??- what are leaders and enders?
 

I see the terms leaders and enders used a lot, even saw a quilt picture posted recently that was made with leaders and enders. I don't understand what they are. Up until now, I've thought it was something long armers used to get the quilt rolled onto the frame. Now, not so sure. Can someone explain? Thank you! Trying to build me knowledge. :-)

Leaders and enders are used to start sewing on before you come to the block. Any tangles or problems with the fabric going into the plate will be on this piece of fabric and not affect your block. Just use a small scrap of fabric at the beginning and end of the chain piecing and problems are avoided. Hope this helps.

Thanks! That makes sense. I know sometimes the edge of the fabric gets kinda knotted up before it smoothes out. I guess this would prevent that. Thanks so much for the explanation!

Bonnie Hunter explains making a quilt with the leaders and enders. Basically instead of sewing on and off scraps you piece something together. http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2005/...-and-hows.html

I can also understand your confusion with longarming because the canvas that is attached to the rollers on a quilting rack is also called a Leader. But normally when you see leaders and enders mentioned we are referring to Bonnie Hunter's method linked by Pagzz.

They are a small scrap of fabric that you leave under your needle especially if you piece like I do using a lot of grey thread. You begin piecing with it at the beginning of your sewing and when you are thru sewing, you end with one. It saves a lot on thread usage. Some people even sew their squares together this way. I have been doing this for over 20 years. This also prevents you bobbin thread from nesting upon itself.

To clarify - here is MY understanding:

Bonnie's technique differs a tiny bit from Maniac's description above. Bonnie essentially pieces 2 quilts at the same time. She chain-pieces her patches for one quilt, then when she's done for the moment, she uses 2 patches from a different quilt as an ender (or leader) and sews it with a 1/4" seam. That way you can be REALLY thrifty with your thread, and still prevent nests. :)

It's a great way to sew for two quilts at once. I don't like doing it though. I'm not a big chain piecer. I like to make one block at a time.

Bonnie demos this on a video on her quilt cam. She did one recently with using tumbler templates. She has a quilt cam dated recently (7-22-2015). I usually don't watch the night she airs quilt cam. I watch it later. [QUOTE=Peckish;7277772]To clarify

I understand about leaders and enders - but as far as piecing two quilts at the same time - if the two patches sewn together as leaders don't bunch up why would the regular fabric? Folks don't seem to need a "pre-leader" where ithey start in the middle of the patch