Awhile back there was a thread about hand quilting frames and I didn't have any pictures to show my very inexpensive, easy to make frame. Now I do, so I guess I'll start a new thread. Hope the pictures make sense. If not, feel free to ask questions.

what a cool quilting frame thank you for sharing this with us.

I think it looks brilliant, thank you for taking the trouble to post pics - now if you could just pop over the Atlantic, and show me how you quilt in different directions, I would be able to get started. I can do right to left, as I am right handed, but what about the other directions?

I mostly go from right to left or towards me. Away from me and left to right, not too much...kind of one stitch at a time if needed to get to a place that's easy to quilt in a good direction again. For this quilt, since it's a small one and easy to manage, I'll probably quilt the white blocks in a quilting hoop. That way I can keep turning it as I quilt the flowers and not have to cut my threads and start over so often.

I lap quilt but this is awesome!

That is a great frame! thanks for the pics & explanation.

What a great idea for a frame!

Thank you for posting the pictures! It's great to see where and how you hand quilt.
BTW: I love the rose fabric you use for the backing and the border!

I use a tailor thimble on my thumb, so I can quilt away from myself. I've also read where some quilters use their thumbnail, which would work for short distances.

Your frame looks very comfy to sit at and work - and you can see the entire quilt which is always neat!

Do you ever get a bubble of fabric in the middle, since you're quilting towards the center? And do you have cats??? Mine would be in the center, supervising the work!

My great-grandmother used a similar frame, except hers hung from the ceiling. She'd lower it to quilt, and roll it back up out of the way when she was done. Pretty cool! :thumbup:

Yes, when we built our house I planned enough room in the great room to have a full-sized quilt stretched out in the frame. No, I never have bubbles because the backing is stretched out completely (but not too tightly) before anything else goes on and everything stays stretched all through quilting, because you roll in from opposite sides as you quilt and keep it stretched tight as you roll it. This is a BIG advantage of using this type of frame. No basting needed and no puckers.

Yes, we have one cat and he tried once, but it was when I had an old quilt stick that had broken at a knot and had been sort of patched together. He chose to jump on that side and the stick broke. Scared him to death. Never tried it again. But I have a water gun handy if he tries it again. :lol: My cabinet maker hubby made me some sturdy replacements after that.

I think that was a very traditional frame in the South. I get many comments like that when people see my frame. I think my frame on the stands is a traditional for the Amish. My quilting heritage is from them. Both of my parents' families were Amish until they were about 6 yrs. old. My grandmother and mother did custom hand quilting and I'm carrying on the tradition.

Funny you mentioned that rose fabric. There's a story behind that! This quilt is the second one I made with scraps someone gave me and I used the rose fabric on the first one. A customer saw it and wanted one like it. I told her I had enough scraps to do the center but didn't have any more rose fabric for the borders. She said that was the part she liked best. I assumed the fabric was old enough that it was probably discontinued, but I told her I'd try to find it. I knew it was Moda fabric by 3 Sisters from the selvage, but didn't know the collection. I looked and looked on internet, but couldn't find that print in any Moda 3 Sisters fabric collection. All the while praying that God would help me find it if it was available, because I just couldn't find any substitute fabric that did the same thing for the quilt. Finally I gave up and got the scraps out to finish it with some other fabric that I wasn't quite satisfied with, when I discovered "Paris Flea Market" on one of the other fabrics selvage. Could they all be part of that collection? So, with one last prayer, I googled that and found one online store that still had a few fabrics from that discontinued fabric collection and I ordered enough for the borders and the backing. A true answer to prayer! (And now I have three other beautiful fabrics that I had picked up to see if they would work to make another quilt with.)

Martha, this is really a wonderful story! I'm sure you got some help from anywhere....

Thanks for sharing pics of your frame. It reminds me of one my grandmother had.

This is the kind of quilting frame that my Mother used. I've thought about having my hubby build me one, they look really easy.

I really like this idea! Thank you for posting, Ill be sure to give it a try :)

Grace Company sells a frame very similar to this one. It is mega expensive for what it is though. Maybe more pics of would help some of you??

https://store.graceframe.com/cart/ha...racie-bee.html