Jan Hicks Creates - Unboxing and First use of the Elan Lap Stand 

I made my own table top stand. Dowels pack of three from Walmart cut to size I like. two flat wood pieces from dollar tree for feet . Two wing nuts from home depot. Attached to holes already in my wood scroll frame. Like $6 dollars total for parts. I like to stitch at my dining room table. 😂

Can you hear me yelling "No, no - you've got it upside down!" The way you received it is the way to pack it for travel. The cork bits are the feet, the bottom of the frame. Turn it over so the cork feet are down, then screw on the arm. Also, see Handwork Maniac's video on all the tips and tricks of getting the most out of your Elan: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NN2bOEhgFA8.html

Yay!! You got it! I hope you’ll be very happy with your stand!

That looks so cool!

So glad it finally arrived Jan. I am sure you will get plenty of advice about how to make it work for you from the stitchy community , they are so helpful and a lovely bunch. I aspire to this stand. I have lowery that I love, but have the Elan on my wish list. Stay safe and well lovely.

Exciting. I just got mine this week

Yay glad your stand finally found you.

My Elan came in the mail! All set up and ready to go. Now waiting on the Scroll rods, enjoy!

Hi Jan, Hope you love your new lap stand, I just ordered one. Love your videos your great. Keep up the great work. God Bless you guys. 😊♥️ Your the best !!!

Hi Jan, use my elan lap stand with my q snap. To keep it from wiggly I use just one of the placer or spacer things it comes with on one side and it keeps it nice and steady ❤️

Delighted it finally got there. I don't have an Elan at the moment but this gave me food for thought. Interesting to see. Thank you.

i was yelling upside down. i love their lokscroll frames. so happy you got it. i made a weight pillow per handworkmaniac to lay on the base. i filled with polly pellets and steel b b's .

Hi Jan, The cork strips are there to keep the stand from sliding on a table, your base is upside down. ❤️

Jan, I love this frame ❤️

I use a stand very similar to this. I see others mentioned the base position and links to Handwork Maniac who has some helpful hints in q-snap use as well. As someone else mentioned, I use some scuba diving bean bag sized weights which make it really stable in the lap. Have fun experimenting!

I have a different stand with a different clamp, but what helps me to stabilize the qsnaps with a grime guard is a nice padding of felt and tightening the clamp really good. Thanks for the review!

I was yelling too 😜 But it looks like a great stand and your stitching is lovely.

I have no suggestions for the stand, but it sure looks well made!!💕

Brenda, Handwork maniac video No.32 (I think) answers questions about Elan lapstand. Hope this helps😁. Take care🤗

I love my Elan and I only have Qsnaps right now. I have had my stand for almost a year and I love it, though I had the same issues that you are experiencing. It did take me while to master the angles and positioning, but now it’s really easy! I found that the slipping is worse on an 11x17 QSnap or where the clamps don’t grip snuggly. I almost always place a strip of felt between my fabric and the clamp now. As others have mentioned, make sure then that the clamp is rotated all the way to the back, and I only use one adapter. When I place my QSnap in the stand, I add a strip of shelf liner around the outside of the QSnap. In your situation I would wrap it around the grime guard and then insert it into the stand and really tighten that screw. I have very few issues now, mostly when the QSnap gets whacked or actually pushed on. Cheers, and enjoy that stand. I can’t wait for the border to reopen so I can order one of the scroll frames!

As with anything it will take some adjusting to stitching in a frame. I use a 3# dive weight bag purchased at a dive shop laying on the stand when it's on my lap It helps balance stabilize the frame. Could also try using that non skid shelf liner wrapped over your q snap and protecting your fabric when in place on the frame. Could also try the thread spool wraps and grip your fabric around q snap over the guard. I've found some success with that putting those into the frame clamp. If that makes sense😃 hope that helps😂

This is great timing. I am getting ready to order one! I did go the handworkmaniac video and she was very helpful.

Oh, by now you probably know but the cork pieces on the bottom are to protect your table top. I think it is a well made piece. I have not used qsnaps but the directions are good and Brenda does give good info as well.

love mine!!

I bought my Elan back in 1995 and have used it constantly ever since. The clamp on mine is different (and better, in my opinion); it doesn't need adapters for Qsnaps. My clamp handles the Qsnap great because it has cork on both sides to hold it. I use a laying tool for cross stitch so having both hands free from holding the Qsnap is required. To me, having the project on the Elan eliminates the need to use a grime guard since you're not touching the fabric while stitching.

Jan if it helps, I use the bottom adapter, and when putting it in, I tilt at an angle. Hold one end and tilt is down while one side is up. Once you get that in, tight it and adjust by moving it down as you go do so that the top part will clamp with the snaps. And it will hold better.. Hope that make sense. I can send you a photo of what I mean, I didn't record it since I am not using my elan due to not having a stable position for me to sit or use. I sit on my bed at the corner. Lol.

I'm so glad to see this! I just ordered mine Sunday :) I imagine it will be a few months before I see it, and thats ok.

Yes you have it upside down. The two end strips of wood on the bottom go on the table or your lap. The smooth side of your vase is the top, see the drawings on your instructions.

Jan..I have just ordered this to use with a hoop for my HAED PROJECT. I like to have my project close. My question is..have you noticed that the stand shifts around as you stitch or does it stay pretty stable on your lap. Thank you for your great video. 😊

Hi from New Zealand. YAHOO it finally came. I too am looking for a frame to take in our travel home. Thank you for the vdeo.

