Most pantograph rolls give you one design to repeat. The 800 Combo Pantograph by Linda V. Taylor gives you three. This continuous-line paper pattern carries three different patterns on a single roll, each measuring 7 1/2 inches wide. You can change the look of your quilting without changing rolls, and use different bands in different parts of the same quilt.
What the Design Is
The 800 Combo is part of Linda V. Taylor's 800 series, a group of beautiful continuous-line pantograph patterns designed exclusively for mid-arm, short-arm, and domestic machines. Continuous line means the quilting follows one unbroken path as you work across the row. There are no planned stops and starts inside the repeat, so once you settle into the movement, the stitching flows evenly from one side of the quilt to the other.
The roll measures 121 inches long, covering most quilt widths in a single pass. With three distinct patterns, it works almost like a small pattern library on its own.
What Quilts It Suits
As an all-over design, a combo pantograph suits quilts where you want consistent, even texture without custom quilting in every block. It is a practical choice for everyday and donation quilts, and for tops whose piecing already provides plenty of visual interest.
The 800 series patterns are wonderful for borders, too. A 7 1/2-inch band is a natural scale for many border widths, and having three patterns to choose from lets you match the quilting to the border itself. Using one band in the body of the quilt and a different band in the border gives a coordinated, intentional finish.
Choosing Your Row Height
Each of the three patterns is 7 1/2 inches wide, so that is the height of each stitched row. Before loading the quilt, confirm the band fits comfortably within your usable throat depth, leaving room to advance without crowding the pattern. The equal row heights make planning simple — divide your quilt length by the row height to estimate your passes, and decide in advance how to handle a partial row at the final edge.
How to Use It on a Longarm
Unroll the paper pattern on the pantograph table behind the machine and secure it flat so it cannot shift mid-row. Work from the back of the machine, following the printed line with your laser light or stylus, keeping your eye slightly ahead of the needle point so your movements stay smooth rather than reactive. Move at a steady, even pace — continuous-line designs reward rhythm, and a consistent speed helps the curves and turns in the pattern stitch out cleanly.
When you finish a row, advance the quilt by one row height, realign the pattern so the new row nests evenly against the row you just stitched, and check your registration before you begin again. A few seconds spent confirming alignment at each advance prevents the slow drift that can make later rows crowd or gap.
Extending the Pattern and Finishing Tips
Need the pattern to be longer than 121 inches? Find where the pattern repeats, mark that point on your pattern shield, and shift the pattern down to make it meet up. This allows you to extend the size of the pattern to accommodate those larger quilts.
A few final tips: test-trace a full repeat without thread first if a band is new to you, and keep the paper smooth and free of wrinkles that can throw off your laser.
Shop the 800 Combo Pantograph by Linda V. Taylor at Linda's Electric Quilters.
