Abstract:
An improved quilting machine includes a table having a carriage for supporting a sewing machine on the table and translating the sewing machine in two axes, a quilting rack for supporting one or more layers of fabric in a substantially planer orientation relative to the sewing machine, and foldable legs. The quilting rack is suspended above the table on a rotatable vertical support, and is easily adjustable without tools for positioning the fabric in a convenient orientation for machine quilting, hand sewing, or access to the table. A lamp is attached through a flexible assembly to the carriage for directing illumination to the sewing machine. The lamp moves with the carriage so that illumination tracks the sewing machine. The quilting rack and legs are foldable and, combined with the rotatable vertical support, provide for convenient transportation and storage of the quilting machine.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to quilting machines that support a sewing machine over a workpiece on a table. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Throughout American history, quilting has been a popular pastime. The craft today has experienced a resurgence in popularity and enjoys immense participation by hobbyists in quilting shows, magazines, newsletters, clubs, societies, and the like. Although traditional quilt making may be at the root of this resurgence, the development of modern textiles, machinery, and laborsaving sewing devices may be contributing to this resurgence, as many activities compete for the time of the average hobbyist or craftsperson. 
   Quilting typically involves stitching together multiple layers of fabric to form, in a manner of speaking, a new fabric. In some instances, quilting may include sewing together a myriad of smaller pieces of fabric to form a single composition fabric or material. A quilt typically includes an upper and lower layer of fabric having a layer of batting introduced therebetween for thickness, padding and/or warmth. As appreciated, quilts may be created in various shapes and sizes, such as for example, from small and ornamental, to those that cover large beds, or those that are mounted to decorate walls. 
   Designs or patterns are usually sewn or stitched into a quilt by hand or with a sewing machine, thereby adding an artistic element to the craft of quilt making. Some designs or patterns may be very elaborate, thus requiring a high degree of skill and dexterity on the part of the craftsperson or hobbyist. In some cases, sewing machines may be equipped with preprogrammed stitching patterns to assist in performing these tasks more accurately and with a greater degree of intricateness than quilting by hand. More importantly, extravagant quilting generally incorporates elaborate designs that may require many hours of work even by the most skilled craftsperson. 
   Due to the extensive time commitment realized by a typical quilter using hand-sewing methods to produce a quilt for a bed or for a decorative wall hanging, those skilled in the art developed industrial quilting assemblies for use in producing quilts in high quantities. These types of industrial quilting assemblies typically include heavy duty, bulky sewing machines disposed in a stationary position wherein the subject quilt, mounted on a quilting rack, is moved relative to the head of the sewing machine. Unfortunately, these types of prior art industrial quilting assemblies require an elaborate work area to move and position the quilting rack supporting the layers of quilting material relative to the stationary head of the sewing machine. In particular, a very wide and long work space is generally required since the movement of the quilting rack relative to the head of the sewing machine may encompass twice the width and length of the support frame itself. 
   Household sewing machines have resulted in both tremendous time-savings and quality improvements over traditional hand-sewing methods. Nevertheless, manipulating large quilts with respect to stationary sewing machines is typically a cumbersome and laborious process. “Long arm” quilting machines were developed by those skilled in the art, in part, to address the problems associated with manipulating large quilts when stitching the multiple layers of the quilt together. In particular, instead of moving a quilting rack supporting a quilt with respect to a sewing machine, the quilting rack may be maintained stationary, and the sewing machine may then be moved with respect to the width of the quilt. In order to accomplish this task successfully, a quilting rack is generally needed to maintain the quilt in a substantially planar configuration; a vertical support is generally needed to position the quilting rack relative to a the sewing machine; and a carriage system may be needed to move the sewing machine with respect to the length and width of the quilt. 