I don't have a stand but I want one. I was watching someone the other day use a weighted pillow on the base to keep it stable. You couled fill a small pillow with rice and use it to keep the base from tilting.

I've only used a frame once I found I didn't like it because it made the fabric too loose. I like it drum tight, but I might try it again if it's one that keeps the fabric tight... until then... it's hoops. Also, I working on my first project using 25 count Lugana. It's a dyed fabric called Stormy Clouds. Very pretty. I just hope I don't screw it up.

Day Nine I would love to stitch 6 and use 1 for my quilting.

You could try those silicone cord minders for the excess fabric, and then you won't need the grime guard.

Don't have the lap stand but just from watching your video. Maybe removing the bottom clamp extension piece instead of the top one will allow the q-snap to sit snuggly in the bottom groove and then the clamp extension on top will hold it in that space?

With a Q Snap use only one adapter on the top, and no grime guard ☺️

Handworkmaniac says to rotate the QSnap plastic arm all the way to the back on the side where you connect to the clamp.

Thank you for doing this unboxing video there just aren’t enough of these for cross stitch equipment..I had a nightmare of a time picking a floor stand ... I have the Edmunds handi clamp scroll frames but the tension along the sides is horrible- how do you get yours to be so nice?

Would it help to put a small piece of shelf liner between the frame and the Qsnap to keep it from moving?

So Jan, I am interested in understanding stitching over one. Is there any difference in the technique in stitching over two? From what I'm seeing, it isn't. Then the next question is what the highest stich count that you would do stitching over one? Thanks!

Jan....does the adapter for the qsnap come with the stand or do you order that extra?

I’m having issues with drooping. The side that is opposite to where the q snap is attached always droops. I haven’t been able to figure out how to fix that. I use grim guards as well

I always enjoy your videos! I hope you’ve solved your problems with your new lap stand. I’ve been using mine for about two years now and I always use a q-snap when I stitch. If it’s any help, I use my adapter on the bottom of the clamp and make sure the clamp on my q-snap is turned so when my stitching is inserted, the lap stand clamp touches the stitching and not the q-snap clamp. I use a piece of felt between each of my q-snap clamps and my stitching. I learned the hard way that the clamp on my lapstand left a black mark on my stitching where it was clamped in place. The felt eliminates that problem, plus keeping the q-snaps tight. I don’t use a grime guard, but a series of those magnetic plastic cord organizers to hold back my extra fabric. Hopefully, you’ll find something that works for you! ❤️

Jan I have a question: I am considering stitching in a table top frame(currently in- hand or in a hoop) however I am just wondering what is „involved“ in starting and ending a thread…as I stitch with 2 threads and begin and end on the back. I can only imagine that with any frame, I will have to „loosen“ the screw holding the frame in place, flip it to the back to begin or end, flip back, tighten screw and continue with the next thread. Frankly this is putting me off from moving to frame stitching. I just think it`s time taken away from stitching with a hoop in hand, just to continually „ screw, unscrew, flip“……..is this how it is? Can`t find a video where someone shows that part of the process of hoop stitching. I would really appreciate your feedback! Vicky from Switzerland

You’re only supposed to use one adapter for the Q Snap.

Jan did you get it figured out with your qsnap? I'm the one who ordered mine a little earlier than you did and got it close to Christmas. I use a qsnap and I'm not experiencing the problem you are having and I have a grime guard on my qsnap. Are you sure you have the adapter thing in correctly? And you only use one of the adapters with a qsnap.

My Q Snap won't work with mine. Adapters were not included. I wish I knew how to help. 😐. My LNS is Keepsakes. I might ask Joe to look it sometime. I had it for 2 years. Seasons of Lace and Meditation Garden 👍

Handwork Maniac has a video #19 explains how she uses hers with Qsnaps and frames.

I am left primary and see a problem with stitchin over the clamp side. Would much rather a top loaded clamp.

Jan, I'm glad to see you got your stand at last. :) It looks nice. I very much prefer solid wood to other material. You know, you're so lucky youtube videos don't transmit both ways. You'd be going crazy from all of us talking to you, trying to help with the same first thought: "Oh, Jan, hold on! The base is upside down!" :) Well, at least you'll have lots of fun reading the same comment over and over again. :) But no worry, this happens to me often - out of the excitement of having something new I assemble it or start using it wrongly. When I cool down, I just can't believe I could be so dum, when it was so obvious! :D :D :D

I really don’t like it. I’ve had mine for 2 years and I find it very confining. I recently got the daylight smart stitch stand and I’ve had a much better experience with that. It’s really well made though. It’s a beautiful stand. I hope you enjoy using yours.

Someone put a link in to Brenda's (Handworkmaniac) video #32. At about 9.5 minutes (9:30), she shows how she puts her Qsnap into the Elan.

Uhhhhhh....I think you have it upside down. The cork “feet” go on the bottom. I love handiclamp scroll rods!

xo

When did you realise that the stand was upside down 😀😀

I have this. Never use it. It's nice but I'm a Stitch in hand person. Way too cumbersome for me has nothing to do with the stand. Just not my thing. Nice paperweight.

You make want to check out Handworkmaniac she has a great Flosstube regarding her use of the Elan lap stand. Have a great day. Floss tube #19.

You have upside down!

I was going to nice and. It yell at you. 😉

I like to stand it looks good I hope you are doing okay it's really really good sex is going to hold quite a bit so stay safe stay warm be careful out there and God bless and thanks you for sharing all these wonderful videos 💖💖💖💖💖💖😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