Pros & Cons of floating a top!
 

I started out pinning the back and rolling it , adding the batting and then pinning the top and rolling it. Later I saw someone floating the top, I did it and liked it better.

I told the person that taught me that I now float my tops and she was in disbelieve that I would do that. Some times I find that it is easier to work in a top that is not too square... What do you LAers do??

Could you please explain the floating process? Anything that could make life easier with a domestic machine is welcome!

i always liked floating my tops. sometimes, though, they can go crooked, so that needs to be watched

I like floating my tops and have found the clips (got mine from Jamie Wallen) keep the top snug when extra tension is needed.

Does this technique only apply to long arm quilting?

I think so

Yes, this is a frame quilting technique. No way to float a top with a domestic machine, I'm afraid!

I tried floating, but found I get better results the traditional way -- keeps everything square and even.

I've always floated my tops, and use a longarm tape to keep them from going crooked. It works like a charm! Wouldn't be without it. I align the markers along each edge and every sash. Really keeps things square.
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Here's a picture of it "in action":
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MFord, "floating" is when only the top edge of the quilt is attached to the frame, and the rest just hangs over the bar. I float my top and batting, but attach the backing to keep it taut, since it's harder to see. I used to float it all, but when I ended up with a fold in my backing that I didn't catch until later, I started rolling my backing again. Here's a quilt floated:
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Cindi... thanks ever so much for posting that! I saw it in a picture here once [may have been on your setup] and thought that I really need to get myself one of those!!!

I too pin and roll rather than float.......I like it just a bit snugger than just laying there and i can control it better.......I also baste sides as I go and use clamps.....been doing this for almost 20 yrs now......then machine quilting was frowned on, now look how far it has come. We each have to find the way that works best for us.

I also float. I like to be able to reach in & really smooth the batting and fix seams that have flopped the wrong way. I also have better luck keeping everything straight by floating it. I purchased the long tape when Cindi first posted about it (last summer?). It really helps a lot.

What works best for me is to float smaller quilts, but pin and roll large quilts (queen size). I also use the longarm tape with all my quilts.

I'm a floater! I pin only the back on the take up roller leader. Then I float the batting about 2 - 3 inches from the pin line on the take up roller, then float the top on that. I also attach side leaders to the backing to keep it taut. That and the weight of the backing, batting and top provide plenty of tension until the last row or so. At that time, I attach the remaining backing to the next roller, tighten it up, and finish the quilt.

This method was necessitated by back, neck, shoulder arm and hand pain that happened when I attached all layers of the quilt to the frame rails. It took a couple of quilts to get it to work right, but since then this method has worked very well.

I usually float my tops also and the things to hold the quilt that Jamie wallen sells But when the quilt gets short enough you can't use them I do pin the top to the rail it seems to work pretty good for me.

I'm a floater also. I like the ability to be able to smooth the batting as I go along. I also use the clamps from Jamie or I've started using the magnetic strips I got from Harbor freight. It depends on the quilt which one I use. I also use the centering tape on larger quilts to keep them straight. Smaller ones can be seen sooner for getting off kilter. I also don't pin, I use red snappers to attach backing to the frame. I do, however, have to pin the bottom edge sometimes when I get down to it.

I've learned both ways from my LAQ friend. With my first quilt, she taught me leader everything, then baste both horizontally and vertically the entire quilt before winding it back to the top and start quilting. From the 2nd quilt on, we just leader the back of the quilt and float both the batting and the top. It think it's important to note that we baste the entire quilt with large 1 inch stitches before we begin quilting, so there are not surprises when we get to the bottom of the quilt.

I started out pinning my top as I was taught, but then heard from others about floating the top. It is much quicker to load the quilt this way. I use magnetic bars (found at Harbor Freight and covered with muslin) to hold the top in place on the bar next to me (called either the top or belly bar). I also use painters tape to mark the sides on this same bar. That way when I roll it, I can immediately square it back up. Works well for me. I don't have any cons.

Nan, Where did you get your "long arm centering tape"?

Cindy, What kind of magnets did you get from Harbor Freight? Can you post a picture on how you use them?

Floating IMHO is the only way to go LOL. Cindi thanks fr the pic of the centering tape. What a great tool

I too am a floater. It is much quicker and like PaperPrincess, I like access to the back of the quilt. For minor adjustments I will pin the sides to the backing and baste the sides before attaching the side clamps.

That being said if the quilt is not square or is some how wonky I will use the traditional pinning method which allows a bit of finesse!!

Cindy - I am intrigued with what magnets you use from Harbor Freight - my DH often goes there when we are down near the store - it is amazing what can be repurposed fro sewing from there.

Picked it up at my LQS. You can also get it online at JoAnn's and Amazon.

I also have 2 18 inch magnetic bars, they are very strong and holds the top taut, thank you for all your input. Sometimes when someone who has been quilting longer than you frowns on your method you can get a little unsure of your method. I see that many of you float.. I guess that we can quilt to your own ..drumbeat..

