How to Quilt on a Home Sewing Machine on a Cutie Frame - Load & Quilt!

[@cc83jc85]

my goodness! You have given me an idea for the T shirt quilt I'm doing for my daughter!..I'm writing notes on it in my special book. Thank you Leah! I've been following you for years (your son was a baby I think!). then I had to stop sewing for nearly a year (car accident, mum passed away and Long COVID). I just started sewing last week- SO glad you are still here..Love you heaps! Marietta Brisbane Australia

[@LeahDay]

That's great Marietta! I'm so happy you found this helpful and are getting back to quilting!

[@susanbraun698]

I don't have a Cutie (started on the hoop frame) but watched it as in our group someone often asks about loading Cutie. So I can refer them to this tutorial. As always your demonstrations are so well done. One thing you do in the hoop frame demo that I found useful is when advancing to keep the last clamp on and slide the quilt down. It has helped me keep my quilt straight by doing that. Maybe the Cutie clamps don't slide as well. Thanks for this demo. I am sure Cutie frame users will appreciate it.

[@LeahDay]

Thank you Susan! Yes, I haven't found the clamps to slide as well as with the Q-Zone frame. It may be that mine are still new and tight and that will become faster with time.

[@celiaambrose9008]

Great video! I'm so happy I bought my frame from you!

[@LeahDay]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@rondacooper4578]

Great idea for hanging the quilt on the wall to pin

[@lorali9669]

You are an awesome teacher Leah! Thankyou!

[@LeahDay]

You're so welcome!

[@donnag3113]

Great! Love to see any tips for the cutie frame.

[@wingif1976]

Thank you for this detailed tutorial. I've been wanting a Cutie, but was scared about not knowing how to use it.

[@LeahDay]

I'm getting a Cutie Breeze later this month so we will have more tutorials on using this new frame coming very soon!

[@Bearser148]

I would have loved to see the frame in use without any upgrades - just a home machine, no speed regulator, top handles, etc then show what each upgrade adds to the experience. I dont have oodles of money so would need to see which items would be best for my budget.

[@LeahDay]

That's a great suggestion! My personal advice is to start with the absolute basics and go from there.

[@wandawalker4191]

You can use a small hand mirror to look at the underside.

[@LeahDay]

That’s a great suggestion!

[@Renuewspa]

Just love your videos!

[@LeahDay]

Oh thank you!

[@jonnieyoung4343]

I just found your channel. Yay! Does your frame need a special kind on machine? You are a upper teacher! Thank you!!!!

[@jonnieyoung4343]

Super teacher

[@LeahDay]

Thank you! No, you don't need a special type of machine, but the bigger the better. The size of your harp space - distance between the needle and the motor of the machine - will determine the amount of space you have for quilting.

[@patriciaanderson8655]

😊​@@LeahDay

[@shameenatamachi]

Hi, very helpful video! Just wondering if it's possible to do straight line quilting and/or grid the entire length and width of a quilt that's larger than the cutie frame? Thanks again for a great video.

[@LeahDay]

Yes, you can do that style of quilting, but that wouldn’t be very easy to do. A lot of precise alignment and getting and keeping the lines straight will be easier on a rolling rail frame like the Evolution Elite.

[@sarahseid5674]

Hi Leah - thank for making the tutorial. It really is helping me acclimate to using my Cutie. Could you provide some more information on the magnets that you use and if you sell them or what size and how many you applied to your wall. Thank you for your help.

[@LeahDay]

This is just something I've seen on the Cutie Quilter's Facebook Group. Again, I like using the clamps, but many quilters use different magnets from Harbor Freight. But a few have gotten hurt from using them too, so do be careful!

[@debibraconi712]

Do you purchased a frame through you or could you please give me the link for the cutie frame incredibly helpful video thank you Debi

[@LeahDay]

The Cutie is discontinued so it would only be available used on EBay. You can find the new and improved Cutie Breeze frame here - LeahDay.com/Cutie

[@tammyklos9146]

hello! quick question - on your handles.. you have a white box thingy.. with knobs... what is this? Does this box control stop start of machine? (like a foot pedal?)