   Unfortunately, “long arm” sewing machines of the prior art are usually complex in configuration, bulky, heavy, inflexible, and usually unaffordable to the typical consuming hobbyist or quilting craftsperson. As appreciated by those skilled in the art, commercial “long arm” sewing machines may cost upwards of several thousand dollars, making them generally out of reach and impractical to many quilting hobbyists. Moreover, specially designed “long arm” sewing machines and fixed frame assemblies are typically required to provide means for quilting using prior art quilting assemblies, thereby making a hobbyist&#39;s household sewing machine practically unusable in the task. In addition, many of the prior art quilting assemblies cannot perform desired stitching or sewing since the maneuverability of the head of the sewing machine is affected by its own mechanical and structural restrictions. 
   Conventional household sewing machines typically include many of the stitching functions necessary for quilting and are very affordable. Unfortunately, such machines are generally intended to remain stationary when being used for sewing and may simply lack the wherewithal to be accurately movable with respect to the dimensional length and width of a quilt so as to accomplish the appropriate stitching and/or creative stitching designs desired by the user. In addition to the foregoing, workspace is typically an issue to the average hobbyist or quilting craftsperson. 
   Quilting assemblies have been developed to resolve such issues of stationary sewing machines and large, fixed size quilting racks. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,615,756 discloses such a typical quilting assembly including a carriage for movably supporting a sewing machine. The carriage rides on tracks arranged to translate the carriage in an X and a Y-axis while the quilt remains stationary. A quilting rack supports the quilt and includes dispensing rollers and a take-up roller separated by about the depth of a typical sewing machine arm. The quilting rack allows sections of a quilt to be positioned in the arm of the sewing machine. The quilting rack is supported on rigid “L” shaped brackets that are clamped to a table at a fixed position. The clamping position for the “L” shaped brackets depends on desired the length of the quilt. The “L” shaped brackets permit vertical adjustment of the quilting rack position. Unfortunately, the “L” shaped brackets do not allow for convenient horizontal adjustment of the quilting rack position. This makes it difficult to position the quilt for hand sewing or for clear access to the table work surface, without unclamping and removing the “L” shaped brackets. Moreover, transportation and storage requires unclamping and disassembly of the “L” shaped brackets, and complex reassembly for further use. Such adjustment, disassembly, and reassembly takes substantial time and generally involves tools typically not immediately available to the average home quilter or hobbyist. Moreover, there is no provision for lighting, directed to the work area, that tracks the sewing machine position. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,631,688 discloses a quilting rack for sewing machines including a quilting rack mounted on a vertical support that is attached to a metal frame. The metal frame supports a carriage assembly capable of side to side and of forward and rearward translation of the sewing machine. A laser pointer is attached to the sewing machine and directed to a template to give position feedback. The vertical support permits vertical adjustment of the quilting rack. Unfortunately, the vertical support is rigidly attached to the metal frame and does not permit horizontal adjustment of the quilting rack position even with disassembly. Moreover, the quilting rack cannot be tilted on the vertical support. This makes it virtually impossible to reposition the quilt for hand sewing. It is necessary to disassemble the apparatus and remove it entirely for clear access to the table work surface. Transportation and storage require disassembly of the metal frame and vertical support. Such disassembly involves tools typically not immediately available to the average home quilter or hobbyist. 
