[TheForge] now for something completely different

[Andrew Vida]

My mother is the quiltress from hell.  She is a lunatic.  Pieces and 
quilts everything by hand - despises machines and never uses a frame.  
Her work is exquisite and I don't think you could get her to use a frame 
at gunpoint.


On 1/2/14, 10:45 AM, terry l. ridder wrote:
> hello;
>
> For several months I have been observing people who quilt spend in my
> opinion far too much money and time on something that should not be
> overly expensive nor complicated; a quilting frame.
>
> quilting frame is basically a laminating frame. there is a top, a
> middle and a bottom. normally, there are four rollers. the take-up
> roller, the top supply roller, the middle supply roller and the bottom
> supply roller. These layers are secured together with thread sewn with a
> long-arm sewing machine. the take-up roller is generally located to the
> right of the needle above the free-arm. originally, the quilting was
> perfomed by hand with needle and thread. somewhere along the line the
> meaning of simple and simplicity have been lost in building quilting
> frames.
>
> i have seen two models of quilting frames which have servo motors
> driving the rollers, acme screws driven by servo motors which drive the
> long arm sewing machine back and forth, fore and aft. all under the
> control of a computer running a CNC program.
>
> there are many intelligent people on theforge from many different
> careers and occupations. in the spirit of the Junk-Yard-Hammer, could we
> brainstorm to come up with a simple design for a quilting frame that is
> inexpensive to build, simple to operate and fullfills the original
> purpose of the quilting frame, sew three layers together.
>
> to start off my first thoughts were to use a gantry type frame. instead
> of rollers the layers are laid out flat and held in place either by
> metal clips or clips on bungee cords. the draw back is the long arm
> sewing machine.
>
> the cost of long arm sewing machines is another area that needs to be
> addressed at a different time.
>
> anyway, there it is. comments, flames, hints, suggestions, etc welcome.
>