The Grace Company Quilter’s Evolution Elite Rolling Frame Installation Guide

The Grace Company Quilter’s Evolution Elite Rolling Frame

Product Information

The Elite-Frame is a quilting frame that comes with various parts such as the Take-Up Rail, Bottom Carriage, Channel Lock, Front Rail Clamp, Quilt-Backing Rail, Quilt-Top Rail, Hand Wheel, Tracks, Bungee Clamps, Left Side, and Right Side. It is designed to hold your quilt in place while you sew it using your quilting machine or top plate wheels. The frame comes in three different sizes, 8′, 10′, and 12′, and can accommodate different quilt sizes depending on the frame size.

PRODUCT Quilt Dimensions
The recommended sizing for the batting is 10 inches larger than the quilt top, and for the backing, it is 12 inches larger than the quilt top. The maximum quilt top width for each frame size is 6.5′, 8.5′, and 10.5′ for 8′, 10′, and 12′ frames respectively. Record the measurements of your quilt in the wet-erase marker provided.

Product Usage Instructions

Starting a New Project

1. Ensure that your frame is level.
2. Measure your quilt top.
3. Make your quilt sandwich (see Loading Fabric instructions below).
4. Check your rail height.
5. Wipe down the tracks on the frame and bottom carriage with a lint-free cloth.
6. Wipe down the bottom carriage wheels and your quilting machine or top plate wheels.
7. Attach your fabric to the frame (see Loading Fabric instructions below).
8. Tack down your quilt at the edge of the quilt top.
9. Tack down test fabric to the side of your quilt (see frame instructions for details).
10. Test stitch tension in test fabric or edges of the quilt.

PRODUCT Loading Fabric

1. Attach the quilt backing to the take-up rail cloth leader with the wrong side of the fabric facing up.
2. Attach the bottom edge of the backing to the quilt-backing rail cloth leader.
3. Ratchet the quilt-backing rail forward until the backing is rolled up smoothly.
4. Pin the top edge of the batting, bumpy side up, to the quilt backing. Make sure it is centered and free of wrinkles.
5. Pin the top edge of the quilt top an inch or so below the batting.
6. Attach the bottom edge of the quilt-top leader to the quilt-top.
7. Ratchet the quilt-top rail to tighten the quilt top. Roll your quilt to maximize the available quilting area but make sure the machine’s needle can still reach the top edge of the quilt top.

PRODUCT Leveling Frame

1. Loosen the top nut on the leveling foot with the 17 mm open-end wrench.
2. Adjust the bottom nut with the 14 mm open-end wrench until the desired height is set.
3. Tighten the top nut with the 17 mm open-end wrench until it is firm against the frame leg to prevent the height from slipping over time.

PRODUCT Rail Adjustment

1. Loosen the knobs and open the levers.
2. Set the rail or bottom of the rolled fabric 0.25 inches above the machine bed.

PRODUCT Tacking Down Fabric

1. Open the ratchet levers on the front rail.
2. Roll the hand wheel on the take-up rail.
3. When you move to a fresh quilting area, tack down the edges of the quilt top about a quarter inch from the batting.
4. When you’ve reached a fresh quilting area, close the ratchet levers.

Parts of the Frame

Starting a New Project?

1. Ensure your frame is level.
2. Measure your quilt top.
3. Make your quilt sandwich (see below).
4. Check your rail height.
5. Wipe down the tracks on the frame and bottom carriage with a lint-free cloth.
6. Wipe down the bottom carriage wheels and your quilting machine or top plate wheels.
7. Attach your fabric to the frame (see Loading Fabric on reverse side).
8. Tack down your quilt at the edge of the quilt top.
9. Tack down test fabric to the side of your quilt (see frame instructions for details).
10. Test stitch tension in test fabric or edges of quilt.

Quilt Dimensions

Recommended sizing:

• Batting: 10” larger than the quilt-top.
• Backing: 12” larger than the quilt-top.

Max quilt top width:

• 8’ frame: …………..6.5’
• 10’ frame: ………..8.5’
• 12’ frame: ………10.5’

Record the measurements of your quilt here in wet-erase marker:

• Top: x
• Batting: x
• Backing: x

Loading Fabric

1. The quilt backing will be attached to the take-up rail cloth leader with the right side of the fabric to the back.
2. Attach the bottom edge of the backing to the quilt-backing rail cloth leader. The wrong side of the backing will face up if correctly installed.
3. Ratchet the quilt-backing rail forward until the backing is rolled up smoothly.
4. Pin the top edge of the batting, bumpy side up, to the quilt backing. Make sure it is centered and free of wrinkles.
5. Pin the top edge of the quilt top an inch or so below the batting.
6. Attach the bottom edge of the quilt-top leader to the quilt top.
7. Ratchet the quilt-top rail to tighten the quilt top. Roll your quilt to maximize available quilting area but make sure the machine’s needle can still reach the top edge of the quilt top.

Note: See frame instruction manual for more details on fabric installation.

Leveling Frame

If you notice an area of pulling or tugging where the machine hits a low spot in the frame, adjust the height of the leveling feet to smooth it out.

1. Loosen the top nut on the leveling foot with the 17 mm open-end wrench.
2. Adjust the bottom nut with the 14 mm open-end wrench until the desired height is set.
   • To Lower: Turn counter-clockwise.
   • To Raise: Turn clockwise.
3. Tighten the top nut with the 17 mm open-end wrench until it is firm against the frame leg to prevent the height from slipping over time.

Rolling the Fabric

1. Open the ratchet levers on the front rail.
2. Roll the hand wheel on the take-up rail.
3. When you’ve reached a fresh quilting area, close the ratchet levers.

Tacking Down Fabric

When you move to a fresh quilting area, tack down the edges of the quilt top about a quarter inch from the batting. This prevents the fabric from pulling inward when quilting.

Rail Adjustment

1. Loosen the knobs and open the levers.
2. Set rail or bottom of the rolled fabric 0.25 inches above machine bed.
3. Tighten the knobs and close the levers.

Channel Lock Use

• Close the machine channel lock to stitch a straight horizontal line.
• Close the carriage channel lock to stitch a straight vertical line.

Tip: If you won’t be quilting for the next couple of days, release your front rail clamps and loosen the fabric on the frame to avoid stretching out your fabric.

• 1-800-264-0644
• Copyright November 12, 2022
• Version 1.1

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