Question on how to make my own cloth leaders

[quiltingtrish]

I have a Grace Machine Quilter frame (with the King extension) and want to make my own cloth leaders. The directions say I need a 14" for the back rail, a 10" for the middle rail, and a 3" for the front rail. The width of course would be the width of my frame.

Any advice on making my own? I will be making these tomorrow and thought I'd ask here in case anyone has made their own. I don't want to buy ready made ones - saw them for about $80. and up, just for the 3 of them.

Thanks.

[Bubby]

I made mine from canvas and I put a mark at the center with a permanent marker and lined that mark up with the center of my rail(s).

[Jean Sewing Machine]

You could use sportswear weight cotton if you can't find canvas. If you have a serger, serge the edge then turn over 1/4" for a hem. Don't make the hems too thick, or you won't be able to pin through them.

I bought mine from Grace, they were way more than $80. Good luck on making them for way less.

The one thing you want to make sure of is that the edges of the leaders are absolutely parallel to each other. When mounted on the poles. This is how you know you're quilt is square if the backing ( especially) is stretched squarely between the two backing leaders. My backing leader at the back is the short one, it is about 6-8" wide. I certainly wouldn't make any leaders too narrow. You can always wind the excess onto the poles. You said one would be 3" wide. That seems very narrow.

[K. McEuen]

Duck cloth will work. That's what Joann's sells their canvas as.

[Sandy Navas]

On the hand-quilting frame that Al made for me, I used pillow ticking. It was great because of the printed lines so I knew I had it on straight. I attached those using velcro (the sticky-back kind) and it has held up really well. The Grace frame I have came with the leaders.\

I'm like Jean, the leader size seems off. I just measured and mine are 8", 18" and 24". I have the Inspira frame.

[Carlie Wolf]

I'd go with canvas. You need something that is not going to easily stretch out of shape. We use to use canvas on the back of our big weaving looms because they were always under a lot of stress.. It lasted for years always keeping an accurate distance.

I was lucky, when I got my Blockrockit and Grace frame as a package deal, the leaders were included in the price which was very handy :-). Otherwise I would have made my own too.

[quiltingtrish]

Thank you EVERYBODY. I am going to print off the answers tomorrow and carry them with me to The Cotton Patch (aka my quilt room).
The only other thing I found so far is the frame is turned so the front is along the wall. Guess I will rastle up the 2 strong kiddos tomorrow morning and get them to help DH move it out for me. There is no way we can turn it around now.

[FabStripper]

I bought pillow ticking at Wallmart and used that. Be sure to check the widths of your leaders again.

[quiltingtrish]

OK - so I will go buy canvas, duck cloth, or pillow ticking - if I use Sandy's measurements I will get 8", plus 18", plus 24" equals 50"- add another few inches let's say 10" just to be on the safe side - for the 1/4" hems on all three and then I have to sew down about half to full inch to fit my dowel rod through it. So, 60" I buy.
So, on one - back the bus up! I need double that cause won't I cut the 8" one - add 3" to it for the hems - so that's 11" x 2 cause I am thinking I have to fold that 22" piece in half - sew the long sides together - then sew in from that sewn seam 1/4" inch cause that's where I will pin my backing and top to and then the fold long length I will sew in the amount I need to stick my dowel rod through.
So, I need about 120" of the leader stuff I am using?
Does this sound right or is it too early in the morning for anyone to think straight?

[Sandy Navas]

Trish, what are your rods made of? Are they wood or metal? The grace frame I have is metal and the leaders are attached with velcro. It really holds well and that way you don't need the extra fabric to make a pocket to slide the rods into . . . does that make sense? Wish I was right there to help you but I'm still fuzzy from sleeping in late this morning and can't wrap my head around your measurements.