Loading & Quilting with the Cutie Tabletop Fabric Frame

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Creating patchwork is the first area of quilting we encounter as we learn the process. Next comes quilting the quilt, but where do we start? And once you have started, you find dragging the entire quilt “sandwich” through your domestic machine more of a chore than you realized. What are the options available? Do we limit the size of our projects? Do we change techniques? Should we send our quilts out to be longarm quilted? If you love the look of machine quilting flowing across your quilts, how can you accomplish that with just a small investment?
The Grace Company has created the Cutie Tabletop Fabric Frame for just that reason. They considered space, flexibility, ease of use, and our budgets. Many of us live in modest homes and may not have the ability or space to dedicate a large room to a quilting frame. Also, many of us have more modest incomes and live accordingly. We crave the ease and flow of manipulating the needle across our quilts, creating those beautiful curves we see stitched across award-winning quilts. The Cutie frame is just the thing. It’s a smaller investment compared to the 12-foot-long pricey machines, so we can wade into machine quilting and enjoy the fluid reach of our machine.
The Cutie frame can easily be set up on a table or counter when tackling a quilting project. After you take the final stitch, your sewing machine can be taken back to its place in your studio and the frame can be slightly collapsed for storage in a spare room or closet.
Colleen Tauke will walk you through the preparations of your quilt sandwich and loading the Cutie tabletop frame. You will see how a quilt can quickly be positioned for quilting in sections and then moved to continue the process of machine quilting. The roller system that your domestic machine is placed upon, provides that flowing movement that upgrades your machine quilting for perfect curves. Quilting with a domestic sewing machine and the Cutie table-top frame may be just what you are looking for, quilting with ease.

[@alinecormier8774]

I just won one from the Grace Company; I can't wait to try it

[@NationalQuiltersCircle]

That's fantastic! We hope you enjoy it to the fullest!

[@normarangel2879]

That's great

[@tummymummy0867]

The blue clips on all four sides act like a quilt hoop, when you get to the far side you stop with your needle down, undo all the clips and then scoot both the quilt and machine over, redo the clips and continue. Takes practice and I'm not quite there yet!

[@dcwatashi]

So this as most video tutorials is it incomplete tutorial. Why didn’t they show us this?

[@nancycole2244]

Are the blue clamps necessary or can something else be used?

[@tummymummy0867]

@@nancycole2244 the clips are the best thing to use as they provide tension along the whole side. You could try something like spring clips but you would need several along each side so it doesn't go slack in the gaps.

[@YomeidaGarza-ku4dx]

BDTTER THAN ZETTING IT UP LIKE THE OTHER ONE I WAS TO BUY COULDNT DO THAT BUT THESE LOOKS VERY EASY LOVE IT

[@theclosetquilterelliemiria198]

A adjustable Husky work table is great for the cutie so if you want to quilt sitting or standing is an option:)

[@Sewing_Keepsakes]

This is on my wishlist ❤❤

[@YomeidaGarza-ku4dx]

WOW WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ONE LIKE THESE WONDERFULL TABLE

[@NationalQuiltersCircle]

Pretty cool, isn't it?

[@theclosetquilterelliemiria198]

Instead of the foot pedal the Grace co has a speed controller that allows the quilter to quilt more ergonomically. I have many videos on you tube using it

[@gypsyrobin]

Thanks. I just Subscribed to your Channel.

[@pamela4822]

I’ve had mine set up for a while but have been too nervous to try it. You made it look easy. I’m gonna do it!!!

[@NationalQuiltersCircle]

Good luck!

[@jolene2334]

Can I ask what machine you have? I have had this frame for over a year but I am not sure what machine to buy to quilt with it.

[@robertamccarroll554]

I want this on my wishlist I'm gonna ask my son and his wife To get it for me for Christmas or my birthday I love it.

[@HodgePodgeHarmony]

Ohhhh I like that!

