Presented is an method and apparatus. An exemplary method includes securing a moveable support surface in a first position adjacent to a sewing head having a reciprocating needle, and moving the support surface to a second position to define a working window adjacent to the sewing head. The method further includes moving the sewing head within the working window relative to the support surface in the second position.

Apparatuses, methods, and computer program products for quilting webs without compressing the webs. A quilting machine includes a needle bar to which needles are attached, needle thread passing through each needle, a looper shaft to which loopers are attached, a looper corresponding to each needle and from which looper thread is provided to form stitches, and a retainer bar to which spreaders are attached to facilitate stitching. A drive pulley powered by a first servo motor rotates cranks to move the needles through a cycle and rotates a belt which rotates an indexer pulley. Rotation of the indexer pulley oscillates the looper shaft and reciprocates the retainer bar. Another drive pulley powered by a second servo motor operates to move an input web through the machine between chain stiches.

Dual-configuration fabric frame for a maneuverable sewing machine. In some embodiments, a dual-configuration fabric frame for a maneuverable sewing machine may include a left side rail, a right side rail, a front rail, a rear rail, a quilt-backing pole including a ratchet mechanism, a take-up pole including a ratchet mechanism, a hoop frame configuration, and a suspension frame configuration. The hoop frame configuration may support a relatively wide fabric clamped thereto that flows from inside boundaries of a working area to outside the boundaries of the working area. The suspension frame configuration may support a relatively narrow fabric that flows from being spooled on the quilt-backing pole, through the working area, to being spooled on the take-up pole.

Fabric suspension frame pole ratchet mechanism. In some embodiments, an example fabric suspension frame may include a pole support side arm, a pole configured to have fabric spooled thereon, and a pole ratchet mechanism. The pole may be configured to be manually rotated in a first rotational direction and a second opposite rotational direction. The pole ratchet mechanism may include a ratchet sleeve attached to the pole, a ratchet slider configured to be positioned in a receiving slot of the pole support side arm, and a ratchet shifter attached to the pole. The ratchet sleeve may define a first set of teeth, and the ratchet slider may define a second set of teeth configured to selectively engage with the first set of teeth. The ratchet shifter may be configured to be manually shifted between an engaged position and a disengaged position.

An invention is provided for use with sewing machines that either allows for a table to be attached or to use the integral table built into certain manufacturers of sewing machines. The table has provisions to slidably secure guide plates thus allowing for more consistent seam lines when in use. The guide plates have provisions to provide clearance to the presser foot when moved closer together. The table has ruled markings to more precisely set the seams with the use of the guide plates. The guide plates can be used with sewing machines with integral tables by the addition of a pair of support plates secured to the bottom of the table, and a pair of slide plates separated by sleeves. The slide plates may have graded markings as depicted on the table.

An invention is provided for use with sewing machines that either allows for a table to be attached or to use the integral table built into certain manufacturers of sewing machines. The table has provisions to slidably secure guide plates thus allowing for more consistent seam lines when in use. The guide plates have provisions to provide clearance to the presser foot when moved closer together. The table has ruled markings to more precisely set the seams with the use of the guide plates. The guide plates can be used with sewing machines with integral tables by the addition of a pair of support plates secured to the bottom of the table, and a pair of slide plates separated by sleeves. The slide plates may have graded markings as depicted on the table.

Devices and related methods for, among other things, maintaining the warp/weft threads of a backing layer of material (e.g., fabric) in a fixed orientation while being sewed are described and provided.

An embroidery frame includes a mounting portion to be mounted on a sewing machine and a frame portion. The frame portion has a first frame, a hinge portion, a second frame, a first clamping portion, and a second clamping portion. The first frame is connected to the mounting portion. The hinge portion is connected to one end of the first frame. The second frame is connected at one end to the hinge portion such that the second frame is able to rotate with respect to the first frame. The first clamping portion is configured to clamp the first sewing object together with the first frame while the second frame is open with respect to the first frame. The second clamping portion is configured to clamp the second sewing object together with the second frame while the second frame is open with respect to the first frame.

An embroidery frame includes a mounting portion to be mounted on a sewing machine and a frame portion. The frame portion has a first frame, a hinge portion, a second frame, a first clamping portion, and a second clamping portion. The first frame is connected to the mounting portion. The hinge portion is connected to one end of the first frame. The second frame is connected at one end to the hinge portion such that the second frame is able to rotate with respect to the first frame. The first clamping portion is configured to clamp the first sewing object together with the first frame while the second frame is open with respect to the first frame. The second clamping portion is configured to clamp the second sewing object together with the second frame while the second frame is open with respect to the first frame.

A quilting frame assembly for machine quilting of a quilt core using a quilting machine, the quilting frame assembly having a quilting frame with a first frame element and a second frame element, a machine carriage assembly, a plurality of first element clips, and one or more second element clips, each first element clip being u-shaped, spring biased and reciprocating, and having a plurality of first clip inside frame receiver facets dimensioned and positioned to engage with two or more first frame cross-sectional corners of a first frame element member, and each second element clip being u-shaped, spring biased and reciprocating, and having a plurality of second clip inside frame receiver facets dimensioned and positioned to engage with two or more second frame cross-sectional corners of a second frame element member.