Sally Quilts and SEW Can You!
Learn tips and tricks for quilting from our expert quilter!
Today we'll be talking a little about how to put your fabric on your frame, especially how to do it so that your top layer won't get distorted as you quilt.
There are three basic layers of fabric to a quilt, the top, the batting, and the backing.
At the beginning, make sure that each piece of your fabric is cut straight.
If possible, make the backing layer 4-6 inches wider and 6-10 inches longer than the top layer. This is done so that the backing is always the giver to the top.
Start by marking the center of each piece of fabric on the top and bottom edges. Also mark the center of your cloth leaders. Begin pinning you fabric to your cloth leaders, starting from the center marks you made, and pinning your way out towards the edges.
Here I marked the center of my fabric with a pin.
As you roll the fabric onto your frame, make sure that it is going on straight. If it starts to shift, brush the fabric from the center of the rail with your hands to keep it rolling straight.
If your top layer and the backing are the same size, here's a trick so you can still have enough room on the backing for the bungee clamps. The two fabrics I am using here were bought to make a baby quilt and were both 45 inch fabrics. So I am cutting off the selvedge on the top layer and I am pinning an extra piece of fabric on each side of the backing. This is to give me enough room on the fabric to attach my bungee clamps for side tension. You have to attach your side tension to the backing and batting only, so that you don't end up distorting the top layer as you quilt.
After I am done pinning my fabric to the cloth leaders, and attaching the bungee clamps, I will baste down the sides along the edge and across the top of my fabric as far as my machine will let me. Every time I roll the quilt a little more, I'll continue to baste along the edges with my machine, and when I reach the end, I'll unpin the top from the cloth leader and attach it to the backing. Then I will baste along the bottom edge as well.
Basting this way keeps the top layer from shrinking as I quilt. It will also make it nice when I'm done quilting and go to sew the binding on.
For more information about placing your fabric on your frame, please see this little PDF guide.
As always, if you have any questions or would like to request some tips or tricks, feel free to leave a comment about it here on the blog. I will be happy to answer them as soon as I can.
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Comments
Irene,
Thank you for your question. The bungee clamps are your side tensions. If you can, make your backing and batting 3-4" wider on the sides and use your bungee clamps only on them, but baste the very edge of your top fabric sides every time you roll the quilt, before you start quilting. This will keep the top straight and easier to put binding on later. If you can't add that much backing on your sides, then do the trick I showed you in the pictures above, where I just pinned a strip of fabric to the backing on each side to give me a little more room for my bungee clamp, so that I'm not hitting into them with my machine.
and could have used the extra fabric hint before starting. I will certainly remember this next time! 
Hi Margy,
Yes it does matter which cloth goes on which pole. The 10" depth leader Cloth will go on the Take Up Rail of your frame ( the one that goes through the machine, or if you are using a hand quilting frame, it goes on the Take Up Rail, the one nearest to you while you are quilting.)
The 18" Depth Leader Cloth will go on the next rail closest to the take up rail. and the 24" Depth Leader Cloth will go on the rail furthest from the machine, or on the hand quilting frame, the pole furthest from where you are . I am going to send you a paper through email that will show you the different rails to put your leader cloths on and the way the rails will roll.
Sally
Hi, Just got my new Little Gracie Queen assembled. I was wanting to know which part of my quilt goes on each leader & right or wrong side of fabric? Do you have instructions for this? If so, I would really appreciate your emailing it to me. I love the frame, just trying to get my first quilt put on it. Thanks for you help.
HI Vicki,
In the blog about Leader Cloths, there's a link to a PDF file that you can copy and it will tell you what rail the different fabrics go on and it will also show you which way the rail rolls. The link is in the last paragraph. If it will be easier for you, please send me your email address or your home address and I will send you a copy. sally@graceframe.com
Thank you
Sally
Sally I finally assembled my frame that I purchased at the Cincinnati Show. It went together very well as I took my time and read the instructions over a couple of times. I am now ready to install the leader clothes and have been reading the blogs about "how to". any suggestions would be appreciated. thank you, Ann
Hi Sally, Your instructions are preparing me to be ready to use the Pinnacle Combo3 I ordered Wed.. I am so excited. The Setup is a gift from my wonderful husband. Our 45th anniversary was June 27.
I am a Blankeeteer with Project Linus and make quilts as gifts for family and friends looking forward to using up my stash so I need to buy more fabric. HaHa
Hi Sally, I have the Pinnacle frame that came with my Babylock Jewel. I have the leaders on my frame using the tubing, how would I convert to Velcro? I have heard some instructors say that velcro is better, that it keeps the quilt straighter and flatter is this true?
Hi Judy,
If you are wanting to put Velcro on your Leader Cloths, go to your nearest shop and get the double part Sticky Velcro. Buy enough of both the rough and the smooth parts to put on all your leader cloth. If you are doing this on a Majestic or Pinnacle or GMQ frame, you will need about 11 yards of each. Sew the smoother piece of Velcro on the back of your leader cloth where the double line is that you usually put into the rail. NOTE: Do not stretch or pull the fabric as you sew the Velcro on. Then for the rougher piece of Velcro, get the sticky backing on it and use your tube line on the rail as the guide line to follow. Make a center mark on both and then from the center work out both ways to put the Velcro on. The Velcro is what makes the finished product so much more in cost. If you are still having questions, please call and ask for me at 1-800-264-0644.Thank you,
Sally
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Thank you so much, this is a big help to me!!