   The working components of prior art quilting assemblies have also been found to be heavy, bulky in size, difficult to adjust, and generally require tools for the average quilting hobbyist or craftsperson to assemble, disassemble, handle, and move. Therefore, what is needed is a quilting apparatus that permits the quilting rack to be quickly and easily adjusted horizontally, vertically and tilted to place the quilting rack in a convenient position for quilting, hand sewing, and clear access to the table working surface, without disassembly, that can be easily collapsed for storage and transportation and can be setup for use in a matter of a few minutes, without requiring tools, and which provides improved lighting directed to the work area, that tracks the sewing machine. The present invention meets these needs. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An embodiment of the present invention is a quilting apparatus for guiding a sewing machine relative to at least one layer of fabric. The quilting apparatus includes a table having a working surface and a quilting rack configured to selectively take in and pay out the fabric in a substantially planar orientation defined by lateral and longitudinal dimensions, the quilting rack being mountable with respect to the working surface. The quilting apparatus further includes a carriage assembly supported by the working surface and configured to selectively transport the sewing machine with respect to the fabric along the lateral and longitudinal dimensions of the quilting rack. The quilting apparatus further includes at least one vertical support that is rotatably connected to the table relative to an end of the at least one vertical support, the quilting rack being rotatably mounted to the at least one vertical support, wherein a horizontal tilted position of the quilting rack is selectively adjustable in the lateral dimension of the working surface by selectively rotating the at least one vertical support at the table connection, said quilting rack having a vertical mode distal the sewing machine to expose the working surface. Moreover, a vertical height of the quilting rack is selectively adjustable with respect to the working surface by a movable mount to the at least one vertical support to allow a transport mode flat against the table. Moreover, a tilt of the quilting rack is selectively adjustable with respect to the working surface by selectively rotating the quilting rack on the at least one vertical support. 
   An embodiment of the present invention is a quilting apparatus for guiding a sewing machine relative to at least one layer of fabric. The quilting apparatus includes a table having a working surface and a quilting rack configured to selectively take in and pay out the fabric in a substantially planar orientation defined by lateral and longitudinal dimensions, the quilting rack being mountable with respect to the working surface. The quilting apparatus further includes a carriage assembly supported by the working surface and configured to selectively transport the sewing machine with respect to the fabric along the lateral and longitudinal dimensions of the quilting rack. The quilting apparatus further includes a first manually operated fastener and a second manually operated fastener and a vertical support wherein the vertical support is rotatably connected to the table relative to an end of the vertical support by the first manually operated fastener, and the quilting rack is rotatably mounted to the vertical support by the second manually operated fastener. Moreover, a horizontal position of the quilting rack is selectively adjustable in the lateral dimension of the working surface by selectively rotating the at least one vertical support. Moreover, a vertical position of the quilting rack is selectively adjustable with respect to the working surface by selectively mounting the quilting rack to the at least one vertical support. Moreover, a tilt of the quilting rack is selectively adjustable with respect to the working surface by selectively rotating the quilting rack on the at least one vertical support. 
   An embodiment of the present invention is a quilting apparatus for supporting at least one layer of fabric in multiple positions relative to a movable sewing machine. The quilting apparatus includes a table configured to support the movable sewing machine; one or more legs configured to support the table; and a quilting rack configured to selectively pay out and take in the one or more layers of fabric in a substantially planner configuration. The apparatus further includes a first vertical support, and a second vertical support. The first vertical support is rotatably connected to the table by a manually operated fastener relative to an end of the first vertical support and the second vertical support is rotatably connected to the table by another manually operated fastener relative to an end of the second vertical support. The first vertical support is further rotatably connected by another manually operated fastener to the quilting rack and the second vertical support is further rotatably connected by another manually operated fastener to the quilting rack. The manually operated fastener connecting the first vertical support to the table and the manually operated fastener connecting the second vertical support to the table enable a user to rotate the first vertical support and the second vertical support to position the quilting rack horizontally. Moreover, the manually operated fastener connecting the first vertical support to the quilting rack and the manually operated fastener connecting the second vertical support to the quilting rack enable the user to tilt the quilting rack and to position the quilting rack vertically relative to the table. Moreover, the user may conveniently position the quilting rack for quilting with the movable sewing machine, for manual quilting, in a position for full access to the table with the quilting rack vertical, and in a transport mode with the one or more legs against the table. 
   An embodiment of the present invention is a quilting apparatus for supporting and moving a sewing machine relative to at least one layer of fabric. The quilting apparatus includes a table, a movable carriage configured to move in two axes relative to a surface of the table, the movable carriage adapted to support the sewing machine, and a quilting rack configured to selectively pay out and take in the one or more layers of fabric in a substantially planner orientation relative to the sewing machine on the movable carriage. The quilting apparatus further includes at least one vertical support rotatably connected at an end to the table and rotatably connected to the quilting rack, and one or more legs configured to support the table, the one or more legs foldable into about the plane of the table for storage and transportation. 
