Very well explained…..I am 84 years old and still quilting, but I am used to quilting on my sewing machine. This is new to me. I have the Pro-Stitcher, so I am learning.
Took my first quilt to the long arm artist 3/28/24. I entered a new ‘world’. Thank you for the excellent tutorial and I’m a Day too! Fun to find another Day. I live in Washington state so my Days came from Missouri/Alabama in 1888. 🦅🇺🇸🦅
Wonderful! My husbands family were military so with all the moving unfortunately we don’t know where our Days came from. I’m planning to play with ancestry.com soon to see what I can learn! Nice to meet another Day!
Wow - I'm impressed. I have an "old" longarm machine and have been wanting to get started on experimenting with the longarm quilting process but have never really understood how to load the quilt onto the machine. Several people have shown me on my actual machine but it still didn't "register" with me. Your video is wonderful! I appreciate how real you are and how you explain every little detail. I am finally confident that I can do this and am most anxious to get started! Thank you very much!!!
Thank you so much Leah! This was the most informative video on how to load a quilt on a long arm. I really appreciate how well you explained everything. This a daunting task for those of us who are just learning how to do this. I now understand how to do it correctly. Thanks again.
My methods have changed over the years and I now load a little differently. You can find my updated tutorial here - leahday.com/blogs/machinequilting/continuum-loading
I watch your video every time I load my Longarm. I haven’t quilted for two years now and just do not remember the proper way. I really enjoy all your videos. You have taught me a lot. Thanks. Tina Spano, New Jersey ( a few miles outside of Atlantic City
I was just gifted a Husqvarna quilt Master sewing machine and an inspira quilt frame. I cannot even believe how lucky I am! I've been watching your videos since your Janome hd1000 days. Now I can follow along with the quilt frame videos. So excited!
Thankyou Leah. My Hubby brought me a quilting frame and we set it up Yesterday. Very first time using it, so I don't have a clue what I'm doing. Your directions are clear and easy to follow, found you yesterday so can't wait to delve into your channel! Thanks. 🇦🇺
I have had my Q15R on continuum now for 6 months and avoided it like the plague because of Loading this thing never went well. Until I saw this video!! Thanks so much for your tutorial and your sense of humor :)
Leah Day has the most informative videos; excellent instructor! This is my first time loading a quilt on a frame and I could not be more pleased that I found your videos!!! Blessings!
I have recently bought a long arm with a frame that has 4 rails...I am hoping to find a video of you with this type of frame...you have taught me lots over the years thank you.
You are a wonderful instructor. You teach methods, ideas and tips that none other instructor has mentioned or hadn't thought of. Thanks for sharing. I have been following you for a very, very long time and have learned much from you.
You are very welcome! My methods for loading have changed a bit as I've gained more experience. You can find an updated tutorial here - leahday.com/blogs/machinequilting/continuum-loading
Such a joy to watch. You get right to what you are teaching without a whole bunch of chatter about other things. I just found out we have a longarm machine at our senior center and can't wait to start using it. I just wanted to get a head start before I do a queen size crumb quilt I just finished. Thanks so much!
My son and I watched this together. This was so fun! James did a GREAT job! My son, Elliot loved seeing someone his age jump on the machine too! Hi from Elliot!
I was given a quilting frame without the leaders so watched your video about putting them on and now this one to show me how to load the quilt. Thank you so much. I have watched several and I like yours the best. You make it seem easier with out a lot of complications.
This is a great information video. We moved our long arm machine yesterday. I thought I made photos and stickers for everything, but I totally forgot about the leaders. Thanks to this video, I can correct and also improve what we have going on our long arm. Thank you Leah.
Leah I just love all of your videos. I have learned so much. What I love is how you show us how to do it but also the whys. Thank you so much. Gg from Colorado
Wonderful Kati! We just recently cashed in our change jar and it was shocking how much $$$ was inside. So yep, that can definitely work so long as you're saving lots of quarters along with the pennies!
