Very old wooden quilting frame ?
 

I was gifted this very, very old frame which is an enormous 10' x 9'. I have to replace the leaders which I know how to do.

Does anyone know how to then load a quilt?

The legs hold the frame together and can, I am thinking, be adjusted along the sides for different size quilts. But how to attach the quilt to the leaders has got me stumped.

I am grateful for any suggestions and info that can help me. TIA

Close to 100 years old.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]593528[/ATTACH]

peace

I would think you would pin it on? Not sure if I'm totally understanding the situation.

I use thumb tacks or staples, be careful not to pull the top, batting and bottom to tight they will rip

Maybe i can make my situation a bit more clear. After I attach the canvas leaders to each side, how do I go about adding and securing the backing, batting and top to the leaders?

I will attach the canvas leaders with staples. The original hand wrought tacks were so rusted I could not reuse them.

Thanks for any suggestions and ideas. We never know what may help so all advice is welcome.

peace

No ideas about the frame, but that's a lovely quilt top.

I think you would pin the backing to both leaders, then lay the batting on top, then lay the quilt top on top of the whole thing and secure it with pins - basically the same as floating the quilt on a longarm, except it's a much deeper frame and you don't have rollers. I'm not sure how you are supposed to get to the middle of the quilt to hand quilt it though, and I think you would have to adjust the leaders every time you loaded another quilt. I'm not sure any of this makes sense.

Here's an older post that might be helpful. https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f...es-t16414.html

In the old days, I don't think it was referred to as loading a quilt. I never heard that until the advent of the long arm quilters. This is not a task that I have done, but I did help pin a top prior to taking it off for hand quilting in the lap. I think you need to become friends with Mr. Google. If you google "how to set up and use a vintage wooden quilt frame", you should find plenty of help.
Joe Cunningham, who's name you once saw often paired with that of Gwen Marston, has a DVD showing how to build and use a quilt frame. It may be in your public library. I have seen a small booklet showing how to set up and tie a quilt using a frame.

By the way, that is a beautiful quilt top draped over the corner of the frame.

This is so interesting. I remember playing under a quilt frame in my grandmother's living room while ladies from her church were quilting. Here's another post that might help - https://www.quiltingboard.com/pictur...me-t55940.html

I have one somewhat like it. The boards sit on stands and held together with C-clamps. I don't use leaders but pin thumb tacks to attach the backing on to the boards then add the batting and finally the top. I pin the two opposite side first then adjust the board making it taut then repeat with the other two sides, it is not an easy process but I learned it at the Mennonite Quilt Center. I use mine when I tie a quilt. You quilt or tie all four sides and when you can't reach anymore you the unpin a portion of the board that are on the bottom and roll the boards that are on top with the quilt ( this is a two person job) until you reach the place that needs quilting. Repeat the process until you are finished.