World Wide Quilting Page
Question of the Week
Question for the week of June 2, 1997:
Our question this week comes from Karen Syler
I want to get a quilting frame and I would like to know what brand is the best to purchase?
Marjory :
Q-snap. I used a big ole' wooden hoop for years but this little
Q-snap is much easier to move around the quilt, and much better for
quilting along the edges. With the weight of the quilt on my lap
it's too warm to quilt in the summertime, but that's better piecing
weather anyway.
Penna. quilter :
I have a Jasmine frame and a Qsnap frame and love them both. I do use the Qsnap more because I can take it from room to room if I want to. The extension is nice, doubles the size of the frame.Most of my friends have Q's and never here a complaint about them.
Bee :
i sell floor model of q-snap and have received praises from all of my customers that have purchased the frame. It also has tilting capabilities and extensions available.
Monique Lloyd :
I quilted used an inexpensive hoop for
almost twenty years. Last February my
DH bought me a Hinterberg Homestead frame.
The bad points: it takes a lot of room
and was very expensive. The good points:
it's well made and will last forever,
I can adjust the height and tilt and
best of all, I don't have to baste! I have no
affiliation with this company except
as a happy customer.
Cheri Visser :
I have the E-Z Build frame. It is sold as a kit accompanied by a list of materials needed &assembly instructions.
Mine was built my husband and a friend who are both carpenters although they both say that as long as you have
basic construction skills and proper tools (a jig saw would be necessary) it shouldn't be difficult. I really like mine - it keeps
the top, batting &backing taut, gives you a good size work area, good height, and your quilt can be set upright while you
aren't working on it, and easily move against a wall. I've had mine for about 2 or 3 years and I really like it. You see it in
lots of quilting magazines.
Jennifer Schmidt :
I use a lap hoop right now, but I'd like to purchase a hoop stand model on which the hoop rotates 360 degrees. That way, I don't have to do hand-contortions to quilt feathers (which I'd have to do if using my big ol' quilt frame). Whichever brands of frames you run across, I received some good advice from Alex Anderson in one of her workshops: don't get a frame that does everything (tilts,holds the layers separately so you don't have to baste, and adjusts every which way). The frame is bound to be weak and wobbly. I have found lots of ads for frames and floor hoops in the backs of quilting magazines such as Quiltmaker, Quilter's Newsletter Magazine, etc. You can ask these companies for their brochures to help you decide. Happy hunting!
Alice Nied :
I had my husband purchase the floor model Q-snap frame a few years ago for Xmas. It was fun to purchase, but of course it has never been used so have no opinion of that part. It, along with my other quilting stashes (fabric, irresistable notions, etc.) was purchased so when the "bad times" come, I will still have lots of things to do....I have yet to define "bad times", but I think they are getting closer.
Susanne :
I use a lap frame from Littletree most of the time. It has a stand so that my hands are free, but is does not rotate.
For a stationary frame I'm considering a Grace. A friend has one that she likes very much. I like the fact that basting is not required with this frame. I don't care for the Q-snap because the height is uncomfortable for me and it is not adjustable.
Sue :
I particularly enjoy using lap frames. I generally use a 20-24"hoop and hold it in my lap. This is particularly nice because I sit with my feet up in a recliner to quilt.I have also used a hoop which is mounted on a frame. I works well when you don't want the weight of the quilt in your lap (a bad thing in warm weather).
For smaller pieces, I most often use a small John Flynn frame. These are built like needlepoint or embroidery frames with two parallel bars to hold the fabric with spacer bars to seaparate them. This frame is especially nice when you are quilting small trapunto pieces...the ends are open so stuffing is easy.
NEEDLENANY :
Q-SNAP
Lenore Lawrence :
I got a Grace frame and absolutely love it. It is adaptable to any size quilt. Putting the quilt on the frame is a one person job and you can easily get a nice even tension on all layers. I've used mine for hand quilting, tying and basting. It is an excellent frame that I highly recommend. It even folds up for quick storage.
Jeanne :
I purchased a Flynn frame because it was the most versatile for my needs. They also sell the kits which enable you to enlarge the frame using your own wood to the size you need. There is also an optional floor stand adapter for it. I like it because it's small enough to cart around comfortably but big enough to accommodate my projects. I mail-ordered mine from either Quilts and Other Comforts or Keepsake Quilting. Their address and phone number is: Flynn Quilt Frame Company, 1000 Shiloh Overpass Road, Billings, Montana 59106 1-800-745-3596. Good luck.
Betsy :
Karen--I don't know about different brands (will be looking forward to the answers you receive). However, after buying a relatively cheap hoop-shaped frame, I learned one important thing--adjustable height is important! Mine is fixed in height, so I have to sit on a phone book to use it! Good luck.
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