[@m0ther0ne]

All you showed was the frame can do a baby quilt. What do you do with large quilts? The demonstration would have been better if you had used a larger quilt. That way you would have demonstrated that this frame could be used for any size quilt.

[@dcwatashi]

I doubt that they even bother to read the comments let alone answer any questions

[@mycardsnz]

I use a cutie frame for quilting all sizes of quilt. I have done queen sized, double and twin sized as well as baby sized and table runners. Yu just move the quilt from side to side and front to back on the frame. Very easy to do.

[@mrsk2720]

I have a cutie frame and the problem I find is with bigger quilts. As I roll it, I lose more of the limited quilting space because of the quilt in the neck space. My machine is not very big so I have about 6 to 7 inches of quilting before rolling. A bigger necked machine would work better.

[@caroleccagley214]

Yes, Please try and do a tutorial on a Larger size quilt. I really am intimidated by this small pc. of equipment to start a twin size quilt.

[@beanixdorf6977]

Oh yes, very easy to put together and use, absolutely worth the money.

[@nanashouse202]

I really want this! I probably can’t afford it. I would love to find a place for that marvelous idea.

[@Lucaangelo252]

Hi pretty lady how are you doing, where are you from?

[@itsmelaura1533]

$489 on Grace website. I sure wish they had this 4 years ago. I spent over $4k for Q'nique15R machine and Q hoop frame and sadly I rarely use it as I just don't have room. The cutie frame would have been far cheaper and better for me, I think.

[@nanashouse202]

@@itsmelaura1533 thank you!

[@nancychandler7289]

Just ordered mine today!

[@Mamaward64]

I would like to have seen you attach the quilt to the back bar. That was why I was looking at your video.

[@suehuntleigh-smith1066]

How big a quilt can you actually fmq on this machine? Like others, I would really like to see a queen size being quilted. Kia ora.

[@patriciahomer5342]

Yes I was hoping she would show the process of moving the quilt to the next section.

[@dcwatashi]

I wonder if you searched on KZbin you would find other videos I might just do that myself

[@patticromer9369]

Any size quilt can be quilted on this frame, including king size.

[@bettinafink7537]

I got a cutie frame from Amazon for less than $600

[@rokaddict534]

Why is there no link to the product? Only link is to sign up for some newsletter. Please post link to where the product can be viewed and purchased online. Thank you 😊

[@mezblyton100]

Does the frame vibrate at all when you are quilting?

[@Sewing_Keepsakes]

Great question!! I’d love to know this as well 😊

[@dcwatashi]

You might be able to put the Martelli nonslip pad underneath the machine which helps prevent vibration. I bought one just last week, it’s still sitting on my table lol

[@angelacannuli7194]

I recently bought the frame and set it up on a table. The frame is still and any vibration is caused by the steadiness of the table and speed of the machine. I’ve been practicing on it and it’s really smooth.

[@Nanaslegacy]

How deep is the throat of your machine? Mine Is only 6.5 inches would you buy it in my case?

[@kristenhills]

If it was closer to $500, it might be a possibility but I googled it and it’s a couple hundred more than that. Dang!

[@AnneSTLMO]

It's now on Black Friday pricing for $489.

[@kristenhills]

@@AnneSTLMO thank you thank you thank you

[@AnneSTLMO]

And, it's back on sale now through 2/14/2023 for $489

[@rosemaryhiebert8794]

@@AnneSTLMO where is it on sale?

[@HodgePodgeHarmony]

Unbelievable that it has gone up so much. It is on sale now for $889!

[@abedlalkhawaldeh580]

hello please i want to ask you a question when i move the machine by my arms , does this mean that i am using my skill, (brain) to write or making flower? so what is i am not good to do that ?will my work will be bad, or all of what i want to do will be done by the machine itself? thanks

[@NationalQuiltersCircle]

Great question! The 'Ask an Expert’ section is for members of our online community. I would be happy to send your question off to the experts. To get started, please provide the email associated with your paid membership. Thanks!

