Originally Posted by dixiechunk
I have a question for those who use leaders and enders or spiders or bunny ears...
I use them when I chain piece to save thread. However, I don't understand how this helps with the issue of pulling down the fabric into the hole. Unless you hold the thread toward the back of the machine the same problem that happens with your fabric patches should also happen when you sew the leader/enders. They're fabric too. So, how do these leader/enders help? Not being snarky, just curious.
Not sure how everyone else does it, but my leaders/enders are pieces of fabric that are folded over in half or thirds and I just butt one up to the very edge of the last piece I'm sewing and sew right on to it and cut all of the other pieces off that I'm working on. Then when I start piecing again I butt the first piece right up to the edge of the leader that I left under the needle and sew right on to it. If I use a thick leader (folded three or four times) it also helps me when my first piece has a thick seam right at the starting edge (such as two HST) and helps it flow right under the needle.