Homemade Quilt Frames
Quilting is a time-honored tradition. In the past, quilters used dried leaves or blankets to sandwich the quilt to keep it tight to place and sew the layers on the quilt. Today, quilters use wooden frames, either hand-held frames or standing frames. You can purchase wood frames, but making one is easy and a lot less expensive.
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Building a Hand Quilt Frame
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Purchase four pieces of hardwood lumber 2-by-2 and about 24-to-36 inches in length. On two of the wood pieces, sew or staple strong fabric, such as an old blanket cut a little longer than the wood, onto the wood. These boards will first stand alone until you sew the quilt onto the fabric, before attaching the other two pieces of wood with the C-clamps. The fabric should be loose enough to leave a flap of the fabric at both ends of the wood, but staple the fabric firmly to the wood.
Once the frame is completed, baste the quilt together. Once done, sew or pin one end of the quilt to the flap on the fabric-covered boards or end boards. Roll the quilt across the board until you are near the center and do the same with the other end of the quilt. Use your C-clamps to attach the sideboards. The quilt is now taut enough to begin sewing. The frame should stand on a sawhorse or if not available, use a chair.
Standing Wood Quilt Frame
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A standing quilt frame gives you room to work comfortably or work with others while standing or sitting. Purchase two wooden sawhorses at any hardware store. The cost for a sawhorse generally is less than $40. Folding sawhorses are available if you prefer, as they are easy to put away.
Purchase two hard wood poles in sizes 1-by-2 inches, 2-by-2 inches, or 2-by-3 inches. Sizes will depend on the length, according to KathKwilts.com. Determine the width of your quilt and cut the poles to the width plus 1 foot. The legs of the sawhorse should be a comfortable length to stand or sit and reach the center of the quilt. Cut a notch at both ends of the sawhorse to fit your poles tightly enough to keep the poles from moving while you work.
Use two wide pieces of muslin about a foot wide for your fabric at about a foot shorter than the poles and hem the edges. Fold the fabric lengthwise and iron. Fold, center and staple the fabric to a side of each long pole, leaving about 4 inches at the tips of the poles. Cut two pieces of cotton fabric four times the length of your sawhorse. Attach the fabric to the sides of your quilt with safety pins and wind the quilt around the top of the sawhorse, pinning the edges each time six times to hold the quilt onto the top of the sawhorse.
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Why Use a Frame
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It is not necessary to use a frame, but it does have its advantages. Frames allow you work on your quilt while keeping the quilt taut, resulting in firmly stitched areas. It is also more organized than quilting on a table or floor and keeps the quilt off your lap, which is cumbersome, heavy and difficult to maneuver. Framing presents a beautifully finished quilt without puckers or wrinkles.
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