   An embodiment of the present invention is a method for guiding a sewing machine relative to at least one layer of fabric mounted on a quilting rack. The method includes the steps of paying out the fabric in a substantially planar orientation with the quilting rack defined by lateral and longitudinal dimensions, and mounting the quilting rack with respect to a working surface. The method further includes guiding the sewing machine with respect to the fabric along both the lateral and longitudinal dimensions of the quilting rack by means of a carriage assembly supported by the working surface, and connecting at least one vertical support rotatably to the table relative to an end of the at least one vertical support. The method further includes mounting the quilting rack rotatably to the at least one vertical support and adjusting a horizontal position of the quilting rack selectively in the lateral dimension of the working surface by rotating the at least one vertical support selectively. The method further includes adjusting a vertical position of the quilting rack selectively with respect to the working surface by mounting the quilting rack selectively to the at least one vertical support, and adjusting a tilt of the quilting rack selectively with respect to the working surface by selectively rotating the quilting rack on the at least one vertical support. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     So that the manner in which the above recited features, advantages and objects of the present invention are attained and can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to the embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. 
     It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the present invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. 
       FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of one embodiment of a quilting apparatus in accordance with aspects of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an front perspective view of the  FIG. 1  embodiment. 
       FIG. 3A  is a partial perspective view of a rack frame of the quilting apparatus of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 3B  is a cross sectional view of a rack frame of the quilting apparatus of  FIG. 2  taken along line  3 B— 3 B. 
       FIG. 4A  is an enlarged perspective view of a rack frame of the quilting apparatus of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with aspects of the invention. 
       FIG. 4B  is a cross sectional view of the rack frame of  FIG. 4A  taken along line  4 B— 4 B. 
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of one embodiment of a quilting rack of the quilting apparatus of  FIG. 1  taken along line  5 — 5 . 
       FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of the quilting apparatus of  FIG. 1  showing a quilting rack configured for storage and transport. 
       FIG. 7  is a bottom perspective view of one embodiment of table legs for a table for a quilting apparatus. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a lamp attached to a carriage in accordance with aspects of the invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the quilting apparatus showing a quilting rack configured for manual quilting. 
       FIG. 10  is a top perspective view of one embodiment of a quilting apparatus showing a quilting rack configured for access to a table surface. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in order to avoid obscuring the present invention. 
   Referring first to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , quilting apparatus  100  includes a table  102 , a quilting rack  138 , a vertical support  108 A, a vertical support  108 B, and two or more legs  120 . Table  102  is supported on legs  120 . Vertical support  108 A and vertical support  108 B are rotatably secured to table  102  by a wing nut  110 A and a wing nut  110 B respectively. Wing nut  110 A and wing nut  110 B are secured to a bolt  109 A and a bolt  109 B respectively. Vertical support  108 A,B may be secured by a type of a fastener that allows vertical support  108 A,B to rotate about such fastener, such as wing nut  110 A,B and bolt  109 A,B, a rivet, a screw, a cam-lock bolt, a quick disconnect bolt such as a type used to secure a bicycle wheel, or a lag bolt attached to table  102 , for example. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , quilting rack  138  includes a rack frame  130 , a roller  134 A, a roller  134 B, a roller  134 C and rack frame  132 . Rack frame  132  includes a receiving aperture  133 A,  133 B, and  133 C disposed along its length. Receiving aperture  133 A is disposed proximate an end of rack frame  132 . Receiving aperture  133 C is disposed proximate another end of rack frame  132 . Receiving aperture  133 B is disposed between receiving aperture  133 A and receiving aperture  133 C. Receiving apertures  133 A,B,C are adapted to receive rollers  134 A,B,C respectively. 
