Annaquilts

I used corsage pins but soon switched to red snappers. also if you make the backing long enough you should not run into the pins with your machine head. I like mine 6 inches longer on each top and bottom side or I end up sewing a temporary strip to it.

Yes, the snappers are tight in the beginning. Mine relaxed from sitting on the frame when I had a very large quilt on there for weeks. In the beginning I had DH help but now I do it myself.

Snooze2978

With my old system I pinned to the take-up bar but floated my quilt otherwise. I also used the "C" clamps on the belly bar when I wanted a little tension. Now I have a real system and use the red snappers. I watched a video the other day and found an easier to way to attach to the take-up pole. I still pin the sides down instead of basting though. I like to be able to fudge the quilt when I need to if I'm not perfectly square...................which I a rarely am.

sherryl1

Do the "Red Snappers".Fast and easy mounting.It used to take me an hour or 2 to laod a quilt.Now 20 minutes.You will still be pinning if you use the zippered leaders.Easier but still time consuming.

Joycoy

Hi! I have a long arm, encountered the same problem.....it took me forever to pin a quilt on....then I discovered "Red Snappers" sold at some quilt shops....they are long red "rods" for a better word, plastic...you sew a channel in your leaders and attach enough snappers together to go through the channel which stays there...then you attach the quilt, batting and backing by snapping a rod on top of all onto the channel...it takes only a few moments to attach a quilt and seconds to take one off. I found that I would make a mistake loading and after pinning one whole section going to the next one would have to take all pins out and it took me forever to load a quilt. They are expensive but well worth it! I paid $80.00 for a set and after I bought them, she went up $10.00 but it has made my life so much easier....I tried the zippers and did not care for that as well. Good luck!! Hope this helps and I'm not too late with a reply....

maryfrang

I have a long arm and I use flat flower pins. You can get thin ones that just slide through the quilt and leader. I bought my machine in 2004 and the pins at the same time. I have replaced some of them, but I am still using most of the original ones. I have tried the t pins and gave them away, and also the hat pins but they do not lay flat and let the quilt lay smooth on the rail. Good luck I hope you find what is best for you.

kydeb

I have a longarm and use the T-pins. I have ticking leaders and pin top and bottom of the backing. I start in the middle and work my way out lining it up with the ticking stripes (I made sure they were straight to start). I float the batting and top and have never had any problems. I don't come in contact with the t-pins as they are wrapped around one or the other of the rollers almost all of the time - my needle never gets close to them as my backing is larger than the top. It takes me no time at all to load the quilt and unloading it is even faster! Hope that makes sense and helps!! Good luck! Happy Quilting!!

nana2madmax

One more vote for red snappers!
They definitely make loading a quilt a breeze. I'm glad that Kelly at Jukebox Quilts recommended them!

MargeD

I'm afraid I can't offer any other suggestions for pins, however, when the quilt shop I went to got a long arm machine, they wound up getting the detachable zippers, which were a huge improvement.

Quiltladycreations

Handiquilter makes great pins for attaching your quilt to the leaders. They are sharp and strong. Recently purchased corsage pins at Joann's for a friend who just bought a new long arm. Pins were not the same- dull and bent easily. Tossed those and bought set from Handiquilter dealer. Much better. I've looked at red snappers but they are a little pricey for me.

BettyB

Wal Mart has the corsage pins too. I am a handquilter and I use the flower head pins for the sides I roll and the corsage pins on the sides.