Pantograph quilting

A pantograph is a long paper roll printed with one row of a continuous quilting design. It lies on the table at the back of a longarm machine; the quilter follows the printed line with a laser or stylus, and the needle stitches the same row on the quilt. Row after row, the design covers the quilt from edge to edge.

By Editorial Staff

How many rows a quilt takes

Each pantograph has a row height, usually 6" to 14". The quilt length divided by the row height gives the rows; longarm quilters start and finish a little past the top and bottom of the quilt, into the backing, so the count below adds 2" at each end.

Pantograph rows by quilt size
Size	Quilt length	6" rows	8" rows	10" rows	12" rows	14" rows
Crib	60"	11	8	7	6	5
Throw	72"	13	10	8	7	6
Twin	90"	16	12	10	8	7
Full	96"	17	13	10	9	8
Queen	108"	19	14	12	10	8
King	108"	19	14	12	10	8

Lengths are the standard sizes. Rows are counted along the length of the quilt, the way most quilts are loaded.

Stitching a pantograph

Load the backing with at least 4" extra on every side, then the batting and the top, and baste the top edge straight across.
Lay the pantograph on the back table and square it to the rails. Set the laser on the start of the row so the design begins in the backing, just past the quilt's left edge.
Stitch the row from left to right at an even speed, keeping the laser on the line. Let the design run off the right edge into the backing.
Advance the quilt by the row height and line up the next row with the registration marks on the paper, so the rows nest without gaps or overlaps.
Baste the sides as you go to keep them square. At the last row, stitch past the bottom edge of the quilt.

A computerized longarm does the same thing from a digital file: the machine stitches the row by itself, and the quilter advances the quilt between rows.