[A leader is a piece of fabric to start the sewing with so fabric &/or thread doesn't bunch in the beginning. I keep a "leader" and "ender" on - simply feed it into the throat as fabric I'm piecing is finished. It saves lots of thread because you don't have to pull it out & cut, just snip between the scrap leader and pieced fabric and keep going. I do a long row of pieces whenever possible, then snip. The "ender" stays under the needle and becomes the "leader" for the next piecing.
If I'm organized enough, I use 2 1/2 inch scraps that will eventually become another quilt - but that organization is more wishful thinking than fact.
Jan[/quote][/quote]
I have seen this suggestion before but I don't really understand, don't you then have the same issue with starting your leader with the thread getting caught?[/quote]
OK - a bit more - I do hold the thread for the 1st leader I feed into the machine. After that, I chain stitch my quilt pieces, as many pieces as I can have ready to sew, then add an "ender". I sew through to the end of the "ender" piece I've added after the quilt pieces, leaving it under the needle already stitched.
Then the next 2 quilt pieces I sew have the former "ender" now being the leader for the next piecing. No bunching of thread because the piece has been left in place under the needle.
Clear as mud?
Maybe there is a tutorial somewhere with pictures - pics always help me.