Kati- You don’t need to save to buy new. People upgrade or move all the time and sell perfectly fine used machines. I got my Grace frame and machine for $1,200 (great Bargain!) from someone moving across the country who did not want to move it with her. Just be patient and know that soon you will find a seller at a great price and jump on it. Guilds are the best places to hear about a sale. Good luck!
I just began considering the purchase of a longarm quilter when I ran across your videos! your videos make it seem so doable for me at 71 yrs of age. I will try to contact you about a purchase !
You have made learning the quilting process pleasurable. Thank you. I would love to see more longarm videos. I purchased a longarm but have received it yet.
Thank you so much for this video. I have just bought a grace frame and watching videos to set up. Yours has been the most helpful. I am curious about the plates that you can use as templates.
Thank you very much...you nice voice , details , tips is Great! I have a Pfaff longarm at home have not touched it in a years...but floating the batting and not using the side clips I believe will help. Bless you!
This has been great, I have been thinking of buying an 8 foot frame for my simply 16 as I am getting frustrated with the little foot frame which still requires quilts to be basted, I love my longarm because as you say you can get the quilts done a-lot quicker. Thanks for the video.
I think that's a good move Laurelle. I've been looking at the hoop style frames and while I'm curious, and they certainly are smaller and cheaper than other frames, I think the best method is on a traditional frame like this with 2-3 bars to roll the quilt up this way so there's no basting required.
I was watching your videos and listened to your suggestion to finance the midarm machine. I called Sewingmachinesplus.com and purchased a midarm sit down machine. I was surprised at the space it took up and shocked when the manufacturer (HandiQuilter) brochure showed a six foot frame that took up basically the same amount of space and there was also a 16” longarm machine to use with the frame. Luckily, Sewingmachinesplus had a 90 day trial so I was able to send the sit down machine back (had to keep the table) and I now have a long arm machine like yours. I was really surprised when you reported a month after I switched to the long arm that you had already bought a longarm too. It would probably have saved me time and money.
I'm glad you were able to send it back! They do take up a lot of room and sometimes that's hard to visualize until you get it in your space. We do have a new 4 1/2 foot hoop frame which takes up a lot less space, but it works differently for loading your quilt. The key is just trying out things until you find what works best for you!
I also have been looking for help on loading my quilt onto the Q-zone hoop frame. The straps get in the way of moving my 15R across the frame. I must not be losing the fabric correctly. Any suggestions?
I made the the blue star quilt that you have on the back wall 2 yrs ago my UFO.....lol and am finally putting the binding on it. I'm wanting to know the name of the quilt for my quilt label. My was done in Patriotic fabric for a raffle for our local Community Club. Thank you in advance for your help and all you do to make quilting easier.
Hi Leah.I love your very detailed videos.Can you explain a little about how the machine is locked into place to stitch a straight line.I didn’t realize the machine could do that.Thank you.
Helpful information. I have a quilt frame and I think it is the same one you have. I have a Bernita 830 to use with it but I am scared to use it. Pathetic I know. Your video helped me get some courage :)
Nellie Flanders HandiQuilter sells a Simply Sixteen midarm (16” throat) with several frame options. I have a Little Foot Frame, which is like a six foot wide embroidery hoop. I’ve quilted a king size quilt on it using large tool holder magnets to keep the quilt in place while quilting. This is the video I was thinking of: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vhcQbwIxalE.html
Cindy Griffis I have a Husqvarna free motion sit down quilting set up and do not like it, the machine is ok though. Was wondering if this machine would work with the frame Leah is using, think she said 8 ft
Nellie Flanders I’m not sure about that. The HandiQuilter sit down machine (Sweet Sixteen) has the capability of being turned into a longarm. The reason I originally bought it was because I wanted to switch to a longarm someday (I thought they were prohibitably expensive and large. (The one I’d seen at the dealer where I bought my domestic machine was $35,000. My Sewingmachinesplus salesperson said HandiQuilter was the only maker that had the option to change. Since I bought my machine I have seen setups where even domestic machines are put on a carriage with handlebars so they can be moved around on a table. I’d check RU-vid and google to see if that would work for you. The difference between a sit down and longarm is the way the machine moves over the fabric/table. My machine communicates electronically with the carriage to “track” the movements. This is a link to a video about a carrier for a regular machine on a large frame: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vhcQbwIxalE.html
Yep, this is set up as an 8 foot frame, and you can add a 2 foot addition if you get more space later. We also have a new 4 1/2 foot wide Q-Zone frame which works differently, but it takes up a lot less space.
