mamagoat2

Help please! I have a new qzone frame and am having the hardest time getting the back straight to start quilting! I finally managed to get the first line to baste the top together and even that involved ripping. I have double-checked and the layers are smooth, except for when I try to get it on the frame. I know I will eventually love it but right now I am so frustrated I wish I hadn't spent the money for a frame. Any suggestions?

Tartan

So it looks like it is like the Qsnap hand quilting frame but it goes under your machine? With the Qsnap hand quilting frame, I get my layers nicely tight and then turn the snap part towards the back until everything is taut and smooth. I have never used the frame you are mentioning so I hope that tip helps.

osewme

They have a chat line on their website. Maybe you could start there & ask if they have any free, online tutorials or suggestions for getting the back straight before you start quilting. Here's a link to their site & you will see a round icon with a telephone in it & the one above has a smile (bottom right hand corner). The one with the smile is the chat line. Hope this helps you.

https://www.graceframe.com/en/machin...one-hoop-frame

osewme

Leah Day has this tutorial that might help you. And then I found some more tutorials by searching "tutorial on qzone quilting frame instructions" & you should find quite a few videos that might help you.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/searc...21&action=view

Barb in Louisiana

I don't have your frame, so don't even know if what I am about to describe will work for you. I do have a Nolting longarm with a frame. I load the backing first by pinning it to the leaders. I use those big corsage pins. Then I load the batting with about half the amount of pins that I used for the backing. then I lay the pieced quilt top on that, making sure I keep it straight across, then pin it and then baste it to the backing, removing the pins as I go. The original pins for the backing stay attached to the leaders. As I move down the quilt, I baste the sides to keep them from shifting. My backings are always at least an extra 3 to 4 inches larger on each side. My battings are at least 2 extra inches on each side.

Edited to add: I used the search criteria... Loading a quilt on a qzone quilt frame. I watched "part" of a video on your machine. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...9532&FORM=VIRE
You don't have leaders, but you do have a bar across the back. I would place my backing on the frame first, attaching to that bar in the back. Then I would put my batting on the backing and baste it in place. Then I would add the pieced top. This way you are not dealing with trying to keep 3 layers straight when everything wants to slide and move. Having your backing larger will really help in this process. I keep the fabric trimmings from the backings and use in other quilts.

JustGail

I hope you've solved your woes by now, but in case not... I made leaders from ticking fabric. All those stripes make it much easier to pin the quilt to the leader strait, and to mount the quilt on the frame straight. Also, I found adding a bit of no-slip shelf liner around the back bar (between bar and quilt or leader) keeps the leaders in place much better while putting on the rest of the clamps.

mamagoat2

I've done some small projects without problem but have stalled going back to the larger quilt. I do have some leaders I made from pillow ticking. Love the idea of nonslip material underneath them to help hold in place! Will be trying that idea. Thank you everyone for the suggestions.