From what you're describing, it sounds like they have the whole quilt set out in a frame, and wrapping the finished quilt around the end poles? That's the way quilts used to be framed up for hand quilting. It's not done much any more because who has the space to keep a full size quilt stretched out until the quilting is finished.
I'd trust what they say if they've done it before without incident. It sounds like it would be loads of fun to work on the quilt - an old fashioned quilting bee.
Janet