Hi Leah first thank you for all the helpful videos I was wondering if you could do a video about cleaning and oiling the Qnique 15 or the 14 + that you have if you already have something similar could you point me in the right direction thank you again and have a wonderful new year weekend
Hi Leah, I am looking into purchasing a Grace Q'nique15R and I thought that I would ask your expertise on the Q'nique longarm, what are your pros and cons on your machine? Do you ever have any problems with thread tension? I sure would appreciate any input that you might have on this. I am so confused on this, Leah you are my mentor when it comes to quilting videos and the how to knowledge you give to all us quilters. Much appreciative, Susan
Great questions Susan! Three pros and things I love about the machine - it's not nearly as expensive as other machine / frame combos, it's very sturdy, and the machine has two sets of feet now that really expand what you can do with it. And three cons - it is only 15 inches which can seem pretty small on a big quilt. The light is a big bright and I've covered it a bit so it isn't quite so glaring (kind of the opposite problem you usually have). One tiny little issue I have is the thread popping out of one guide, but that might be a weird nuance of my machine and now that I'm aware of it, I'm in the habit of checking it. These are little things and this is why I quilt on this machine and share videos on it - I'm SUPER happy with it! I had another longarm and sold it because I wasn't comfortable shooting videos on it that would sell that machine. I know tension is a concern for most quilters looking to switch to a longarm and it's certainly an adjustment, but I've never struggled with it. Here's a video on how I do a tension test: leahday.com/blogs/machinequilting/troubleshoot-tension-on-a-longarm
@@LeahDay Thank you Leah for your input on the Grace Q'nique. I may go ahead and purchase mine this week-end. I am certain as I too cannot really afford the more expensive Quilting machine. this will be my first Longarm. Have a great week-end. I enjoy watching your videos and all your projects and inspiration.
Also I noticed you have a little basket on your longarm....can you show up close. I am new to my longarm and I have the same one and I love idea of you having your notions on your qnique . More tutorials on this machine would be awesome . Thank you very much.
I noticed that you didn't install any side tension clips to your quilt after fully loaded. Do you find that you don't need this step due to the way your quilt is sandwiched so straight and the up and down tension is so even?
Hey- Thank you for this tutorial, very well paced and easy to follow. After reading through the comments I see you do not baste the sides. Is that correct? You use 15 SPI for your basting. Do you find that to keep the quilt squared better? How do you deal with fullness on the borders? Last question- do you find that your quilt can develop a frown at the bottom from not basting the sides? Thanks so much:)
Nope, I don't tend to baste the sides, though I do use side clamps more often now. I like for the fabric to be able to escape just in case my fluffy batting starts to form pleats.
Hi Leah, I live in the UK and last year bought myself the same machine as you, but as you say they have renamed it. I haven't used it for a while, work has got in the way, but I cannot for the life of me remember if there is an automatic thread cutter? I have looked all through my manual and cannot see if there is one, it is probably staring at me in the face, any help would be most welcome. Love your tutorials. Teri
Leah. I am in a wheelchair. I am not able to walk and I have to hold on to stand so I am very worried that I will not be able to do the set up for the quilt. Do you have any thoughts on who I should talk to to find out more?
For a rolling rail frame, like the one I'm using in this video, your quilt must be smaller than the frame. This is why quilters set up rolling rail frames at 12 feet long - because this type of frame must be bigger than the quilt you're quilting. For HOOP style frames, you can shift the quilt side to side and quilt any size quilt on a small frame. So the question is - what type of frame do you have (do the rails roll?) and how big is it set up?
So I followed your video here...but i didn’t exactly center the front rail...I let it hang to see where it would fall nice then pinned. When putting the backing on the front or is the back rail???? The one furtherest from the table and tensioned it up, I put soup cans in the middle to keep tension while I was rolling it up...it worked pretty good....do you think that is ok?
