Problems with the Batting on my machine frame

This is a copy of post that we made to the gracemachineframe Yahoo group when Josie was having problems with her batting every time she rolled her quilt. This is Kathy's reply:

Hi Josie,
This really isn't a problem. Each time you roll - no matter what quilting frame you have - the batting has to be adjusted. Everyone has to do this. So, this is what you do. Once you are finished quilting a row and you're ready to roll, go ahead and roll the quilt until you get to the next area you want to quilt. Then, only lock the cogs on the quilt backing. Don't tighten anything else up yet. Look underneath to make sure your backing is nice and straight and not puckered. Then, make sure the quilt top is VERY loose, so that you can reach underneath and adjust the batting. Pull the batting from each side to straighten it. If your rails pivot (some frames have this feature and some don't), then use that feature to look right at the batting. Pull it from each side and smooth it down with your hand. Smooth the batting toward the front rail until there aren't any folds or puckers that you can see. Pat it gently in place with your hand. Then, lower the quilt top gently down on top of the batting. Pull it to each side to get it nice and even, and smooth it toward the rolling rail with your hand to get it nice and flat. THEN tighten the cogs on the quilt top. If your rails don't pivot up, then make sure the quilt top is loose - very loose - so that you can see under it and reach across that quilt with your hand to gently tug and pat that batting into place and make it flat. Once you see it's flat, then gently lay the quilt top down on top of this, and pat it down with your hand, too. Don't just roll that quilt top rail up, because it will grab the batting again. Pat it into place, and then gently roll the excess quilt top back onto the rail. Then you can clamp the sides of your quilt.

Because batting is so 'grabby', it tends to fold and grab onto both the quilt back and the quilt top very easily, causing it to get out of place almost every time you roll. There are very few quilts that this won't happen to. Perhaps if you use a very slick quilt top or back, or a slick silicone poly batting, this won't happen - on just that one quilt. It's really not a problem with your frame at all, but just a common thing that happens because all those fibers are touching each other. I quilt professionally with a huge Gammill quilting frame, and this is just what happens every time.
Don't let it get you frustrated, but just know that getting everything into place is a part of what you have to do each time you roll your quilt. It doesn't matter if you have a huge, super-duper quilting frame, or the smallest home quilter. It's all the same. You can't change the fibers in a quilt, so it has to be adjusted each time you roll. You have to pat and adjust and tug and watch. And ALWAYS look underneath the quilt when you have it in place - just in case there is a pucker. If you see puckers, then undo a Side Clamp and pull the quilt backing slightly to each side until you can't see that puckering anymore. Put the side clamps back on, and now you're ready to quilt.

Thanks for bringing this up. After 13 years of machine quilting, I never thought about it, but I realize that it's just something I do each time I roll the quilt. I never thought about it being frustrating because it happens each time. But I do see that many quilters wouldn't realize that this is just part of what happens when you roll a quilt. Quilts and batting are very 'grabby' to each other, and that's what makes them so nice and warm and cuddly to us. As each layer comes together, it's an effort to make that quilt nice and flat without puckers, but it is VERY common that you have to do this each time you roll the quilt. Just work on it, and you'll find your fastest and most reliable way to do this without even thinking each time you roll your quilt. It's just part of the process of quilting.

If you have more specific questions about this, I'd be happy to answer them. I'm sure that this is something all quilters have happen to them, but may think it's just their fault, or their frame's fault, and they're not doing something right. Nope - it's just what happens and you work with it on each rolling of the quilt.

Happy Quilting!
Kathy

P.S. Check out the Start-Right Frame by the Grace Company. We have a special sale where you can save about $300 off the retail price. You can get an all steel frame for what you would spend for a Little Gracie II but have frame the is better than the Pinnacle! Here is a link:

StartRightClothLeaders.com