[@deidrapowell8762]

Sorry if I missed it. Which Janome is this?😊

[@carriebarnett5500]

Hi Leah, lovely video. How tight or not, should the quilt be, or doesn’t it matter or much?

[@LeahDay]

This is pretty important and I’m sorry I missed explaining that clearly here. You’re aiming for “bouncy tight” which means tight enough to not get pleats on the back, but not cranked down so much you create distortion -so a bit bouncy! LOL

[@rebeccapuig7832]

This is a wonderful tutorial! Thank you! Would the Cutie Frame work with a Brother Stellaire XJ1?

[@LeahDay]

Yes, that machine should work fine. The challenge will be controlling the speed / running the machine on the frame. I don’t think we have a speed controller or stitch regulator compatible with that sewing machine unfortunately. Another thing to consider is you won’t be able to use this machine for embroidery. It looks like that’s what it’s designed for specifically…

[@rebeccapuig7832]

Thank you for your quick reply. This particular machine is for either sewing or embroidery. The embroidery arm is a unit that can be removed and the machine becomes a high-end sewing machine. Can you point me to more information “speed controllers” and “stitch regulators?” Thanks!!

[@brendawilburn2819]

How can I get the handles above upgrade for the cutie frame

[@LeahDay]

We're going to have the same handles-above carriage from the Cutie Breeze available for the original Cutie Frame soon. Unfortunately it's still a few months out and won't be launched until May / June. Just hold tight - it is coming!

[@TheQHunter]

With the Cutie, do you need to baste the quilt layers?

[@LeahDay]

You don't need to baste in the traditional sense of lots of pins and tension. You do need to get the 3 layers of your quilt sandwich layered and smoothed out so they can be loaded on the frame. Does that make sense?

[@debibraconi712]

What is the exact product # for this cutie frame(does it come with the table ?

[@LeahDay]

The original Cutie frame is discontinued and sold out. No, it didn’t come with a table. We now have the Cutie Breeze Frame which is a great improvement, also with no table. If you want a frame with a solid back table for pantographs, I recommend the Evolution Hoop Frame LeahDay.com/evolve

[@mathaleefabela672]

Leah, when you advanced the frame, I noticed everything moved at the same time. Was the needle in the down position?

[@LeahDay]

Yes, the needle was down in the quilt. I find it easier to advance side to side with the needle in the down position. This stops the whole quilt from sliding off the frame and helps me know where to align the quilt with the back rail once I've slid it to one side.

[@Paper_and_Fabric]

❤❤

[@inahall7230]

Hello Leah. I have a cutie frame but don't like the original bottom handles on the carriage . I saw there is some upgrade G- carriage available, but it does not list Cutie as match. Can you tell what carriage you are using? Thank you.

[@LeahDay]

Just getting a top carriage for this frame will not work because the Cutie base carriage will crash against the corners of the top carriage. Here is the upgrade kit I’ve put together for the Cutie frame with everything you need and the correct channel locks included too: leahday.com/products/cutie-handle-upgrade

[@inahall7230]

@@LeahDay Thank you Leah. I tried this link before but unfortunately that page gives message that it does not exist. Buying a whole new carriage would be too expensive for me. Have to find a different solution.

[@jannmier3487]

Pantographs or hand guided?

[@LeahDay]

This is free hand free motion quilting. Pantograph quilting is definitely something you can do, but I'd need to move my frame to be able to quilt from the back for a pantograph

[@reginakelley3492]

Can u add a stitch regulator or a prostitcher

[@LeahDay]

Yes! You can add the Sure Stitch Elite - leahday.com/products/grace-sure-stitch-regulator You can also add Quilt Motion - QCT - This is Grace Company's system for computerized quilting - leahday.com/products/quilters-creative-touch