Unfortunately I don't have a Q-Zone frame right now, but I'm thinking about getting one to share tutorials on. That's something that would interest you?
@@LeahDay, I love your videos! Is the a video out that shows how to load the fabric onto the Q-zone hoop frame? Maybe you could ask Grace Co to make one of you can't do it. I got my frame after Christmas and still haven't used it. The straps on the back rails get in the way of the 15R machine as it moves across. I haven't found a video to explain how to use the back tail and straps. Thanks for your help. Linda
Leah when using the clips to float your fabric, what do you do when you get to the last section of the quilt when it isn’t attached to anything? Thanks! Great videos🤗
It depends on the design Shelley - sometimes I will baste that lower edge of the quilt onto the batting and backing. Sometimes I'll pin it, and sometimes I will just stitch the design and let the fabric do whatever. It just depends! I'll try to shoot a video on this soon...
I’m excited to get started on my long arm! What size is the frame you have? I’ve never quilter before! I have a feeling I’ll be watching many of your videos! Lol -Rachelle Collier - Roberts
We actually have a new Grace Frame that just came out that only takes up 4 1/2 feet. That's less space than my usual home machine set up in a table so I'm really curious to see how this works. Just another idea!
I have a qnique 21 with a 10foot frame and I love it. I do have a problem with my take up ratchet though, it skips and slips out of the rail and doesn’t work. Just wondering if you had any suggestions or would know what I am doing wrong. Also in reference to the blue things you slipped over the rail how many are in the pack. I would love to use those instead of pinning. Is that possible? Thanks for the amazing video. I’ve had my machine fir about a year and this is the best video I’ve watch oh how to load the quilt.
I would check the screws around the ratchets and make sure everything is screwed in tight. If it keeps skipping out, try Amazing Tape. This is special tape that isn't sticky. It just sticks to itself and you could use it to wrap the ratchet once or twice to hold it firmly in place, then remove it very easily when you need to advance the quilt. On the Quilt Clips, I believe four are included in the pack. I'm using the blue 1 1/2 inch diameter clips. You can use these in place of pinning your quilt top to the bottom leader. Thank you so much for your kind compliment! I really enjoyed making this video!
I am trying to save up for a longarm but there are so many out there. What do you like about the q'nique? How large of a quilt are you able to quilt on it? Is it loud?
We have three different sizes of Qnique longarms now - a Qnique 15 is our smallest model and you can quilt any sized quilt with this longarm. The real key is the frame you use and we have two different styles of frames now to work with. I would advise watching more videos here to see how these work and how much space they take up - leahday.com/blogs/machinequilting/frame-quilting-friday-machine-quilting-fun-on-a-longarm
Thanks for the tutorial. How do you attach the quilt when floating when you reach the bottom of the quilt? The backing is taut and the batting lays fine, but I feel the quilt top itself is not well held once you move the bottom border under the needle.
Here's a video that helps explain that step - freemotionproject.com/2018/11/quilting-to-the-edge-of-your-longarm.html My methods have changed over the years so now I baste a quilt fully as I load it on the frame and the bottom edge is already secured to the batting and back before I reach that section.
Great tutorial thank you! I’m just now transitioning to using my long arm. When using my domestic machine I would quilt; then cut off the batting and leave an inch of backing around the edge and fold that over to use it as the binding (I call it cheater binding). If I want to continue using that method for binding, would I baste the batting and top on to the backing rather than using the straight stitch as you did? So that I can remove the basting stitch once I’m done quilting, and then be able to cut away the excess batting but leave enough of the backing to fold over for batting? Thank you in advance for your help!
Love your tutorials. Hubby watches too! We have a question about the backing. Do you square it, or straighten it? We did some Minky backing last night and pinned the top and then the bottom and rolled it up but at the top we had sag on one side so we repainted the top. Any tips?
