Nilla

Hi everyone. I'm so excited to have recently purchased a new long arm machine. I remember reading ideas from others about how to see the quilt backing while it's on the long arm. I believe one person taped a hand mirror to a long stick so she could slide it under the quilt to make sure the tension was good on the back side. I was hoping others could make suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

Toni C

I crawl under with a flashlight. My old eyes could never see under that dark through a tiny mirror

Nilla

Funny you should mention that. My DH said he could probably figure out a way to attach a small flash light to a mirror. He also mentioned some tool at Sears that is used to see under a motor that might work well.

PaperPrincess

I still can't see crawling under with a flashlight. I do a block, or part of the border on one of the edges, then release the tension on the belly bar and unroll the quilt a bit so I can flip the edge over & take a look. If the tension is OK, I don't look again. I will say that I usually do all the same kind of quilt (quilting cotton tops and backings, w&N or w&W batting) and use the same brand of thread in top and bobbin, so I don't usually have any issues.

Joset

i am one of them that every once an while i stop and go around the machine and look
underneath with a flashlight to make sure every thing is sewing okay. crazy but that
works for me.

alleyoop1

I go to the other side of the frame and look under. Usually only quilt in the daytime so I don't need a flashlight.

Tartan

Someone mentioned getting a car macanics telescoping mirror for checking under the longarm. If I had a long arm machine, I think I would use my iPad to take a picture to view the underside. All you would have to do is go to the camera setting, put the iPad under the frame and press the button. You could then view the picture, even enlarge it if you wanted and then erase the picture from your camera roll until the next time.

Mitch's mom

I saw a mention of someone using a door mirror. Their husband mounted it somehow under the frame.

MaryKatherine

My machine frame has a table so I place a full length mirror under the quilt and view with a flashlight for illumination so I don't have to bend over all the time.
MaryKatherine

dunster

I do crawl under with a flashlight. I enjoy lying there under the table and looking up. It is so relaxing. I wish I had owned a longarm when I was younger, so I could have hidden from the kids under there, LOL.

There is a company that makes a system with a camera to let you see the bobbin stitches. I think it's called Quilter's Eye. There's also an Innova dealer who has published directions for making your own bobbin camera. The results are displayed on a monitor that can be attached to the longarm head or nearby. I haven't seen the need for this for myself, but I can see how it could be very useful.