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Quilting Frames
Jasmine Frame Easy Spinner
When I began quilting, I figured any hoop is
a hoop. So, I bought a cheap hoop at a discount store and began
quilting a queen size quilt. Within 24 hours the cheap hoop
split, and I had taped it together. Then I bought a better hoop;
it was plastic! But it left a really bad crease now and again
because of it's "no slip" ridge. So I bought another wood hoop,
but of better quality. Hum, it was okay, but I didn't like the
wing nut and sharp screw, which caused a near rip in the quilt.
Lesson learned: cover the screw up with masking tape. Lesson
learned: the masking tape comes off. So I tried a bungie cord
hoop and found I nearly had a physical mishap trying to get the
quilt in the hoop. Hysterical is an understatement. Then there
was the oval hoop. At about $35, you'd think it would be good,
but within a few days I noted the tension on the hoop was not
consistent and there was a gap where the oval fit one way but not
the other. Hum, one minute perfect tension, the next no tension
at all, and two inches away, too much tension.
Okay, now comes the big bucks stuff.
I ordered by mail order a 29" hoop with its 22"
counterpart. Very nice, but I had to put it together, and it was
unfinished. Not bad for the money, but I could get the thing to
adjust so I could sit on my couch without the hoop tipping over?
I couldn't figure out a way. Then I saw it pictured and thought
to myself that the person quilting on it was sitting in a straight
back chair. Further, when I put the queen size quilt in it, the
tripod base wasn't really all that secure. Oh well, I took it
apart and it went back. I was greatly relieved I didn't buy it
locally because I am sure the shop would not have wanted it
returned. So I then looked at frames. I bought one, again mail
order, because the local shops didn't carry any at the time.
This, I thought, had possibilities. Three hours after opening the
box, the assembled frame listed to one side. After checking
thoroughly the instructions, I found I had to hire a wood worker
friend to come fix the problem which was simply chiseling out an
area wide enough for the cross bar to go into. I thought I had it
made until I tried quilting on it. There was no infinite tension;
you either had it too loose or too night, and I had to buy
something to hook to the sides to control the sides from flapping
around. I soon discovered quilting uphill and backwards was not
fun. Oh well. Unfortunately, I had it in storage for six months
during a house move before unwrapping the box. So I was stuck
with it.
Please note all of these purchases were made
with the view that the Jasmine was awfully expensive, and I really
couldn't spend that much on a quality hoop or frame. I had seen
the Jasmine in "That Perfect Stitch" by Roxanne McElroy; I had
seen it advertised in magazines, and knew from what others said
that it had to be wonderful. So, determined not to be "stuck"
again, I decided that I would actually visit the factory after
having talked to the owner about Jasmine products. The owner
suggested as a quilting teacher I sell them. So off a friend and
I went to Kerrville, Texas. I returned home with frames, hoops,
and Easy Spinner Stands. Not only do I quilt in an easy chair, I
can quilt in a reclining chair, rocking chair, straight back
chair, office chair, sun lounger, deck chair, and with one model,
even on the floor, cross legged. Yes, there is a Jasmine for
everyone who wants to quilt.
Remember, Jasmine was originally designed by a
quilter whose husband made the prototype. After refining the
design several times over, the Easy Spinner was born and
patented. The Jasmine Frame was also patented, and is the only
quilting frame on the market with infinite tension and can be
quilted on from either side of the frame.
Take a look at the finest you can buy, and
remember that what I spent in hoops and frames above, could have
bought BOTH an Easy Spinner and a
Floor Frame. Remember the
saying, you get what you pay for......and with Jasmine, you get
the best.
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