Hi Leah, I got my new Grace Qnique15R and 8 ft frame in your demo. I learned to float and or to baste the entire 3 layers of the quilt to the two rollers. I was wondering why don't you use the quilt top rail? Did you have any trouble advancing the quilt with it attached? This frame locks that lower roller in so how do you see if the batting and backing has advanced smoothly? I love the fact that the frame can be made taller as I am quite tall. The machine is still in the box. Hopefully tomorrow I can get it set up and start to quilt. I love how the package has everything I need to set up and start to sew. Thank you for offering such a sweet deal. My Friend Sue C also ordered the same system this week from you after she saw my post on my fb page.
Hi Denise! I haven't invested in the upper rail because with the 15 inch longarm, this will actually limit the amount of space you have to quilt in. The uppermost rail will hit the back boxy thing (right behind the monitor) and reduce the amount of space you have to quilt in. Thank you so much for sharing about your frame! I look forward to helping you and Sue with your new machines!
Hi Leah,Thanks for the reply. I guess I explained it wrong. I was meaning the 3rd rail below the backing rail in the front of the frame. The directions explain to attach your quilt top to it and roll it up. then after you add your batting to pick up the quilt top edge & bring it up to the stitched line on the batting and back. I tried this and it all bunched up, so I am floating the top for now. Also I am not sure if I put the leaders on correctly. Should they hang behind the rails or hang in front of the rails? Possible if I applied the leaders wrong that could have caused the top and batting to get bunched up? I love the regulated stitch programs. I only had constant speed on the LA I was borrowing. The rulers are a fun addition to my collection. The bobbin winder is super cool. I'm really a happy camper! Sue's already set up and practicing today! Thanks Leah
I have a Baby Lock Jazz II and just got the Grace Queen Pro frame. What size Velcro do you use to attach leader cloth to the bar. My leader cloth has the “stuffed” edge. Should I unstuff it before attaching Velcro to the 4 sided bar? Can I use the red rods with this set up? Look forward to hearing from you.
Unfortunately this is the wrong leader cloth for this frame. You should use the leader cloth with velcro and then yes, you can use the Red Snappers with this frame. The correct leader cloth can be found here - leahday.com/products/continuum-frame-leader-cloth
Didn't know about the quilt clips and have been pinning the top to the 3rd bottom most leader. Will definitely get some. I have the same Qnique machine and long arm frame as you but my biggest issue has been tension problems with the machine. Have you had this issue? I've even replaced the manual tension assembly. Thoughts.
Tension on a longarm is very different from tension on a home machine. Little things can throw the machine off and the most important tip is to check your stitch quality OFTEN. So when you change bobbins, check, when you haven't been quilting in awhile, check, when you change thread, check it. I find the thread is bad about popping out of a guide as well and I instantly get terrible tension when the thread is not guided properly. So always check the threading too. To check your tension, break thread and roll the machine to the edge of the quilt. Make sure to leave yourself 2-3 inches of space on the sides of the quilt with just batting exposed. Place a scrap of fabric there and do some quilting before getting started. Adjust in small increments, but also know that if you crank down on the tension too hard, the thread can get squished out of the discs. One last thing - always match your top and bobbin thread. That saves you a million years worth of headaches because the only tension issues that are really important are the big loops. Dots happen, no matter what machine, no matter what style of quilting, but if you match your thread colors, you can't see them!
I put my frame together and the stich regulator and worked great I was pleased till I took it off the Fram and found that the back stitches were a mess all bunched and looked like a row of mess my juki manual has no anything about how to fix this help
Lots of different things can cause this. I'd troubleshoot one thing at a time - first make sure your threading is right. Then height of your foot, then if your needle is inserted properly, then how fast you are moving the machine, then if its your thread or the fabric in your quilt. Yes, all of these things! Also make sure to use practice sandwiches until you're sure the stitches are looking good.
Can you tell me more about moving a quilting project from home machine to longarm? I have a basted quilt but I just bought a longarm - not sure how i can quilt in on my longarm without taking pins out first.
I have a video on this here - leahday.com/blogs/machinequilting/switching-between-a-home-machine-and-longarm You may have to take out some of the pins, but don't worry, quilting it will be so much faster once you get it on your frame.