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

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.

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 quilt.

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 available quilting area but make sure the
   machine’s needle can still reach the top edge of the quilt
   top.

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.

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.

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
Take-Up Rail

Bottom Carriage
Channel Lock

Front Rail Clamp

Quilt-Backing Rail

Quilt-Top Rail

ELITE-FRAME
Hand Wheel
Tracks

Bungee Clamps

Left Side

Right Side

Starting a New Project?
11. Ensure your frame is level. 22. Measure your quilt top. 33. Make your quilt sandwich (see below).
44. Check your rail height. 55. Wipe down the tracks on the frame and
bottom carriage with a lint-free cloth. 66. 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
10″ Quilt Top
12″ Batting
Backing

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

Wrong Side Up

11. The quilt backing will be attached to

the take-up rail cloth leader with the

right side of the fabric to the back.

2

22. Attach the bottom edge of the backing Quilt-Backing

to the quilt-backing rail cloth leader.

Rail

The wrong side of the backing will face

up if correctly installed.

3
33. Ratchet the quilt-backing rail forward until the backing is rolled up smoothly.

Take-up Rail
1

44. Pin the top edge of the batting, bumpy side up, to the quilt backing. Make sure it is centered and free of wrinkles.
55. Pin the top edge of the quilt top an inch or so below the batting.
66. Attach the bottom edge of the quilt-top leader to the quilt top.

5

4

6

77. Ratchet the quilt-top rail to tighten the

7

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.

Copyright November 12, 2022

Version 1.1

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

2

3

Loosen the top nut on the leveling foot with the 17 mm open-end wrench.
Rolling the Fabric

Adjust the bottom nut with the 14 mm open-end wrench until the desired height is set.
· To Lower: Turn counterclockwise.
· To Raise: Turn clockwise.

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.

Ratchet Lever

Ratchet Lever

Ratchet Lever
11. Open the ratchet levers on the front rail.

22. Roll the hand wheel on the take-up rail.

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.

Ratchet Lever
33. When you’ve reached a fresh quilting area, close the ratchet levers.

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.
0.25 inches or a finger’s width of space between rail and 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.

Copyright November 12, 2022

Version 1.1

1-800-264-0644