I'm ready to load my aunt's quilt top into the plantation quilting frame. This picture shows the wooden gears used to keep the fabric tight while quilting. Click the picture for a better view. Here is the quilting frame set up on the front porch. It is easy to take apart because only four little pegs hold it together. One handle winds right and the other winds left so the fabrics are tightened for quilting. This allows about two feet of quilt to be exposed at one time. I have the cotton batting from my field picked and in the basket for carding. Experts in these things tell me the quilting frame was made about 1850 which is nice to know. I am glad that it is still useful for its original purpose.