Help!!! Can someone give me some tips on using the grace ez3 stand? I just tried my first quilt on mine (just got it), and I think I followed the directions to a tee. fortunately, I decided to just hand baste this one since it was my first, and as I was rolling it I noticed that my top fabric was not laying with the rest of it. I kept on thinking it would work itself out at the end, but when I finished I had about an inch of the top fabric that didn't match up. It normally would not matter, but I had decided to border my back fabric instead of leaving it plain...big mistake for my first one on the grace ez3. Has anyone else had this problem and how did you resolve it?

I have the same frame. Sounds like you are pulling the backing fabric too tight. Both quilt top and backing should not be tight. Also, after I get both top and backing loaded on the rails, I roll everything to the "finish" rail to make sure everything matches. Hope this helps and don't get discouraged :evil: - it really is a great frame system! :thumbup:

Piedmont Quilter
Rebecca

I agree-the tension is likely the problem. I find it helps to make some muslin cloth leaders as well, and pin the quilt to that. You really do have to be careful to not crank the tension down too much, as tempting as it is.You will distort and stretch your fabric horribly if you do.

I have the pinnacle frame, so don't know how the two compares, but if you planned too closely on your backing to top ratio, there is one alternative, rarely considered on a quilt frame with three rails.
My daughter gave me a grandmother's flower garden to quilt; she had already basted all three layers together.
I was able to load the quilt on the take up rail, then attach it to the rail that is usually reserved for the backing.
WHile I quilted it, I kept one hand on the fabric to give added tension.
It worked pretty good, so you might consider loading all three layers on one rail to ensure the limited error range it sounds like you gave yourself is better within your control.

thank you so much. I am going to have to work on my tension. glad I decided to hand baste first so it will come out easily. thanks again everyone.