   Vertical support  108 A includes a slot  107 A disposed longitudinally along a portion of the length of vertical support  108 A. Vertical support  108 B includes a slot  107 B disposed longitudinally along a portion of the length of vertical support  108 B. Quilting rack  138  may be rotatably secured to vertical support  108 A,B. Rack frame  130  may be rotatably secured to vertical support  108 A by bolt  111 A passed through slot  107 A and wing nut  112 A attached to such bolt  111 A. Rack frame  130  may be secured by a type of a fastener that allows rack frame  130  to rotate about such fastener, such as wing nut  112 A and bolt  111 A, a rivet, a screw, a cam-lock bolt, a quick disconnect bolt, or a lag bolt attached to rack frame  130 , for example. Rack frame  132  may be rotatably secured to vertical support  108 B by bolt  111 B passed through slot  107 B and wing nut  112 B attached to such bolt  111 B. Rack frame  132  may be secured by a type of a fastener that allows rack frame  132  to rotate about such fastener, such as wing nut  112 B and bolt  111 B, a rivet, a screw, a cam-lock bolt, a quick disconnect bolt, or a lag bolt attached to rack frame  132 , for example. 
   Rotation of  108 B,C permits positioning of quilting rack  138  at a desired horizontal position relative to table  102 . Vertical positioning of quilting rack  138  along slots  107 A,B permits placement of quilting rack  138  at a desired height above table  102 . Rotation of quilting rack  138  permits quilting rack  138  to be tilted to at a desired angle, for example parallel, with respect to table  102 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , rack frame  130  includes a receiving aperture  131 A,  131 B, and  131 C disposed along its length. Receiving aperture  131 A is disposed proximate an end of rack frame  130 . Receiving aperture  131 C is disposed proximate another end of rack frame  130 . Receiving aperture  131 B is disposed between receiving aperture  131 A and receiving aperture  131 C. Receiving apertures  131 A,B,C are adapted to receive rollers  134 A,B,C respectively. 
   Rack frame  130  further includes a ratchet  406 A, a pawl  402 A, a crank handle  408 A, a roller retainer  410 A, a stop  404 A and a pivot  401 A. Rack frame  130  further includes a ratchet  406 B, a pawl  402 B, a crank handle  408 B, a roller retainer  410 C, a stop  404 B and a pivot  401 B. Rack frame  130  further includes a ratchet  406 C a pawl  402 C, a crank handle  408 C, a roller retainer  410 C, a stop  404 C and a pivot  401 C. Ratchet  406 A,B,C may be rotated by crank handle  408 A,B,C. Pawl  402 A,B,C pivots about pivot  401 A,B,C and bears on stop  404 A,B,C. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that pawls  402 A,B cooperate with pivots  401 A,B respectively and stops  404 A,B respectively to engage ratchets  406 A,B respectively and to constrain such ratchets  406 A,B to a counterclockwise rotation. Clockwise rotation of ratchet  406 A,B may be accomplished by disengaging pawl  402 A,B. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that pawl  402 C cooperates with pivot  401 C and stop  404 C to engage ratchet  406 C and to constrain such ratchet  406 C to a clockwise rotation. Counterclockwise rotation of ratchet  406 C may be accomplished by disengaging pawl  401 C. Ratchet  406 A is connected to roller  134 A and provides control for rotation of roller  134 A. Ratchet  406 B is connected to roller  134 B and provides control for rotation of roller  134 B. Ratchet  406 C is connected to roller  134 C and provides control for rotation of roller  134 C. 
