Needlepoint Stand Alternatives

For many a needlepoint stand, whether it sits on the table or on the floor, can be a real problem. They are bulky and expensive and often require lots of work to use. However there are a couple of alternatives which you should consider as lower cost and more compact solutions.The first possibility is found at your local hardware store. It is made by Stanley and is called a handi-clamp. These clamps have the equivalent of a C-clamp (which you can also use) at one end, but they have a kind of trigger mechanism at one end which makes them easier to open and shut. You put your frame and the table edge in between the jaws of the clamp and press to shut. The needlepoint stays secure next to the table so you can stitch. I saw many people using these at Seminar a couple of weeks ago and they were certainly lighter and less clumsy than my table frame. Other companies make similar products. Find them in hardware stores.

Another solution is a frame weight. Frame weights are heavy but flexible objects which are placed on one end of your mounted canvas. They act as a counterweight allowing you to work happily on the part of the canvas which is over the edge of the table.Frame weights can be overgrown pincushions, stuffed animals or just about anything else, as long as you can fill it will a pound or two of heavy, non-edible material. Craft stores sell plastic pellets for making bean bags which work. Pie weights also work as do pennies. But do not use anything edible as it will eventually attract bugs.

There is one drawback to both these alternatives and it is one you should consider. The frame is connected directly to the table, not raised above it as is the case with table frames. If you have a bad back or if you like to be able to change the angle of your stitching, these will not work well. You are better off making the investment in a needlepoint stand of some kind.