How to Make a Standing Quilting Frame
Standing quilting frames let quilters see their entire piece at one time and access specific areas that need quilting. These frames are used by quilters who quilt by hand, and the frames are similar to those used before the 20th century. To build a standing quilt frame, you will need to build four stands that will support each corner of the quilt frame. The frame will rest on top of the stands, allowing you to quilt at a comfortable height.
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Things You'll Need
- Four 1-by-2-inch boards, 4 inches long
- Eight 1-by-2-inch boards, 9 inches long
- Drill
- 32 wood screws, 1.5 inch long
- Four 2-by-4-inch boards, 26 inches long
- Eight 2-by-4-inch boards, 12 inches long
- 16 wood screws, 2.5 inches long
- Four 1-by-2-inch boards, length determined by quilt size
- Cotton ticking
- Staple gun
- Four clamps
Instructions
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Four Quilt Stands
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1
Screw a 4-inch board between two 9-inch boards with the shorter screws. The shorter board should be screwed in about 2 inches from the tops of the 9-inch boards, so the brace will look like an "H" with a off-center horizontal line.
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2
Place the long end of the brace over the end of the 26-inch board so it overlaps by 3 inches. The horizontal line of the brace's "H" will be above and parallel to the top of the 26-inch board. Screw the brace in place using four shorter screws. This will be the top of the stand.
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3
Place the end of the 26-inch board without the brace on the ground so that it is perpendicular to the ground. Sandwich the bottom of the 26-inch board in the center of two 12-inch boards that are parallel to the ground, to make an "H" shape. Screw the 12-inch boards in place through their 2-inch sides using four of the longer screws.
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4
Repeat steps 1 to 3 to build three more stands identical to the first.
Quilt Frame
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5
Staple the cotton ticking to each of the long 1-inch by 2-inch boards for your quilt frame, spacing each staple an inch apart. You will want the frame's boards to be slightly larger than the quilt's size.
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6
Arrange the four boards on the ground with their ends overlapping so that the rectangle is the size of the quilt you plan to make. You will want the boards to extend a few inches out from the frame.
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7
Clamp the corners in place and rest the frame on the four stands to complete your standing quilt frame. The backing of the quilt will be stitched to the ticking before beginning to sew your quilt.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Use caution when sawing and drilling to avoid injury or damaging your materials.
References
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
