I am a handquilter...it's what I prefer...it relaxes me...

Because I use my "guest bedroom" as my quilting room, I had to put up my PVC quilting frame after completing the quilt I was working on in April because we were getting company the end of April.

I wanted to repaint that bedroom before putting the next quilt in the frame AND we had a 10 day trip scheduled for the end of May. So between work, trips, life, etc., I didn't get the room painted until the first couple weekends in July. THEN I had to wait for DH to install the picture railing in that room.

I just got the picture railing caulked and the paint touched up last weekend.

For my birthday in April, DH got me a 3-rail Hinterburg handquilting frame that I had been longing for for YEARS!

We FINALLY had the room to where we could put the Hinterburg frame together and load a quilt onto it yesterday! HOWEVER...the rails will only accept an 87" wide quilt...and the 2 quilts I have waiting to quilt are 90" & 89" wide. :cry:

So NOW we are trying to figure out how DH can finagle to make those rails 10" longer.

In the meantime...it's been FOUR MONTHS since I've been able to handquilt and I am about to go CRAZY!

Sorry for the long post and rant, but thanks for letting me vent!

How frustrating to have the innitiative to get your quilts done and you can't. I hope a solution comes quickly for you.

I don't have one so I'm taking a stab in the dark here. Is there a way that you can double one end up and work from the center to the side that's all the way out and then reverse the ends and do the other side?

That would have been my suggestion too.

No...because you would be rolling backing, batting, and top together on one end of the rollers....would make it nearly impossible to keep the rest of it taught and without wrinkles.

DH thinks he can cut the rollers and insert a piece of pvc pipe and then seal them together. That way it will only make a very slight "bump" in the quilt which I should be able to easily keep the wrinkles out of.

I'm hoping this will work...but when he will be able to get to it is another thing...

Let's hope soon...and that it works!

Such frustration. I can identify with you. I love to handquilt, too, but the only place I have room for a frame is in the living room - not too pretty a sight when company comes. Hang in there and it will all work out.

Could you buy and use aluminum pipe in the size that you need for replacement rollers?

I feel for you. I understand that waiting. I gave up my sewing room/guest room for a year to our nephew while his dad was deployed. When I did get it back, I had to paint the walls just to get the teenage boy smell out of there! Between shampooing carpets, cleaning walls, putting my frame up, and reorganizing all my fabric, I lost my room for close to a year and a half. It is great to have it back.

This is what my frame was built from:
http://www.hinterberg.com/prod-Easy_Build_Kit-7.aspx

I did just find where I can get an extra set of cogs and end caps for $19, so I might suggest to DH that we just buy conduit to make an extra set of rollers. Then I can just use the longer rollers for queen/king quilts and the current set of rollers for full and smaller quilts.

This might be easier and less problem than trying to elongate the current set of rollers.

Oh how frustrating it must be. Hang in there and it will work out for you. We are rooting for you.