How to Sew a Weight Bag for a Longarm Frame

Published: Wed, 06/29/22

Hi ,

Today I have a fun, and frequently requested, tutorial on how to make a weight bag for your quilting frame. Let's get more control over our quilting machine by sewing a frame weight - a rice or bean bag that puts pressure on the machine and helps us quilt better!

Learn how to stitch this with me in this week's quilting video:

How to Sew a Frame Weight (Rice Bag) and Get Control of Your Machine!

I ended up making three frame weights for this tutorial - 40 inches long each. Two for my bigger Continuum Frame and the third for my Hoop Frame. I don't plan to make a longer frame weight for my Continuum Frame because it will likely be too challenging to move and store when not in use.

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For only two more days you can save hundreds on a new Hoop Frame , plus get a Luminess lightbar illumination system, completely with purchase of a frame.

Click Here to check out the Qzone Hoop Frame for $1299. This version of the frame is very simple with no back table or additional accessories included.

Click Here to check out the premium Hoop Frame PRO for $1599. This version of the Hoop Frame includes a solid back table to support pantographs, a dual track with double the wheels for a smoother movement, and Hoop Frame Leader Cloth to make loading quilts faster and easier.

This is the system I'm personally using for this series.

Frame Weight Materials List

5 1/2 x full width (40-44 inches) strip of fabric
2-3 pounds of rice or beans
Matching thread

Sewing Your Rice or Bean Bag Frame Weight

Fold the fabric in half right sides together and stitch from the small end, down the length and leave the opposite small end open for filling.

Fill the bag with rice or beans, fold over the top and stitch closed. Easy peasy.

Why Do I Want a Bean or Rice Bag Frame Weight?

A frame weight adds extra pressure on your machine as it rolls across your frame. Extra weight means more control over your stitches.

When quilting on a frame, we have the opposite problem when quilting with a machine in a table: our sewing machine or longarm can move so smoothly on wheels that it's hard to quilt designs accurately without lots of practice.

However, practice will only get us so far. There is a limit to what my arm muscles can do and I doubt I'll ever get perfect control over my machines because they roll around so freely.

This is why I need a frame weight. The added weight will help my machine slow down so I can quilt on the line, travel stitch, and form smooth, even echoes more accurately.

I hope you'll give this a try and make a frame weight for yourself. It really can make a big difference and will improve your frame quilting dramatically.

Click Here to check out the Free Motion Quilting Starter Kit which has the practice fabric shown in the video.

See you next week!

Let's go quilt,

Leah Day

Check out More Videos from this Start Quilting Series Using the Free Motion Quilting Starter Kit:

#1 - Unboxing the Free Motion Quilting Starter Kit

#2 - Loading a Hoop Frame

#3 - FMQ Warm Up and Beginner Design

#4 - Beginner Skill Building Design Loops and Shells