I technically float my tops, but square up, baste the sides and across the belly bar of the whole quilt. That way I can find any problem areas and ease them in. It takes more time "up front" , but advancing and quilting is a breeze!

I don't float my backing but I do float the batting and top. I find it easier to keep square this way.

I use those 18" magnetic holders [bars] from Harbor Freight that are meant to hold tools on the wallActually I use a QuilTal for the bottom backing and tops of my larger quilts.

I have a mid arm bed and on my particular model, every one is floated - although I had not realised this before. I have no problem with it.

This is my method also. I'm seriously considering trying the Red Snapper system though, as even just the above hurts my back & shoulders, so anything larger than a baby quilt has to be pinned a few hours before I start quilting on it. Ahhhh, the joys of growing older! LOL Thankful to be alive and well otherwise, though!

I pinned down my first couple of quilts that I did and then tried floating the top & batting. I have a lot better success keeping everything straight and not getting tucks anywhere in a quilt when I float the top. I have a very good eye for knowing if the quilt is still square or not and they all seem to try to move a little bit, or maybe it's because I start from the right side as I am standing at the back and move towards the left with the sewing. I don't do a lot of free motion quilting yet. I'm still doing Panto's.

I will say that as I move down the quilt, every time I roll to the next area, I do pin the sides of the area that I am working on to keep it as still as possible. I, also, have clamps that I use to keep the sewing area taut. I remove those pins when I am through quilting in the area, roll the quilt, and then re-pin. It works well for me and I am a very new long arm quilter.

Edited to add: I quilt on a very seasoned 1998 Nolting long arm with a 24" throat. If I had one of the longarms that had the locks so you could sew a straight line down the sides, I would not pin the sides, I would baste them. But my Nolting is dependent on me to go straight and, good luck with that. lol

Another thing. I use those big corsage pins that you can get in almost any silk flower area in stores to pin my quilts. I did have to smooth them down because they had a lot of "grabbies" on them. I used a combination of steel wool and sandpaper. These pins are study enough to hold anything I want to quilt. They do not roll well if I leave them in the sides so I cannot roll the quilt unless I remove them. No problem, I only put 3 or 4 on each side for each sewing area. It takes about 10 seconds to remove both sides.

Merry Christmas to all. Foods in the oven and I am catching up on my favorite website.

Some traditional West Virginia hand quilters used the same method. Making quilts never died away in the mountains as it did in many other places.

Newly married in the 1970's and new in our small town, an old-time quilter invited me to her home to show me how she 'put in' ( the frame) a quilt. She didn't have a name for it but the backing was basted to the two bars of her traditional frame with one end rolled all the way and rag strips stretching the sides. She then laid on the batt and the top, pinning the area between the bars--the section to be quilted. The remaining batt and top were rolled loosly at the far side. She quilted within her reach, unpinned the side rags and rolled under the finished section; she repined the sides, smoothed on the next section of batt and top, pin basted and the next part was ready to quilt.

This was a revelation--my grandmothers (quilters by necessity) had stopped piecing and quilting before I was born and had passed on before I discovered quilts so their tutelage was lost. Another dear old mountain top quilter had given me her old home-made frames but since I had learned quilting from books and had very little space I quailed at "basting the sandwich". After Miss Dollie's cute I put in and finished my first hand quilted project.

Miss Dollie's quilts were beautifully hand quilted. After my lesson she gave me a tour to see some of her quilts, lovingly displayed in little wallpapered, eaved bedrooms.

I don't understand floating a top when using a domestic machine.I'm a LA'er.I pin the backing to my frame then baste the batt to the backing with a straight line.This straight line is necessary to keep everything straight during the quilting.I baste the sides as I do the quilting and the quilt is rolled.I use a pink centering tape and keep the sides straight as the quilting happens.As I get to the bottom I make sure it straight with the rest of the quilt.And continue to quilt until it is finished.How is all of this done off the frame?I can't see how this can be done off frame.

I have one of these but have a major problem with it. Every time I start to roll (advance) the quilt, the pink markers slip and end up being more troublesome than helpful. Any tips for that?

It's not. Floating can only be done if you're quilting on a frame. Some people have midarms (DSMs with 9" or larger throat) on a frame, and in that setup you can float a top. But it's the frame that enables the floating.

"After my lesson she gave me a tour to see some of her quilts, lovingly displayed in little wallpapered, eaved bedrooms."

Greenheron, that's a beautiful story that you shared. You really painted a picture in my mind. :-)

Might work - if you try it, let me know how it goes.

I float all my tops too. I only loaded one quilt top onto the leaders, and it was totally wonky. Fortunately it was one of my own :).

If a quilt top isn't square (and most aren't), and then you pin it to the leaders, it's going to quilt crooked. But if you float it, you can ease it in where needed to make it square.

I have Red Snappers and I LOVE THEM. I hated pinning and was ready to give up my long arm before I found them.