Mods to Stitching frames

[Steam.Jo]

Over the years I have found that the commercial stitching frames have not met my needs so I have modified them. I hopefully these might help someone else:

When I first started doing bigger cross stitch kits I found my big floor standing elbesee frame too short and to make it a bit higher I first tried mounting it on some old paint tubs:



This was successful if not very pretty to look at but it brought the frame up to match my preferred working height.

I later started (yes I know I still started) a new version. This used some bits of threaded steel and a couple of pieces of tube and some pieces of beech wood as the replacement feet:





I must get around to cutting off the excess threaded rod One of the unintended consequences of this modification is the frame is now a lot heavier and stays put.

I have been very pleased with the results of these modifications and it has made the floor frame much nicer to use. So having found a solution to the big frame it was time to think about holding the smaller rectangular frames

Jo

[Serinde]

That looks like a good modification you've worked out, and if it's more stable, so much the better. I extended a commercial frame of mine by adding a cross brace at the feet and the uprights to hold it together, and using broom handles to mount the huge needlepoint I was (am!) working on. Not pretty, but effective. https://postimg.cc/v4dJ1jKX

[Steam.Jo]

I am pleased to see it is not just me who modifies the stitching frames.

When I was younger I used to use hoops. These seem to stretch the fabric and keep needing to be moved around. The rectangular frames seemed to be the answer but they were difficult to hold and holding seemed to acquire dirty finger marks. I did buy myself one of those sit on hoops and that sorted out the dirty marks but it still suffered with stretching the fabric. So time to find a modification to the rectangular frames:

The requirement was two fold: for the smaller frames I wanted something simple that is easily moved around and for the much bigger wider frames I wanted something that would securely support the frame BUT it had to allow for getting at the back for tying off AND it had to be height adjustable. So this is the bigger rectangular frame holder:



The table clamps at the bottom have been made out of the same piece of beech as the base for the floor standing frame, to it has bee added a flat arm from an old horrible stitching frame side. All joints secured with 6mm coach bolts, some washers and because I hate butterfly nuts some star nuts to secure them. The important need is to be able to get at the back so with the bottom pivot bolts loose the stitching frame and the arms can be tilted forward and backwards:



It can also be folded down to try to prevent catching it:



What is so nice about this frame mount is that any rectangular frame can be mounted into it: here is a much bigger frame mounted using the same pair of side clamps/arms:



(I must finish that one as well and it still has butterfly nuts on the frame )

Next I'll show you my mount for the smaller rectangular frames and the common mount that goes through the exiting holes in the Ebleese frames.

Jo

P.S. I also have a pair of much longer arms that enable me to stand up when using this frame mount.

[Steam.Jo]

Last frame modification - this time for the little ones. When I say little ones I mean up to about 18" wide and 9" high. Again the problem is keeping my mucky fingers off the frame/work and to give me both hands free so I can do double handed stitching.

This one uses a little clamp that I found separately available on Fleabay (you also get them on the bottom of small clamp on table lamps)



It only uses one clamp on one side so is not as stable as the previous mount but for the smaller frames adequate these are the bits it is made of:



On the right is the same through frame mounting bolt I use on the previous frame mount. I am pleased with this smaller mount its small and light enough to take with me to the village sewing meetings but its one disadvantage is turning over to get at the back requires the vertical bar to be lifted out of the clamp, which means the bar has to be a push fit in the holder

I hope those may give you some ideas of how you could modify your own mounts to make things easier for your sewing.

Jo

[Serinde]

I use C-clamps to hold one of my weaving looms to a table top. Works a treat.

[Podolyanka]

Will never understand why nobody wants to use arms and hands instead of all those stands and frames. Cross stitching does not need any additional equipment regardless of the project's size, believe me. I wonder what stand had to be used when I was cross stitching a 5m X 1.6 m tablecloth?

[Serinde]

Certainly nothing I own! I don't get on working in hand very well is the problem, and I've tried. The tension is rubbish and I have a hard time visualising where I am in the design. I'm sure these are all my personal failings, especially when I see your lovely finishes.

[Mabel Figworthy]

Likewise to Serinde. If you can do without them, like you Lyudmila, that's great, but to those of use who really can't get on with working in hand they are a life-saver

[wendywombat]

I envy you Lyudmila. I used to work 'in-hand' but I get very rough fingers which dulls the threads. A hoop or frame enables me to keep the lustre and I do enjoy stitching two handed, my dominant hand under the work.

Each to their own way and neither method is wrong. Your ability to handle large pieces of fabric and produce such beautiful results is the envy of many here.

