I made a quilting frame from an old card table with the top in bad shape. We removed the top, then I padded the top frame by wrapping with strips of batting, and sewing a fabric cover over that, so I can pin the quilt to it.
I would not want to quilt a queen or king using this, but works great for twin or smaller!
The handy part is it just folds up when not in use.

Great idea!! :thumbup:

Thar's very clever, maybe I ought to start hand quilting.

Great idea...... and I bet you can quilt from all four sides to the middle. How creative you are.

That's very clever. Wish I had an old card table. That would be very handy to have one like that.

Indeed very clever... look at goodwill and yard sales this summer for them

necessity is the mother of invention

Well done!

What a great idea. I would have never thought of that. You are so creative. Love it.

Sounds like a great idea. Something to look for in thrift shops/garage sales. (The old card table)

Thanks for sharing your tip! It is also great to repurpose something.

clever girl

I would love to see a picture. I am a very visual person and I would love to try this out. I try to hit the thrift stores every now and then and want to keep an eye out for a card/quilt table.

Very clever!! I love it :D:D:D

Clever idea.

What a wonderful idea! Perfect for quilting in a small space! I use hoops because I don't have any room in my house to set up my standard quilting frame. Now I'll have to give something like this a try.

That's a great idea. Can you fold the legs up and set it aside when you're not quilting?

Plan to get a digital camera next week, then will get a picture for you.

Yes, it does not change your ability to fold up the table...

I did the same thing!!! I use great big binder clips like you get from office supply store to hold quilts in the frame. I quilted in the ditch on a king size quilt this way.

Try to visualize a card table with the center cut out then imagine a large quilting frame with legs. You just cut out the center back to the wooden frame all around.

I know us quilters are a creative lot but wow! what a creative idea :D

What a smart, smart idea!!!!! Great for small room, and you can get them for almost nothing....You can even fold it up with the quilt on it....again...Wow...wonderful idea

Think there MUST be Scots blood back there somewhere in my genealogy! >:)
One day I was looking at an OLD card table with the pressed cardboard type top that had disintegrated, and the light bulb lit up with QUILT FRAME!
I still don't think I want to do a king size quilt on it though!

Wow,such a great idea hope how soon you get a pictue put on for us...You are one clever person Thanks for sharing(:)

Great idea, very thrifty! Thanks for sharing that with us. Btw, my ancestry is Scottish, but my Amazigh (North African) husband takes frugality to another level. He would love this idea.

I do not have a digital camera--plan to get one next week.

I don't understand the batting and cover: how do you avoid quilting the quilt to the top of the table? Doesn't the top need to be "open"?

Jory

You cut the top of the table away and discard it. It's no good as a table after that - just a quilt frame.

Very clever idea! You might also use PVC pipes, split down the side, to clip the quilt over the edges of your frame. Would love to see a picture of your invention.

For bigger size quilts, yes up to a king size, you can buy 1 x 2's (any length) from a lumber yard and c-clamps. You will also need thumb tack (big box). Lay out your layered quilt and thumb tack your quilt to the 1 x 2's stretching as you go. Use your c-clamps at the corners. On the thumb tacks you may have to use a hammer to secure. Now you can use chairs, tables or whatever you have to get the frame to the height you need to quilt. Also, you can roll the quilt to make it smaller on one side. Rolling is usually a 2 person job. This is the way my Grandmother did her hand quilting.

A few years back I made something like the card table frame.
3x3 frame with folding legs like a card table. Then made 2 L's from 1x2 wood, (90 degree L bracket) on the inside corner of wood and a L bracket on the ends (bent to a 135 degree )and used bolt with wing nuts to hold open corners together. (Ends sticking out for bolt and wing nuts) The 2 L's formed another square that set around the outside edge of the table. The quilt top is placed on top of the table and inside the L's and wing nuts tightened down. It is really great for tie quilts.
I used it to take to outdoor concerts and quilt while I listened. Small and very portable. At home, when set up, I seem to have a elevated 3x3 cat bed. Have a hard time quilting on it because the cats have to see everything you do and try to help quilt.

You are a genius!

I also made a PVC frame that was 2x3 on top and had one U shaped set of legs in the center of the 2 end pieces (removable for ease of storage). It could rock toward you as you set in a chair. Only problem was, PVC (C shaped) split pieces used as hold down quilt would rotate and not hold the quilt securely. Needed friction on PVC to stop rotation, top and bottom.

I just love what you said about the cats!! Great story, and so true!

Way to go! Thanks for sharing your talent.

Go to your local second hand store, they always carry lots of card tables. Rosie

If you can find one with the "pressed" tops, like heavy cardboard, the top comes off easier. Those were 40s, I think,....

Aren't we absolute genius'!

ahhh... very ingenius. Thanks for sharing. I may have to try this out.

That is such a great idea. good for you. recycle.

I think this is genius!! I am going second-hand shopping for an old card table..... or on second thought, I have already been shopping for an old, wooden, smaller top desk to cut the top out of it so that I could insert a sewing machine into it for the family room..... but what a good idea to make something stable and pin a quilt to it. I think I could make it work to alter a desk, so that I have the drawers for stuff, and have a quilt pinned in the open space.....then move the quilt around as it gets quilted.....hmmmmmm.....you are giving me something to think about!!!! Great idea.