Ditto, me too....

It takes me a couple hours to load if it is a big one but I am new so hoping I can get it a little faster eventually. It makes me really excited though to get to the quilting part. I absolutely hate pinning layers!!!!!!That was the only part of the quilting I hated.

It takes me longer to get up the nerve to take that first stitch than it does to load the quilt on the frame. But it's getting better. Usually an hour to load and the next day to start sewing....

It takes me about 45 to 60 minutes to load a king. I have velcro leaders, but I have never taken them off to baste to the quilt. I tried floating the top one time and did not like the results. I do float the batting. Even with the loading time I can do an all over design in 4 - 6 hours depending on the size.

When we move to Virginia there are a couple of LAQ stores in the town where we will be living, I noticed one of them will rent time on there long arm. I am excited to try that out and be able to learn how to load the quilt. I think that would be the most intimidating part of the whole process. Or at least for me it is. I love to go to quilt shows and "play" on all the machines. They look at you funny if you take more than a couple of minutes wasting there thread.

I have a Handiquilter (HQ 16) and it takes me about 45 minutes...at most, an hour.

How do you float the batting, etc?......I'm still learning.

I have helped a couple friends do top and it never took use that long to load a quilt.

To float the batting, all you do is anchor it down to the backing (I do this with my LA - just baste a straight line across the top of the backing and batting). And then simply push it under the 'top' or 'belly' bar, and over the backing bar - letting it hang down. Then of course, your quilt top would go on next. You can float it the same way (save your basting for both until here if doing it this way) and let it hang down (pushing it beneath the belly bar and over the backing bar).

I almost always float mine - just faster and I have no problems. I figured out the fastest method for me, after trying every single I read/learned about. I learned to baste with the LA so there are no pins on the velcro leaders. I can rip them off and on and change quilts or test pieces in a second, once the quilt is basted to them. Easy peasy :)

I show the basting on a utube video I made. Search for 'DebbieHQ'. It's in 3-4 very small videos as I didn't know how to combine them (silly me!).
Debbie in Austin

I'm glad you got to see the process. It really is interesting.

When you say, "get the quilt, batting and backing loaded" is that all the steps she did? Did that 2 hours count the time to square up the backing and maybe the top? And also to cut the batting to size?

And you didn't even mention threading the machine or winding all the bobbins.

Longarming is different than hand quilting or tabletop quilting but really, even with machines, quilting is a labor intensive craft. If it's going to be done well, it is going to take some time.

I don't mind taking my time when I load a quilt. It's well worth it to load carefully. It really needs to be done right to have a great result.

When I first started on my LA it took me a lot longer to load a quilt, now about 45 mins. to an hour. If some one was working with you, she was taking her time so that you understood all the steps to loading.
Brenda in cold MN/WI

Thinking on this advice.... :) :) :) The problem may be that you're not playing some really rocking music!!!!!! I hope DH NEVER takes a video of me loading my machine. I have good ole fifties rock and roll going and my butt starts boogying....yeah, time really flies!!!! LOL

Same here 30 to 40 min at the most. Even if it takes 2hr to load the quilt for quilting just think how long it took you to get it to that point :roll: :wink:

Mercy, that must have been a HUGE quilt! It takes me 20-45 minutes to pin on a quilt. If you use Red Snappers it is even faster. And I have only been quilting for a little over 2 years.

I found that out about loading the quilt, etc and decided I really dislike the idea and have decided to not purchase one. My new Viking is doing the job just fine for what I need.

I also float the batting and top. I use the long basting stitch and go from center out on the top and then down the sides as far as possible. It makes loading the quilt much faster. I still pin my backing but am considering purchasing the Red Snappers(I think that is what it is called). Saw a video on it and it is very fast and easier on the old hands, lol.

Wow, does it really take that long to load a quilt?? I can load a queen one in less than 10 minutes. Then I can get to the fun part. Quilting fun designs. I use my Leadergrips. Check out the website www.leadergrips.com on the u-tube there is a demo for the gammill machines and another one by Man quilter for the AOQS machines.
Ginnie

I am new to LA (2 months) and I was surprised how long it took to load the frame but I think I'm getting quicker. I get my back loaded and pinned to the takeup leader and then float the batting and top and pin it to the takeup. I have leaders for all the rails (except of course the batting rail) and am wondering if it would be quicker to put the leaders on to the backing and top without them being on the rails. I sit down when I put the backing and top on their respective rails so it is not too bad on my back, otherwise I'd be mighty sore. I hated to pin my quilts because I always used the table, never the floor because we have pets, and invariably I would get one section done and find I had to adjust another. With the LA that simple doesn't happen.

