Why Does My Longarm Machine Shift to the Right and Down???
 

Hi - I have a Handi Quilter Avante 18 with Prostitcher. I have noticed that I start out square (and I am squaring up my quilts pretty good). About mid-way down, I notice that there is less margin on the left side and more margin on the right side, and when the quilt is finished, I notice that it has also shifted down a tad. It's not bad, but I'd like to know what I need to do to correct this. Does anyone else have that problem? I hope I have explained this clearly enough.

Thank you in advance!
LaDonna

Are you quilting on a frame or a stationary machine?

If on a frame are you floating your top or loading it on the bar intended for the top? Sometimes floating can contribute to this problem. Also are you making sure when you baste the top of the top to your loaded backing and batting are you ensuring it is square when you do that first basting line?

The quilting itself will cause a bit of drawing in on the top but it sounds like your initial baste across the top is not square. For the most part, if you are allowing yourself enough excess backing and batting, the issue you are experiencing isn't going to cause problems.

Hi - I am quilting on a 12-foot frame. I'm not sure what floating means, but I put my back on the backing bar on the front and back. My top is connected to the top bar. I try to load it squarely. I use the red snappers. Then, I channel lock my computer and it stitches a straight line across the backing and batting. I line my top up with that and baste. I think next time, I will try to load it a little unlevel, pulling up more on the right side, and see if that helps. Thanks for your input.

It is also possible your leaders weren't attached perfectly straight on the rollers.

I noticed this too, when using the prostitcer - HQ fusion. I asked the HQ instructor about it and her response was "they do that". Didn't care for that answer.

I have always floated my quilt tops. I started measuring from the right side to the side arm, and as I work down the quilt I make sure to keep that straight. Most often I have to pull on it a bit to keep it from being sucked the other way. I think it's from the top being pulled into the batting as it's quilted. It's not much but over 100" it does add up. When using the robotics, you'll be starting on the left and working to the right, so the right side is where you are going to see it.

I also check that I'm staying straight with every advance of the quilt. Since I float, it's super easy to adjust left/right and up/down as needed. I find it's normal that I'll have to ease one side up a bit here and there to keep it straight. I'd be afraid to just keep working down and hoping for the best - I know by how much I adjust that it problably would not be good. It's not a lot, but even easing 1/8" inch for each turn could add up to an inch or more at the bottom. My HQ also likes a loose quilt - I roll it taut, pin and then back off 2-3 notches. This way I keep the back and top the same when I loosen it.

I don't baste at all. I pin the top edge and remove the pins as I go. I pin the sides as I work down.

What I do might sound like a lot of futzing, but it's really not. I can pin load a quilt with backing and be ready to stitch in about 30 minutes (for a queen quilt)

Check to make sure your frame is absolutely square. Also, when you baste your sides, don’t baste downward. Baste Upwards.

In addition to square, lso verify that you are level. I found I needed a big 3-4 foot long level to find the dip in the floor at my friend's house. In that case it was the front center support that was low, the outer corners were just fine. My friend is tall and the adjustable feet were already out a bit, but the right piece of cardboard did the trick.

So does the machine drift on it's own anywhere -- like if you put it in the middle with no fabric on the frame does it move at all? My guess is it would go the same way as your issue.

I float my pieced top. This allows me to make adjustments easier. My Nolting tries to drift because I always start sewing on the right side moving to the left, as I am standing behind the machine. This pushes the quilt to the left. I take a lot of extra care to give it a fudge factor....maybe 1/4" before I start stitching. And I start off the right side of the quilt and stitch into the pattern. I also do a basting stitch along the outside edge down a bit and go from the bottom up to where the already quilted part is and the pattern starts. I do use mostly Pantographs. My free motion quilting leaves a lot to be desired. Every time I roll, I have to pull the right side back a bit. I have a good eye for keeping the quilting straight, but every once in a while, it just doesn't work out. I just go with it then.

Thank you! I'm not sure if that is the problem, but I re-did my leaders tonight. I'll start my quilt in the morning.

When I get up the courage, I will try to float my quilt top and see how that does. That's not a good answer from the HQ person - "they do that". That's terrible, actually. Thanks for your help!

Wow! I learned something. I always baste downwards. I'll start basting upwards and see what that does. Thanks!

Thanks, I think my machine stays where I leave it, but when I get the quilt off tomorrow, I will put a level on it just to be sure!

Reading this thread with interest!

Cindi -(or anyone else for that matter!) - Could you please explain the basting Upwards? Why does it matter? I'm going to give it a try, but I like to understand the why part of it....

basting the the sides upward! wow! hadn't ever thought of that but it sure makes some sense. One thing I've made myself do even though it takes 2 seconds longer! is when I get to the bottom, I bastes the sides down straight and then baste the bottom from the middle out both directions--seems to keep those weird too long points from happening on the bottom corners.

When you baste downwards, it will incrementally and minutely shift your fabric down on the sides, which can lead to the ends being longer than the center. When you baste upwards, that fabric stays put right where it is, meeting up with the previous basting as you advance the quilt - which should be square if you’ve lined it up correctly.

