Update: The B'Seal bag clips are a great product for sealing bags but they have become more flexible with use at the quilting machine and I won't be recommending them for that use since they popped off the end of my backing and I had to resort to pinning to finish a quilt. Additionally, the new heavy leaders on my machine won't allow me to use the light tracks mentioned in the paragraph below either. They only worked with the pillow ticking leaders I had made for the HandiQuilter that I no longer own. Joey, a blogger is using Mondo bag clips and they have worked well for 3 years according to an entry on Facebook.
In a recent effort to try another quilter's tip, I bought some 1/4 inch PEX tubes and light tracks at Home Depot as a thrifty alternative to Leader Grips, an expensive system that is a faster method than pinning a quilt back to leaders. While faster than pinning, the light tracks have not become more flexible with use and the next size up in diameter is not available at local stores. Also, I haven't succeeded in getting a clean cut for shorter segments of the lighting track.
Red Snappers are a similar and slightly less expensive notion that work similarly to Leader Grips. The local company that makes them also makes a chip bag sealing product that inspired the quilters' product. I thought I might try the bag sealing product and have found that it is compatible with the PEX tubes. The gripping section of the product fits easily but securely over fabric and the PEX tube in the leader casing. I now have a fast and easy solution to pinning quilt backs to leaders and I love the yummy colors. I am getting more so I can use them at the quilting machine and in the kitchen.
A package of 24 will be all I need with a couple of 6 foot PEX tubes in each casing for long quilts: B'Seal Bag Sealing Product
In a recent effort to try another quilter's tip, I bought some 1/4 inch PEX tubes and light tracks at Home Depot as a thrifty alternative to Leader Grips, an expensive system that is a faster method than pinning a quilt back to leaders. While faster than pinning, the light tracks have not become more flexible with use and the next size up in diameter is not available at local stores. Also, I haven't succeeded in getting a clean cut for shorter segments of the lighting track.
Red Snappers are a similar and slightly less expensive notion that work similarly to Leader Grips. The local company that makes them also makes a chip bag sealing product that inspired the quilters' product. I thought I might try the bag sealing product and have found that it is compatible with the PEX tubes. The gripping section of the product fits easily but securely over fabric and the PEX tube in the leader casing. I now have a fast and easy solution to pinning quilt backs to leaders and I love the yummy colors. I am getting more so I can use them at the quilting machine and in the kitchen.