   Roller  134 A, roller  134 B and roller  134 C are suspended between rack frame  130  and rack frame  132 . Rollers  134 A,B,C engage rack frame  130  and are suspended in receiving apertures  131 A,B,C respectively, proximate an end of rollers  134 A,B,C. Rollers  134 A,B,C span an intervening space between rack frame  130  and rack frame  132 . Rollers  134 A,B,C also engage rack frame  132  and are suspended in receiving apertures  133 A,B,C respectively proximate another end of rollers  134 A,B,C. Roller retainers  410 A,  410 B and  410 C engage rollers  134 A,  134 B, and  134 C respectively, proximate rack  130  distal handles  408 A,  408 B, and  408 C respectively. Roller retainers  410 A,B,C retain rollers  134 A,B,C relative to rack  130 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , a lower fabric  140 , an upper fabric  144  and a batting  142  may be disposed on quilting rack  138 . Lower fabric  140  may be wrapped or spooled on roller  134 A. Upper fabric  144  may be wrapped or spooled on roller  134 B. Batting  142  may be disposed between lower fabric  140  and upper fabric  144  in a loose role resting on lower fabric  140 . Rollers  123 A,B,C function as support members to dispose fabric in an approximately planer orientation and about taught. Lower fabric  140 , batting  142  and upper fabric  144  may be taken up on roller  134 C by rotating roller  134 C. Roller  134 A and roller  134 B may be coordinated to rotatably pay out lower fabric  140  and upper fabric  144  respectively with batting  142  disposed between lower fabric  140  and upper fabric  144 . Roller  134 C may be configured to rotatably take up lower fabric  140  and upper fabric  144  along with batting  142 , about simultaneously. Paying out and taking up fabric with rollers may also be referred to as spooling. Roller  134 C may further be adapted, by means of ratchet  406 C and pawl  401 C for example, to maintain lower fabric  140 , upper fabric  144 , and batting  142  approximately taught and in about a planer configuration as such roller  134 C rotates to take up lower fabric  140  and upper fabric  144 . Referring back to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , quilting rack  138  further includes a tensioner  148 A and a tensioner  148 B. Tensioner  148 A and tensioner  148 B may be constructed of elastic materials and may cooperate with rollers  134 A,B,C to maintain lower fabric  140  and upper fabric  144 , along with batting  142  approximately taught and about planer. 
   Referring to  FIG. 6 , wing nut  110 B, wing nut  112 B, wing nut  110 A (not visible from this perspective) and wing nut  112 A (not visible from this perspective) may be loosened. Support arm  108 A,B may be rotated to position quilting rack  138  relative to table  102  for advantage and quilting rack  138  may be tilted and positioned vertically along support arms  108 A,B to place quilting rack  138  proximate table  102 . Legs  120  have been folded (as described below) to about a plane of table  102  for storage and transport. No tools are necessary to configure quilting apparatus  100  as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 7 , quilting apparatus  100  further includes one or more table leg brackets  706 , one or more lower table leg supports  704 , one or more upper table leg supports  702  and one or more support brackets  708 . Table leg brackets  706  may be mounted on lower surface of table  102 . An upper portion of table legs  120  may be pivotally connected to table leg brackets  706  such that table legs  120  may be rotated to about a plane of table  102 . Support brackets  708  may be mounted to a lower surface  703  of table  102 . Upper table leg supports  702  may be pivotally connected at one end to support brackets  708 . Upper table leg supports  708  may be pivotally connected at another end to lower table leg supports  704 . Lower table leg supports  704  may be pivotally connected to table legs  120 . Upper table leg supports  702  and lower leg supports  704  may be configured to lock table legs  120  at about a right angle with respect to table  102 , and to fold allowing legs  120  to pivot to about the plane of table  102 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 8 , quilting apparatus  100  further includes a sewing machine  122 , a carriage  150 , a table surface  103 , a rail  104 , and a rail  106 . Rail  104  and rail  106  are disposed on table surface  103  along a longitudinal axis of table  102 . Carriage  150  is adapted to travel longitudinally on rail  104  and rail  106  along a substantial length of table  102 . Carriage  150  includes a rail  820  and a rail  822  and a lamp base  810 . Carriage  152  is adapted to travel transversally on rail  820  and rail  822  on carriage  150 . Sewing machine  122  is disposed above table  102  on carriage  152  and has freedom of travel in both longitudinal axis and transverse axis. Lamp  124  may be disposed in lamp base  810  attached to carriage  150  and travels with carriage  150  in longitudinal axis. Alternatively, lamp base  810  may be attached to carriage  152  and lamp  124  may be disposed on carriage  152  and may be free to travel in both longitudinal and transverse axis. Lamp  124  may be adapted to flex in multiple axes for directing an illumination relative to sewing machine  122  to advantage. Referring back to  FIG. 6  carriage  150 , carriage  152  and sewing machine  122  are illustrated removed from table  102 . For removal, sewing machine  122  may be simply lifted off of carriage  152 . Carriage  152  may then be simply lifted off of carriage  150 . Carriage  150  may be simply lifted off of table  102 . No tools are required. 
