Success!

Yes, Blog Readers, the tubing and coping strips WORK!  I'm still tweaking them a little, but yesterday I successfully loaded a huge quilt, I'm calling it 'the monster' using this system.  Some points to ponder:

1.  It was a little difficult to get the coping strips snapped on to the tubing inside the leader pockets because the coping strips were new.  I noticed with just a few times of putting them on and off the tubing and leaders the coping strips became easier and easier to use.  Tight at first, then more comfortable.  I'll go out on a limb here and say that after doing a few quilts they should be no trouble at all.

2.  I needed to cut another piece of coping strip down so that I could snap on the monster.  I had extra pieces, so this was not an issue.  I still have a couple extra pieces that I need to decide what size to cut them down to.  Not a big deal.  A hacksaw goes through them extremely easily and I can do that myself.

3.  The pockets I made on two of the leaders are too wide for the tubing and there is too much play in them.  This tends to let the material on the leader get folded in places and adds extra material between coping strip and tubing.  An easy thing to fix once the monster quilt is completed.

So that's where I'm at.  I will get some pictures up soon.  When I get all the bugs worked out, I'm betting this will work like a charm.  The best part is no more pinning.  I sure do like that!