing. the result was little swoops between the pins along the top edge.
my poles are 10' long. i imagine i will have to get seperating zippers the same length as my leaders. bayside quilting has wonderful leader material with stripes.
i also saw a tute where a piece of fabric is cut the length of the field between your bars. it is pinned a lot along that edge of the backing. it is about 2 - 3" wide and at the outside edge of this piece there is a casing through which a small dowel or narrow plastic piping goes. THEN the clamps are applied and the result is very even pull along the sides. does that make any sense?