   Referring to  FIG. 9 , rack supports  108 A,B are illustrated rotated to a position that improves access to quilting rack  138  for manual quilting by a person sitting or standing at table  102 . Quilting rack  138  may be rotated about bolt  111 A,B to advantage for ease of use. It is not necessary to rotate quilting rack  138  one hundred and eighty degrees, however one-hundred and eighty degree rotation may be performed, for example, for orienting a quilting pattern for convenience of use. Wing nuts  110 A and  110 B may be loosened by hand, without tools, for rotation of vertical support  108 A and  108 B respectively to a desired position. Wing nuts  112 A and  112 B may be loosened by hand, without tools, for tilting of quilting rack  138  to a position convenient for manual quilting. Bolts  111 A and  111 B may easily be manually removed from slots  107 A and  107 B respectively for one hundred and eighty degree rotation of quilting rack  138  and easily reinstalled. 
   Referring to  FIG. 10 , table surface  103  may be used as a work platform for other activities than quilting, such as preparation of patterns or designs, for example. Vertical support  108 A,B may be rotated, as illustrated in  FIG. 10 , to place quilting rack  138  clear of such table surface  103 . Wing nuts  110 A and  110 B may be loosened by hand, without tools, for rotation of vertical support  108 A and  108 B respectively to a desired position. Wing nuts  112 A and  112 B may be loosened by hand, without tools, for tilting of quilting rack  138  to a position convenient for access to table surface  103 . 
   In summary, attaching vertical support  108 A,B rotatably to table  102  permits quilting rack  138  to be positioned horizontally to a desired position, for example, with respect to sewing machine  122 . Attaching quilting rack  138  rotatably at slots  107 A,B permits quilting rack to be positioned vertically and tilted to a desired position, for example, with respect to sewing machine  122 . Moreover, such rotatable attachment of vertical support  108 A,B and quilting rack  138  permits quilting rack  138  to be quickly and easily positioned clear of table surface  103 , as illustrated in  FIG. 10 , without removing or disassembling quilting rack  138 . Moreover, such rotatable attachment of vertical support  108 A,B and quilting rack  138  permits quilting rack  138  to be quickly and easily rotated and tilted into a convenient position for manual quilting, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . Quilting rack  138  may easily be removed and rotated one hundred and eighty degrees with respect to table  102  if desired. Moreover, such rotatable attachment of vertical support  108 A,B and quilting rack  138 , combined with a folding capability of legs  120  permits quilting apparatus  100  to be quickly and easily configured for transport and storage, as illustrated in  FIG. 6  without need to remove or disassemble quilting rack  138  or legs  120 . Mounting lamp  124  on carriage  150  permits lamp  124  to move in one axis with sewing machine  122  and maintain illumination relative to sewing machine  122 . Mounting lamp  124  on carriage  152  permits lamp to move in two axes with sewing machine  122  and maintain illumination relative to sewing machine  122 . Incorporating a flexible arm in lamp  124  permits easy adjustment of of lamp  124  to direct illumination to advantage. 
   While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.