[@gwenmangelson]

how do you do anything larger than a baby quilt? not asking about throat depth of sewing machine just size of quilt

[@PaperDiva67]

I have one, you bring the bobbin thread up, clip threads, remove clips and then move the quilt over to the left.

[@WendyFargoMEdEdSNH]

I REALLY WANT THIS THING! Do I go to a website to get it?

[@susannicholas4394]

Where do you purchase the elastic straps for holding the quilt when it is rolled up?

[@TheQHunter]

Do you still need to baste the layers together before rolling up?

[@NationalQuiltersCircle]

Thanks for contacting the National Quilters Circle with your question. Your inquiry about basting the quilt "sandwich" is a good one. Yes, I would always advise quilters to baste the quilt layers using their favorite method. You can choose between pin basting, spray basting or hand basting with long stitches. This will make handling the project easier when loading it onto the frame and will prevent shifting or distortion in your finished project. Happy Quilting Colleen Tauke

[@ceciliadeaza3690]

Is it possible to quilt a bigger quilt on these frames? Like throw size or queen?

[@NationalQuiltersCircle]

Great question! The 'Ask an Expert' program is currently for paid members. To submit your question, please do so here: www.nationalquilterscircle.com/contact/

[@anotherblonde]

Is the presenter the lady off the early Fons and Porter YT vids?

[@NationalQuiltersCircle]

Great question! Our 'Ask an Expert’ section for members of our online community. I would be happy to send your question off to the experts. To get started, please send the email associated with your paid membership. Thanks!

[@luhare4779]

Thank you for sharing the highlights of using this Cutie Frame from the Grace Company. This is on my ever growing wish list! Your quilt is adorable by the way.

[@luhare4779]

Thank you for sharing the highlights of using this Cutie Frame from the Grace Company. This is on my ever growing wish list! Your quilt is adorable by the way.

[@sminer8257]

How would you do feathers

[@NationalQuiltersCircle]

Great question! The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members of our online community. By becoming a member, you will have access to our expert knowledge. With your membership you will also receive discounts on products and hundreds of hours of Premium content. If you are interested in becoming a member, please click on the offer below: go.nationalquilterscircle.com/a19772 Thanks!

[@gomezsandy]

I never see anyone demonstrating these with a queen or king size quilts. And the machines always seem to look like quilting machines with a larger throat than the average actual domestic. The quilts always seem like laptop size. What happens with a larger quilt as you roll it up?

[@NationalQuiltersCircle]

Great question! The ‘Ask an Expert’ section for members of our online community. I would be happy to send your question off to the experts. To get started, please provide the email associated with your paid membership. Thanks!

[@merrickelsner5520]

Can you do a queen size on a cutie

[@NationalQuiltersCircle]

Thanks for contacting the National Quilters Circle with your question. Yes, you can load any size quilt on the Grace table top frame. You just reload the quilt sandwich and shift to the area you are wanting to stitch. It’s as if you are dividing the quilt into zones and work one at a time until the top is complete. The straps allow you to roll the excess and hold it out of the way as you stitch. That allows the needle to easily glide over the fabric almost effortlessly. Happy Quilting Colleen Tauke

[@scholasticasuraweera7321]

How can i get this meshin

[@TheMaggieMia]

My state tax refund is going to buy me one! I am so excited

[@sharbubr2802]

Excellent video tutorial. My frame is ordered and I’ll be rewatching this one before my first sew. The main demonstrator for Grace is Sooooo Annoying.

[@janejia9931]

Hi, this is Jane, we have one sewing kit, i would love to invite you to test it on your channel, are you interested? If interested, please let me know how to cooperate with you, thank you in advance.

[@NationalQuiltersCircle]

Hello Jane! Please feel welcome to send this inquiry to our email address of [e-mail]. Thank you!