Hi Beverly!

You need to create a casing for the Red Snappers to go thru. I think you can sew a casing on the take up leader while on the frame using your channel locks or what ever you use to stitch a perfectly straight line. If you can advance the other leaders evenly without stretching them up to the needle to stitch a casing on each one of them the same way, you could leave the leaders attached. That said, since a properly loaded backing & top (square & straight & even) is crucial, I would take off the leaders or make new ones. I would always be concerned they were off slightly & create issues. Leaders don't last forever and stretch over time anyway.....supposedly.

Were you thinking of making mini leaders with a casing for the Red Snappers and attaching those to your existing leaders -- maybe with pins?

How are your existing leaders attached to your rails/frame now that makes you not want to take them off? It would be so much easier to make the casings on your sewing machine and they would be perfectly straight and even, and probably take less time.

Seems Nothing is easy anymore :) I use zipper leaders and need to make longer ones that attach to the quilt and haven't replaced mine yet, so I understand you not wanting to remove your leaders. Makes me feel like I am going backwards, even though when the task is done, I wonder why I hesitated and didn't do it right to begin with.

Okay - now I've shamed myself into making new zip leaders to match the half I did make & attached.

I know you are right, best to remove and replace leaders. But I am basically lazy and they are on with double stick carpet tape and I would have to clean the roller ... Guess I will just bite the bullet and replace them.