Sometimes I hesitate to post things I’ve bought but I think this one is a good deal so I’m sharing it, along with the “back story”.
When I first started stitching, still less than a year ago, I ordered a Rolaframe floor stand, as the several of the frames that fit into it. You can order most any length bars and most any depth side pieces but to have a “set”, you need two bars and two side pieces and those fit into the frame. They’re very, very well made. They’re expensive. The other day I was going to order more bars and more side pieces. I looked at one online shop and these are the measurements and prices. This may vary from store to store. Sidebars start at 8″ and go to 20″ and the price starts at $29 and goes to $34. Rollers start at 8″ and go to 40″ and the price is between $29 and $40 per pair.
The other day I was going to order more sets becuase once I get a piece on the bars, I hate taking it off and then having to put it back on. Simple, inexpensive solution . . put something on and work on it til it’s finished, right? Apparently not. For me to order three sets rollers 12, 18 and 24″, along with a 6″ and 9″ side bar set, it would be about $150 plus shipping so I said . . I’ll wait.
I was looking at Amazon to see what they had and they had this Edmunds set. The set includes three lengths of rails – 12″, 18″ and 24″ and two sets of spreader (side) bars – 6″ and 9″, all for a bit less than $28.
I ordered a set and it arrived today. They work great with the Lowery stand.
Observations:
Negatives:
- These are NOT Rolaframe quality. The wood is soft and while I am not going to get a splinter and probably not snag any fabric or floss, they aren’t finished by hand to perfection.
Positives:
- The Rolaframe has tiny sharp little nails across one side of each roller. The fabric is mashed onto those nails so it isn’t going anywhere. I usually end up bleeding no matter how careful I am and I’m so afraid Boots is going to jump up on the cutting table while I’m doing it that I’ve stopped doing it in the sewing room where he is. The Edmunds frame has a slot that you slide the fabric into. Yes, it will slip out before you roll it but once it’s rolled once, it isn’t coming out. I find that so much easier.
- The Rolaframe has notches where the rollers fit and that’s where they stay. The Edmunds frame, the roller can be slid all the way to the left, all the way to the right or in the middle (or anywhere!). So, if I had a 15″ piece on the 18″ frame, I could, in theory, have 1-1/2″ of space inside the frame on each side where there was no fabric or I could slide the bar so that the fabric was all the way to the left or right, having no space on one side and 3″ on the other side.
- With the Rolaframe, I have to completely unscrew the side pieces to get the rollers out (because of the notched space) but I can simply loosen the wing nuts on the Edmunds frame and slide the rollers out.
Conclusion:
I’m very pleased with this set for the price.
Tracy says
I have the Edmunds rollers in three different sizes. I like to make a fold-over of the fabric and feed it into the split. When you tighten the side wing nuts it seems to hold a bit better. If I were a bit more industrious, I might sew a little hem on the top and bottom of the piece to give it a “stopper” and prevent pulling the linen through. One needs to plan ahead and adds an extra inch or two to the length.
Betty Edwards says
Judy, I was looking at the Edmunds Frame, so when ai read about you getting it I went ahead and ordered my set. I just have been on the fence and reading your getting it knocked me on the other side.
Cindy F says
When you mentioned the Rolaframe awhile back I looked into getting them but they were unavailable at the time (maybe I didn’t look hard enough) so I ordered the Edmunds. I couldn’t believe how inexpensive they were. I’m satisfied enough with them not to go looking again for the Rolaframe. I do have a little bit of a problem loading the fabric but I think it’s me, not the frame. Next time I might use painter’s tape to hold the fabric while getting it set.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I’ve only loaded a small piece and didn’t have trouble but I’ll see what happens when I load a larger piece. Now I’m tempted to load something else just to try it.
With the small piece, I stuck the top into the slit, stuck the bottom into the slit, then rolled each a couple of rolls to hopefully keep it from slipping, then went on and tightened it and that worked but it’s probably completely different with a larger piece of fabric.