Hoop frame and zone to zone method for quilting

Abstract

A hoop frame unit having a frame support structure, a hoop frame assembly, and a machine carriage assembly. The hoop frame assembly has a front fabric retainer, a rear fabric retainer, a first end retainer, and a second end retainer. Retainer clips mate with retainer seats on each of the retainers to secure fabric zones of quilt cores in place for machine sewing. The machine carriage assembly is supported by a front carriage track and a rear carriage track which are affixed on opposing ends to the frame support structure. The machine carriage assembly incorporates a lateral carriage element for carriage lateral movement, and a pair of longitudinal tracks on the lateral carriage element to provide for machine longitudinal movement.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hoop frame unit for use in machine quilting using a quilting machine, the hoop frame unit comprising:
 a frame support structure;   a hoop frame assembly comprising a front fabric retainer, a rear fabric retainer, a first end retainer, and a second end retainer, the front fabric retainer, the rear fabric retainer, the first end retainer, and the second end retainer each being affixed to the frame support structure;   a machine carriage assembly mounted on the frame support structure, the machine carriage assembly providing for lateral and longitudinal movement of the quilting machine.   
     
     
         2 . The hoop frame unit recited in  claim 1  wherein one or more of the front fabric retainer, the first end retainer, and the second end retainer have a fabric tightening mechanism. 
     
     
         3 . The hoop frame unit recited in  claim 2  wherein each fabric tightening mechanism has a ratchet drive. 
     
     
         4 . The hoop frame unit recited in  claim 1  wherein the machine carriage assembly comprises a front carriage track, a rear carriage track, a lateral carriage element, and a pair of longitudinal tracks on the lateral carriage element. 
     
     
         5 . The hoop frame unit recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of retainer clips. 
     
     
         6 . The hoop frame unit recited in  claim 1 , wherein the front fabric retainer has a front retainer seat, the first end retainer has a first end retainer seat, and the second end retainer has a second end retainer seat, and the hoop frame unit further comprises a front retainer clip, a first end retainer clip, a second end retainer clip, and a rear retainer clip. 
     
     
         7 . A hoop frame assembly for use in machine quilting using a quilting machine, the hoop frame assembly comprising a front fabric retainer, a rear fabric retainer, a first end retainer, and a second end retainer, the front fabric retainer, the rear fabric retainer, the first end retainer, and the second end retainer each being affixed to a support structure. 
     
     
         8 . The hoop frame assembly recited in  claim 7  wherein one or more of the front fabric retainer, the first end retainer, and the second end retainer have a fabric tightening mechanism. 
     
     
         9 . The hoop frame assembly recited in  claim 8  wherein each fabric tightening mechanism has a ratchet drive. 
     
     
         10 . The hoop frame assembly recited in  claim 7  further comprising a machine carriage assembly which comprises a front carriage track, a rear carriage track, a lateral carriage element, and a pair of longitudinal tracks on the lateral carriage element. 
     
     
         11 . The hoop frame assembly recited in  claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of retainer clips. 
     
     
         12 . The hoop frame assembly recited in  claim 7 , wherein the front fabric retainer has a front retainer seat, the first end retainer has a first end retainer seat, and the second end retainer has a second end retainer seat, and the hoop frame unit further comprises a front retainer clip, a first end retainer clip, a second end retainer clip, and a rear retainer clip. 
     
     
         13 . A method for sewing by a user, with a quilting machine, of a quilt core comprised of one or more fabric layers, using a hoop frame unit and without the use of a full width quilting frame, the method comprising:
 mounting the quilting machine on a machine carriage assembly, the machine carriage assembly being supported by a frame support structure;   sequentially securing respective fabric zones of the quilt core in a hoop frame assembly, the hoop frame assembly being supported by and positioned by the frame support structure, the hoop frame assembly comprising a front fabric retainer, a rear fabric retainer, a first end retainer, a second end retainer; and   sewing respective pattern segments in each fabric zone sequentially, the machine carriage assembly providing for the quilting machine to be moved laterally and longitudinally by the user for sewing the pattern segments.   
     
     
         14 . The method recited in  claim 13  wherein one or more of the front fabric retainer, the first end retainer, and the second end retainer have a fabric tightening mechanism, and the respective fabric zone is tightened by the one or more fabric tightening mechanisms. 
     
     
         15 . The method recited in  claim 13  wherein one or more of the front fabric retainer, the rear fabric retainer, and the first end retainer have a fabric tightening mechanism with a ratchet drive, and the respective fabric zone is tightened by the one or more fabric tightening mechanisms. 
     
     
         16 . The method recited in  claim 13  wherein the machine carriage assembly comprises a front carriage track, a rear carriage track, a lateral carriage element, and a pair of longitudinal tracks on the lateral carriage element. 
     
     
         17 . The method recited in  claim 13  wherein the front fabric retainer has a front retainer seat, the first end retainer has a first end retainer seat, and the second end retainer has a second end retainer seat, and wherein each respective fabric zone is secured to the front fabric retainer, the rear fabric retainer, the first end retainer, and the second end retainer respectively by respective retainer clips. 
     
     
         18 . The method recited in  claim 13  wherein each respective fabric zone is secured to the front fabric retainer by a front retainer clip, to the rear fabric retainer by a rear retainer clip, to the first end retainer by a first end retainer clip, and to the second end retainer by a second end retainer clip.