The Bayside Pantograph from Urban Elementz is a paper pantograph built around a versatile, mid-sized row. It covers a quilt efficiently without feeling too large or too fussy. Its 8.5-inch row gives you good coverage per pass, and because the pattern is printed with two rows on the roll, you can plan your layout and spacing before you stitch a single row.
What the Design Is
A paper pantograph is a printed pattern you unroll on the table at the back of your longarm frame. You follow the printed line with a laser light or stylus, and the machine reproduces that line in thread on the quilt top. Stitched row by row, the design builds into an even, all-over finish across the whole quilt.
For Bayside, the product details are straightforward and helpful for planning: a single row is 8.5 inches, the pattern is printed with two rows, and the roll is 144 inches long. That gives generous coverage across most widths, and the two printed rows make it easier to see how successive rows will sit together.
What Quilts It Suits
An 8.5-inch all-over row is a workhorse size. It is large enough to move efficiently across lap, throw, and bed quilts, yet not so large that it overwhelms smaller piecing. It suits everyday quilts, quilts with medium to large blocks, and tops where you want the quilting to unify the fabrics and add even texture rather than compete with a single focal block.
On busy prints, it settles into the background and ties fabrics together. On solids and low-volume prints, the stitching shows more clearly, so thread choice matters more. Match thread closely for supporting texture, or add gentle contrast when you want the quilting more visible.
Choosing the 8.5-Inch Row Height
Row height controls both the scale of the finished quilting and how many passes you will make. At 8.5 inches, Bayside sits in the middle of the range: fewer advances than a small, dense design, and a more balanced scale than a very tall row on a small quilt.
Before you start, divide your quilt length by 8.5 to estimate how many rows you will need. That helps you plan where the first and last rows fall, so you do not end with an awkward partial row at the bottom. Adjust your starting point slightly so coverage feels balanced.
Using It on a Longarm
Unroll the pattern flat on the pantograph table and secure it so it cannot creep as you work. Load and baste your quilt, check tension on a scrap or in the margin, and confirm your laser or stylus is tracking accurately before the first row.
Stand at the back of the machine, keep the laser or stylus on the printed line, and move smoothly and steadily, letting your whole body move with the machine rather than steering with your wrists alone. When you finish a row, advance the quilt by the row height, line up the next row using the second printed row as your guide, and check alignment at both edges before stitching. That check at both ends is what keeps rows parallel across a wide quilt.
Extending the Pattern
At 144 inches long, this roll covers many quilts in a single span, but a very wide quilt can still ask for more. When you need extra length, find where the pattern repeats, mark that point on your pattern shield, and shift the pattern down to make it meet up. Aligned carefully at a repeat, the join disappears into the continuous line and lets you extend the pattern to accommodate larger quilts.
Tips for a Great Finish
Take a short test run first, step back after the first two rows to check spacing and thread effect, and keep your advance consistent. Re-check tension when you change bobbins, and do not rush — an even pace gives the most even result. Handled that way, Bayside gives an efficient, balanced all-over finish.
Shop the Bayside Pantograph at Linda's Electric Quilters.
