How to Build a One Sided Quilting Frame

One of the essential items needed for quilting is a frame to hold your quilt while you stitch your pattern. And while many quilters use a hoop frame, they find it difficult to deal with the extra fabric of their quilt -- which tends to bunch and get in the way while they quilt. A good solution is to make a one-sided quilting frame. These frames are large enough to hold an entire quilt, and can be set aside for easy storage when not in use.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Quilt top
• Quilt batting
• White muslin quilt backing cut 12 inches longer than your quilt top
• 4 "C" clamps
• 10 to 12 heavy-duty upholstery or thumb tacks
• 4 sturdy 2 inches X 4 inches poles
• 4 hooks with screw attachments
• Hemp clothesline
• 2 carpenter's saw horses

1. Have each end pole cut so that it will be 12 inches longer than the top or bottom side of the quilt that will be mounted on it. Have your side poles cut just slightly larger than the area that you wish to work in. If you only wish to work in a 2 foot area, then cut the poles so that they will be 3 feet wide.

2. Spread out your quilt top face down in a large, open space. Over this, lay the cotton batting. Finally, center your muslin backing over this. Baste all three layers together so that they do not move or shift.

3. Lay the poles alongside the quilt so that the ends of the muslin backing will touch them. Center the poles so that 6 inches of each pole sticks out on either side. Secure the top and bottom ends of the quilt to the top and bottom poles using the tacks.

4. Roll the top and bottom poles until only the area of the quilt that you will be working on is visible. Then clamp the ends of the poles at right angles to the side poles using the "C" clamps.

5. You can create a stand to elevate your quilting frame by laying the ends on kitchen chairs or two saw horses, which are commercially available from any hardware store. Alternately, you can suspend your frame by attaching four screw-type hooks to the ceiling of your work space. The quilt frame may be suspended by running clothesline rope through the hooks and tying it to the "C" clamps.

Tips & Warnings

• Quilting from a frame differs from quilting from a hoop in that you cannot turn a frame the way you would a hoop. Some quilters find it more comfortable to arrange their stitches so that they are always quilting toward themselves. When quilting from a frame, you will work from one side of the quilt to the other, as opposed to working from the inside outward the way you would when working on a hoop.

Resources

• The World Wide Quilting Page