I also use a shock cord and toggle clips on my longarm. I like this better than the long pink Colonial longarm centering tape that I used to use, because it stays put as you advance, and those little sharp pink slide markers don’t get caught in my fabric (those toggle clips won’t budge!). It stays absolutely straight, and I know that my quilt is lined up perfectly. Here’s a pic of it:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]608649[/ATTACH]

I like that shock cord and clips! That would be much easier than measuring with every advance, just move the clips to the correct spot and it won't change.

If you’ve got your quilt straight and square, you should never have to move the clips. Just adjust the fabric slightly to line it up.

This has been an informative thread post...I baste my sides upwards. I’ve only done about six quilts on my new LA but have not had any wonky experiences (yet), however, I will be anxious to try QuiltingShortimer’s trick of basting the bottom out to each side from the middle.

MacyBaby, can I ask why you pin down your sides rather than basting? That has my curiosity.

This has been great as I have the same problem--I'm not alone. I really just keep an eye on my sides as I roll and make small adjustments. You are right the bigger quilts are the hardest to control--baby size don't bother me much. Maybe part of it is the weight on larger quilts and how they gather up on the back roller!

Cindi, can you share where you found the bungee cord setup ... or did you make it yourself? Looks really useful.

BTW, I checked out your blog and I love your cutting table! I've seen that design with the Ikea sections before, but your version is really nice . Cup holders and trash bin built in: genius!

I quilt on an Innova with IQ. When I'm doing a panto I put on my "bowl foot". Since I've been using that with pantographs I have no shifting at all. The foot glides over everything. I think my regular foot had a tendency to sort of "push" stuff along if it encountered any sort of bump (seams...). I LOVE this foot!

jmoore - mostly I don't baste because it gives me grief when I go to sew on the binding. I sew all my bindings by machine and find it lays nicer for me if I don't have a line of stitching in the seam allowance.

I am a Handi Quilter educator and I have that happen as well. You are doing everything right. I also add a centering tape on my idler bar so I'm sure my sides stay straight. When I do an edge to edge I go off my quilt about 1-2". Very often I will use drag and drop from a spot in the center and adjust accordingly.

This is an issue. That is why you need to resquare them up or replace them periodically. Working with crooked leaders can definitely cause issues. I know of several professional longarmers that re-square them up periodically by stitching them together (while still on the rack) and spray starching and steaming them to get them back into square and letting them dry. This will only work a few times before they eventually need to be replaced.

There was an excellent post about just this issue on the MQR forum recently but I believe posting a link to that posting is against QB rules.

Awww, thank you! I love my cutting table, for sure. I made the cord setup myself. You can either use 1/4” bungee cord or non-stretchy cord. I prefer the non-stretchy, and picked it up at Home Depot. Ordered a package of 20 toggle locks from Amazon. Twenty clips was the perfect number for me.

thanks Cathy...I knew there was a logical reason behind your pinning versus basting. I’m going to give it a try on one of my next crib quilts. I usually sew the bindings on them as they get washed more often.

Thank you all! I did most everything everyone told me. I measured with a level. It was level. I measured and re-did my leaders. I basted upwards. Everything came out perfectly! I'm hoping it will stay that way when I put a queen quilt on the frame! Someone mentioned bowl foot - I use the HQ glide foot, which I really like.

Cindi - The shock cord and toggle clips are just to keep it straight, right? They do not replace the side clips that keep the quilt taunt, right? Also, would you only use this set up on a floating quilt? Thanks!

Yay! Glad to turned out well! Yes, the shock cord helps keep everything straight. No, it’s not just for floating quilts. Anyone can use it.

Yes, set this up myself. If you look a little further up the post, I give the info on what is needed to do it. I quilt on an Innova, but it can be done on any frame.

Cindi - Love the set up you use! How did you attach the bungee cord to the side arms of the frame?

Machine quilters resource. It is a forum dedicated to machine quilters but predominently longarmers.

Like this. It can be easily removed if necessary.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]608842[/ATTACH]

Cindi - thanks for the explanation about basting upwards on the sides. I really like your bungee set up as well.

Thank you Cindi!!

A different method
 

I use my Chanel locks to keep my floated quilt top straight horizontally and vertically. I attach a tape measure on each side of the frame at the top of the loaded quilt. and place a pin on the tape at the left and right edges of the quilt. I then move the tape measure down to position it close to the belly bar. I shift the quilt until the bottom of the quilt is perfectly between the pins making any needed adjustments to make it fit. I then set my Chanel lock and and starting at the upper edge run the machine down each side and pin each edge in place. I then reset my Chanel block and pass the machine along the longest horizontal seam (not stitching) and make adjustments if necessary to straighten that seam. I do this each time I roll the quilt. When I get to the bottom border there are never any surprises. It adds about 4 minutes to each row but can save hours in the long run. I love floating the top. It gives me so much more control then when I use to attach the bottom.

I installed the bunge cord with the clips- done four kids quilts and - man oh man is that nice!

So glad it works for you, Cathy - I hope it’s making the quilting easier for you!

I read through all of these, I was going to add that I use a centering measuring tape to keep my floated top square. I like the idea of basting "up' the sides and the bungee cord idea too. And Cindi I sent you a PM. Just love your cutting table set up! thanks for posting.