Help with old Quilting Frame/Machine
 

My friend has an old quilting frame and machine and is having trouble with the top of the quilt stretching. She has tried to adjust it several times with no success. Does anyone have any ideas regarding the cause of the quilts stretching only on the top? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

How is she loading the quilt? Is she attaching the top of the top to a leader? The bottom of the top to a leader?

At what point does she notice the top is stretching? Is it at the end, when she realizes she has more top than backing and batting?

I have an old gracie frame and finally gave up on doing it the "right" way. I layer my quilt and pin it and then drape it on the frame and remove the safety pins as I get to them. I roll the top of the quilt under the throat plate, let the rest , unfinished part dangle and secure the sides. It isn't perfect but I'm not pulling out all my hair any more either. Hopes this helps.

Let's look at it another way. Is it possible that the top is not stretching, but the rest of the quilt is pulling in instead? If she is pinning the top and not putting any side tension on the rest of the quilt, or stabilizing it to the correct shape before quilting, then the quilting stitches will draw the quilt in from the sides and all but the top (where it was stabilized by being attached to the leader) will be more narrow.

Thanks to all of you, I will give her this information.