Dee, you are a nut, for sure! Should I video when DH and I come down your way through town???? :shock: :shock: :shock:

Currently, I don't have a long arm but I have found this thread to be very imformative. I am planning to go to a somewhat LQS that rents their Gammill and give it a try. Everyone's comparative input concerning all that you have to do to prepare a quilt to do on your DSM vs. LA seems logical to me. If you care, it takes time. Thanks Bella for posing the question and thanks everyone for your help. :-D

Wow.

i also pin the backing to the leaders (20 minutes), lay down the batting and the top and machine baste straight across (5-10 minutes) and float the batting and top without rolling them.
i don't even stitch the sides. i use a dowel and clamp technique that works for me and i advance that as i go along with the normal clamping. 2 hours to load the frame sounds excessive.

My first quilt took me about an hour and a half to load. It's been getting faster with each quilt.
Then I thought I'd try the zippered leaders, ordered them, they're sitting in the corner.
So, I ordered the Red Snappers. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THEM!!
Now I just snap the quilt on and I'm ready to go in 10-15 minutes. Yeah!

I tried pinning, I tried sewing to the leaders with my domestic machine. Then I got the red snappers! I have a couple of sets of leaders, put rod pockets on them, now I can snap backing to leaders on or off machine. The leaders have velcro on one edge, rod pocket on the other. Makes it possible to switch out quilts (nice when I decide I need to put on a practice quilt to perfect a technique). Red snappers are great! I have adapted some for side tension, too. I float top and backing so it doesnt take more than a minute or 2 to swap out a quilt.

On my Singer Short(mid)Arm machine , I would say it takes between
30-45 min. depending on size of project. (That doesn't include pressing
the quilt top, often piecing customer's backing fabric, and cutting required
length of batting) And, no, I don't have any of the gadgets
to make things easier.
I never "float" batting and backing, as I prefer things to be
in absolute alignment and taut as I quilt.

I know if I had felt the thrill for it, the time wouldn't have mattered at all. My passion for wanting a LA machine has fizzled out a whole lot and I'm glad it wasn't after I bought one.

I just loaded one. Took me 17 minutes and I'm ready to quilt. I didn't hurry, just pinned the backing to the leaders, rolled the backing and arranged the batting and top.

Ok those Red snappers look awesome! I may need to look at those.. I have the tendancy to get my shirts caught on the pins at the bottom of the quilts. I'm leaning over to check my stitches most of the time that I do that... but those look like they would really help.

mary, do you machine baste cross the top? ooops! i think you said yes.

what are Pinmoors?

What are Red Snappers and where do you get them?

quiltsonthecorner.com carries the red snappers developed by Renae Haddadin. They secure your quilt back (and/or top) to the leaders on a quilting frame without pins. They are fantastic and much cheaper than similar products. Pinmoors are like mini-marshmallows made of foam. They cover the point on a straight pin and keep it from slipping out of the fabric or poking you.

Thanks for the info. I have just purchased a quilting frame and am setting it up. I need all the help I can get.

Dear Bella, I am sorry you feel this way. At first when I began reading this post I too felt a little discouraged and slowly I began to get more excited. Then, I visited a shop about 45 minutes from my home who rents out their Gammill for $20 an hour. The owner told me that the first lesson is 2 hours for $20 and then $20 an hour after that. She also said they are on hand to help with anything I might need help with until the quilt is finished.

I am now more excited about the advantages of renting. The store A.) owns/pays for the cost of the machine B.) pays for the maintanence and helps you when you need help. ALSO, since my quilt is loaded on their machine I will finish it and not let the project linger since it costing me per hour to rent. I believe, and may find I am wrong later, that it will cost me much less in the long run and help me better decide if I would ever want the expensive on owning my own.

Once I recover from my surgery I plan to take the lap quilt top I have finished for my Dad and take a run at this long arming. I will have to let you know how it goes. :-D :-D