This may be something I regret but for the three QOVs that I’m working on, I was thinking . . why not piece the backings into one BIG backing, load it and do one quilt after another without having to load each individual backing. Pretty smart, huh? I don’t know . . ask me later.
My only real concern (and I’m not really that concerned) is that once I roll three quilts on the takeup roller, it may take up too much space in the throat. I don’t think I’ll have any problems doing two quilts and if I have to cut the backing and then re-attach one end to the leader to do the third quilt, I’ve still saved time.
Those quilts are 64″ x 84″ so I needed about 92″ in length and I figured I needed 5 widths to be wide enough for three quilts (3 x 64 = 192) and 5 x 40 = 200″. After cutting off the selvage, and making the seam, I do have 40″ on each width.
Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Stash Report! Yay! 5 x 92″ = 460 = about 12.75 yards. Pretty good, huh?
Sounds like a good plan. Let us know how it works out! And thanks for the reminder to iron the backing seams open. I always forget that part!
Awesome! I think that would take up a lot on the throat too. But let us know. I was thinking of doing that w some baby quilts for Linus, and using Fleece w/o batting. So I really want to know how it goes.I use a Mid Arm and there is virtually NO space on the throat to spare as it is! I will need to knoock out a wall and take over anothter bedroom to get a longarm in here…
I know that some quilters with a home machine will quilt the quilt long-ways so that there is not so much under the throat. If you loaded the quilts the other way than you usually do it would not take up so much room. Might be worth exploring! Cheers! Evelyn
And I was thinking it was great I used up everything I bought last week and could report that on my stash report. Guess I need to get to work.
I’ve done two without any problem. When you get to the third quilt, you might have to adjust the pantograph on the table, or if there isn’t the room to complete the pattern, you could do something freehand!!!
i’m fairly new to longarming, but i have done two tops consecutively. they weren’t large tops, but i didn’t have any problem.
I’m not a long-arm quilter but that sounds like a great plan to me and saving time makes more time for sorting through the stash; cleaning the sewing area, organizing the thread; etc…..LOL
Take care.
I will be watching to see how this quilts out! I have often wanted to try this was was too scared. I
I often do this with donation quilts. A friend showed me an article about it in a quilt magazine a couple of years ago but I can’t remember which one. I usually only do 3 at a time, otherwise the take up roller gets filled up and in the way. Also, the sides of the back start to sag near the end.
I will be anxious to hear the report. I will load 2 smallish quilts this way…but any more than 2 backings and it seems I start getting sagging issues, no matter how careful and square my backs are.
It sounds like a great plan … can’t wait to hear if it works!
I have queen size frame and mid arm machine.. and I load
2 at once but side to side for my Linus quilts works
really well but I also am doing free motion Good luck.. you Will get it worked out.Some of the best ideas come from trial and error .. quilters are so creative.
I do this all the time as I quilt for Binky Patrol. Quilts are usually 72 inches long. I load about 20 yards of backing on the backing bar, a roll of batting on the batting bar and start quilting one right after the other. I can quilt 4-5 (depending on batting) before I cut them off the take up bar, then just reattach backing and batting and keep going. Viking 18×8 mid arm machine. Dead bar makes this easy. I’ve also done wide batting and two Binkys side by side. Whatever we can do to get these quilts quilted up quick and into the hands of the kids that need them.
Carla
A lot of stash used! I hope that works like a charm for you, because the loading is always the part I’m not crazy about. Paul used to do it for me, but when I get another machine, I’ll have to do it myself. =P
I’m most impressed to see all the cords and the power bar and clearly you haven’t blown a breaker yet. I just jealous, mine would flipped long ago!!
that’s a lot of fabric to wrestle – hope it works out like you think it will. Keep us posted!
i am thinking along the lines of what regina said. that is a lot of fabric to wrestle with. however, i would sure give it a go at least once. you will never know if it is too much of a good thing or work out just perfectly unless you try…..
i have done 2 but not 3. i think there is also a lot less waste of backing fabric and even batting when you can butt them up to one another.
I do this all the time with QOV”s and charity quilts. If they are lap size I can load two size by side and three down for a total of six quilts on my 14 foot table. It saves me lots of time and I don’t have to cut batting for each quilt, I just take it off my 120″ wide roll of batting. As far as managing the large piece of backing, I am careful to make sure the seams run parallel to the take up roller and carefully smooth it onto the the front roller and float the tops.
I had to do the same thing for a different reason and it worked out surprisingly well. I did took off quilt No 1 and repinned the backing, but overall as crazy as it sounds, but it works wonders and a great time saver.
My head is spinning…..too much math!
I have loaded two tops and two backings side by side; also loaded two small tops on one wide backing. When stitching a panto across both tops, I tie off at the edge of the first one before continuing to the second top. I have an 18″ longarm.