[rcperryls]

I agree. I know we have some who can stitch without hoops or frames of some type. I am another who cannot keep the tension and even when stitching the big afghans found that I needed to keep the area I was stitching inside a hoop. Depending on the project I love my stand which makes two handed stitching much easier. I think what is one of the best things about stitching is the lack of "rules".

Carole

[Steam.Jo]

I have been making new rolling frame supports My Wood mount is still on my Peacock tapestry and is likely to stay there for another year so if I want to do something on another longer frame I really needed a second mount that supported both ends. So I purchased two microphone clamps and added a piece of aluminium bar and came up with this:



It is based on the single clamp idea but I have given this one longer uprights with various hole heights.



It also tilts up and down:



Up to allow for sewing off the ends and downish so that it does not get as much in the way when not in use (Yes that is my bird watching stuff under the frame, when I sit here on my computer I use the bins to watch the birds on my bird feeders. )

Jo

[Mabel Figworthy]

Very useful!

[rcperryls]

Very ingenious!

Carole

[wendywombat]

Very ingenious!

Carole

Yes indeed!

BTW I keep my binoculars handy too....birds and beast watching.

[Steam.Jo]

I posted this over on the Stash acquisition thread. I thought it was better to capture any mods here so first:

My Lowery Stand has arrived and (sorry about to go into engineer mode ) its a bit short to use it at the table:



Its already on its highest setting and it is about 50mm lower than my table stand

It is ok for use on my Sofa:



I had been worried that the arm would not go sideways far enough but it looks ok. On my Conservatory sofa it is ok:



And I have also tried it for stitching in bed (planning ahead just in case for old age). That works if I use the corner clamp on the bottom corner.


I am not convinced on this corner clamp thingy: I cannot roll my piece with the clamp in place. I will have a think about that


I have measured the right angle bar and it is indeed 12.7mm (1/2") but the hole in the base and in the clamp bracket are 14mm. This means the bar could be a bit thicker . A thicker bar would not flex as much if you put wider frames in it. The flex point will then be the bottom which only has a small flange relative to what it is clamping to. But I would not be able to use standard Lowery accessories

Time to go looking for a longer bar and the split pin for adjusting the height is missing (I do not like split pins I feel something else may be required )

Jo

[Steam.Jo]

I've been reviewing the options to provide a bit more height:

A piece of stainless bar is another £14 It would be 1m long and I could make it so that it gave me lots of height/width changes. But 14mm is rather thick and I am not sure if my press will happily bend that. It might do it if I heated it (I might phone a friend so I could use their press ) The other option is to buy the thinner 12.7mm, which I can probably bend

An alternative is to put a spacer under the bottom of the vertical - if you recall I am concerned about it flexing down there. There is only a single M10 screw holding the bar to the base and it would be better to have multiple screws over a wider diameter. I found a couple of bits of aluminium from which I could make a spacer. The advantage of a spacer is I would keep all of the adjustment from the holes down the side of the vertical bar. And I can widen out the foot which would reduce that flexing that I do not like.

The entire stand could be sat on a sub table (I think the base on my older one is wider than the later ones) but that would prevent it from being slipped under a chair leg for stability .

Still thinking about it: I will continue for now using my table support for the piece I am doing

Jo

[Steam.Jo]

I've added a 13" extension so now the Lowery stand goes from 33 1/2":



(Sue was finding it fascinating and has been playing with it )

Up to 46" tall:



I had not realised that depending on clamping on the top or the bottom of the frame I can get another couple of inches of height variation.


So my thoughts:

I might still reduce the height by a couple of inches.

With the extra height I can turn the right angle bar round to provide a greater width from the base to the frame e.g. if I use it in bed

It also goes high enough to sew standing up if I wished to

I thought that these would need to go under a table leg to be stable but it is actually extremely stable without anything on the base plate - that is a 24" frame in it. If I had something heavier it may be another matter.


Next question: Which is better side clamp or corner clamp The side clamp would allow the workpiece to be rolled without having to move the clamp. Those of you who have the side clamp what do you think about it?

Jo

[wendywombat]

That looks fit for your purpose now!

Have to ask.....have you ever bought anything that you didn't want to alter?

[Steam.Jo]

Have to ask.....have you ever bought anything that you didn't want to alter?

I do like modifying things If there is something not quite right that gives me the excuse , most people don't have the option .


A couple of years ago when I had major surgery I couldn't sit for long while my wound healed, being able to stand doing my sewing would have been so good. Now I have the option.

Jo