Sit on Frame?

I'm thinking I need a hands free frame and need your input to decide.

What in your opinion is the best lap or sit on holder for a scroll frame?

I bought one of these

while doing a workshop at Country Bumpkin, and it is quite wonderful.I am abysmal for poor posture while I stitch which results in shoulder and elbow problems, using a sitting stand sits me up properly and helps with my shoulder and elbow problems. I find I can work two handed with the sitting frame & that speeds up my stitching as well (I am a painfully slow stitcher).

I've seen pictures of other sort of lap frames for scroll bars, they look interesting but I think they would still encourage one to "lounge" and I can't work out if they'd be awkward to work two handed.

Cheers

Joanne in Perth

I bought one, don't remember the name, and promptly returned it. I'm rather height challenged (aka short) and the contraption elevated the stitching almost to my nose (slight exageration). My advice is not to buy anything without trying it on your lap first.

Even though there's something not quite right about the clamp (stretcher bars and qsnaps wiggle and flop down) on my floor stand, I use it for pieces that need two handed stitching.

Thanks for the input.

I'm under 5' tall, with long legs, so I sit "low" in a seat. Therefore, like you I'm severely height challenged and I suspect it might reach my nose and not work well for me.

I guess that means I'm going to have to go to a place where I can try it out.

Lucille

So is Lucille, so I was also going to say don't buy anything you can't easily return.

I have a Gripit Legend sit-on-it model. I'm barely 5'2" and it works well for me. I use it in the car when we go on vacation and that way I have it at the hotel. At home I use the floor stand Legend. I also have some basic frame that sits like a bed table across my lap that works well and I think it is also a Gripit bed/lap/table model. Moni ---- Posted via Pronews.com - Premium Corporate Usenet News Provider ----

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If you use a scroll frame, take a length of yarn and tie it into a circle. Then twist it once into a figure eight. Put a loop over each of the knobs on the top of the frame and the "X" at the back of your neck. Rest the bottom edge of the frame against your ribcage.

I've tried the sit on frame and a floor stand tilted at an angle, and this works best for me.

Sit-on frames are not good for me -- I'm fairly short, don't sit "properly", and don't enjoy having to extricate myself when the phone rings or the dog wants out. Instead, I have a floor stand, and love it! I got it a few years ago at JoAnn's Fabrics. The wood is lovely, the stand puts together fairly quickly and can be taken apart even more quickly, the height and angle are adjustable, the stand is very sturdy, it holds just about any frame, and I can easily push it aside when I need to do that. I highly recommend floor stands!

Lucille, you may be petite enough to be comfy with a sit-on frame, but IME, most folks aren't. I have 2 recommendations for you - and the links are listed.

First, my all time favorite is the K's Creations Z-frame or Baby-Z. I have the Baby Z, which holds scrolls, Q-snaps or stretcher bars (with the universal clamp as it comes). And I've put pieces in about 14" x 16" or

12-16" scroll sets. If you tend to larger pieces, then it's worth the few dollars difference to get the Z rather than the Baby - the base is about 4 inches longer. I like these because with the single arm nothing interferes with your stitching hand, and it's really quick to just flip to the back when ending threads. I use the Baby A LOT, even sitting up in bed, or cross-legged on the sofa, or in a corner of the sectional or a chair, kind of curled up with the base on my lap. Depending on my position, I may put a small frameweight to keep the balance (ok - one of my old drafting weights). This frame has a hinge in the middle of the arm, rather than being just one piece - which makes it really good for finding just the right position. Honestly, we started having them in the shop because I was using mine during stitch-alongs, and as soon as we get them, we sell them. If you are interested, and can't find one locally, LMK - we ship all over the place (no extra charges). Oh, I have the Baby 'cause I use the floor stand for really big things.

The other frame set which folks really like, especially my boss, who is petite, and stitches curled in a big armchair at home - with this propped part on lap, part on arm of chair, are the Doodler & Lap-Stitch frames from Images Stitchery. The Lap Sitchi Mini-Mini, Mini & Minp-Plus are adorable, and the Mini-Mini & Mini are great for smallish projects - the difference is how much vertical of the piece you see. I like these because with the reverse "C" side piece it's easy to put your hand behind, and I'm a 2-handed stitcher. The Mini-Plus is a new one, and is a really nice scroll set, comfortable to use. The other design style, the Doodler is also nice - those have the "L" side pieces, so you slip your back hand in between the fabric and frame. In these, I'd recommend staying away from the Doodler Grande - it's kind of big - but the Little Doodler & Doodler are quite nice. You can use any width of scroll rods on any of these - they're clever designs - and pretty much we sell them for whatever is on the web-site (one of the few things we'll carry that also sells directly).

in short - if it's only for scrolls, then either of these is good. Thedoodler & mini's frames are lighter weight than the K's. If you're goingto use other frames - i.e. Q-snaps or stretchers, then the K's would do anyof those. The K's runs about $56 for the Baby and $62 for the full size-IIRC. The Doodler & Lap-Stitch Mini line have their prices on the Imagesweb site.

Enjoy playing - wish I was down there so I could let you try out some of my toys.

Ellice

I had an Elan by Artisan Design now for about 10 years and love it! It's not a sit on but balances very comfortably on your lap. You could also put it on a table if you wished. It breaks down quickly into a flat rectangle and can hold up to medium size scroll frames.

I think I've decided on the K's creation Z-Frame.

They have it on Jo-Ann's website and I'm going to see if I can use a 40% coupon and get a really good price.

Thanks very much for all your input.

Lucille

>

Good choice, Lucille. I think you'll be really happy with it. I've had my Baby Z for 8 years, and it's held up well - including being dragged on many flights, trips, to classes, etc. And Puckster is quite happy to slink up my lap, and poke his big nose on the base under the edge of my stitching! IIRC you do a variety of stitching, as do I. I've been happy with the versatility of the frame holding anything, and the ability to adjust the position as I like it.

Let us know when you get your new toy, err, tool!

Ellice

Definitely right about the variety. I'll try almost anything once. I've reached a point in time where I have to look for places to put a new piece, so now it's time for play.

I think this looks like it's going to work nicely, and with this the Crown Prince, aka Puff, can still cuddle up next to me when he feels like it.

L >

Don't know what Jo-Ann's charges but I got my K's Creations floor frame on Ebay. There are lap frames available at the moment for $30.

Elizabeth

I checked on Ebay and couldn't find the Z-frame. There was a lap frame, and a sit on one, but not the Z..

I like the Z because being such a short, squatty thing I sit very low in a chair and this one can be adjusted more then most.

It comes to a total of $50, tax and shipping included. Still more then I wanted to spend, but not bad. I probably could have waited and gotten it on EBay at some time in the future, but I really want it ASAP.

Lucille

Good deal, Lucille. That's still about 20% below retail. However, somehow the picture of you as a little hobbit with some big stitchin' frame popped into my mind - given your self-deprecating description. I always think of you as elegantly petite - even in jeans!

If I could've done better for you, I would've let you know. In the ongoing effort to keep a B&M LNS going, we're doing weekly specials this summer. Each week something different - or 2 somethings (categories). But, I don't think frames/stnads are on sale for a few weeks.

Ut oh - I hear the sounds of dog about to upchuck downstairs....got to run.

ellice