Hi there, new to the site. Looking for a trouble shooter. My husband is working on a levi patch quilt. (called buffalo blankets) All the Levi pieces are glued and sewn together. (We are using a Grace rack). When we place it on the rack to tie, we place the bottom fabric on the rollers and secure, then place the batting and top on the higher roller and use a leader fabric to secure to the roller.
He ties the first two rows, then moving both rollers forward continues thru to the end.
The problem is when he's finished, the blanket is bunched between rows. Neither of us is sure what we are not doing, or are doing but doing it wrong. The blanket has a wavy appearence instead of fairly flat.
:?: :(
Give us some clues to check, thank you soo much.
Sauce

I have never tied a quilt but my guess is that either some part of the quilt, maybe the top, is loaded unto the rack too tight. Maybe loosing up the knots on the rack will help.

Maria

I've never done a quilt this way, so I can only guess.

My bet is that the rollers are taking up the quilt unevenly. What kind of fabric is the backing? I'm wondering if it is stretching as you roll and tie, then springing back when you take the quilt off the frame. Or maybe it is the top that is stretching as you roll.

Or maybe the quilt is really thick and the takeup rollers are really small. (If you roll any thick quilt on a thin rod like a broomstick handle, the inner side of the quilt will wrinkle.) This would make more sense to me if he were tying from the back of the quilt.

Since I've never done it I can't be sure, but I would think that if you roll the quilt to the middle after it is mounted and then tie from the middle out, that might help.

I'm thinking the same thing as the rest.
Don't have a long arm to put one on, but you might just want to take it off and tie it off the rack. Easiest way to tie it would be to drape it over your dining table. Then start from the middle and tie outwards and upwards, then move it and tie more. That way, you can keep it flat.

i'm thinking the same as trini. start from the centre and work out. but i also think this is like when you're quilting and need a walking foot because the top layer is moving along at a different speed than the bottom. the bottom moves faster and the top gets pushed down so that it finishes with it's lower end even lower than the backing.

maybe the batting is too thick? maybe the fabrics are too heavy for the frame set-up? maybe you can start in the centre even in the frame and work outward toward each end while on the frame?

have you used the frame before? have any trouble with it? i had this problem with my last frame when i tried to get too much on the roller at one time. it creased between rows of horizontal stitches. i think it was wound too tight to fit it in too small a space and got all squooshed.

First quilt I did on my Grace frame was a tied quilt. Make sure you are not pulling top and/or backing too tight. Also, make sure you are tie at the distance recommended by the batting manufacturer. I think for a low loft you a supposed to tie or quilt no more than 4 inches apart. So ~ if you tie closer it might help.

PQ
Rebecca