It sounds to me as if the quilt was too tight in the frame. The purpose of the frame is simply to prevent fabric from puckering. In terms of looseness for a hand quilting frame, you want at least a fistful of "give" in the center. That is, the center should be able to move about 5 inches below to 5 inches above the frame. It shouldn't look like a drum; it should sag at least a little in the middle.