What Are Side Grips?
Side Grips are bar-style quilt clamps used on quilting frames — the kind of setup you'd find with a longarm or midarm machine, or a home machine on a frame. They work in pairs along the left and right edges of the quilt sandwich, gripping the fabric edges and holding the whole quilt taut side-to-side while you stitch. Think of them as an extra set of steady hands that keeps your quilt flat and square from the first row of quilting to the last.
Why Quilters Use Them
A quilt that's tensioned side-to-side quilts like a dream. Without side clamps, the edges can sag and drag as you approach them — and that's exactly when puckers, tucks, and skipped stitches appear. Side Grips pull the quilt sandwich gently outward on both sides at once, which:
- Keeps all three layers aligned — top, batting, and backing stay registered, so you get fewer pleats on the back.
- Reduces drag near the quilt's edges, where the quilt is hardest to control.
- Gives you a consistent quilting surface — no hills and valleys, which means more even stitch quality.
How to Use Side Grip Clamps, Step by Step
- Load your quilt on the frame as usual. Side Grips are a helper, not a loading system — your quilt should already be pinned or basted to the leaders.
- Position the clamp along the side of the quilt. Each Side Grip has a bar with a row of clips. Lay it along the quilt's side edge, centered on the section you're about to quilt.
- Clip the fabric edge. Work from the center outward, pressing the quilt edge into each clip's jaws until it holds firmly. The fabric should feel snug, not stretched.
- Mirror the tension on the other side. Place the second Side Grip opposite the first and clip it the same way. Equal tension on both sides keeps the quilt square.
- Quilt, then advance and re-clamp. When you roll the quilt forward, unclip the grips, advance, and clip again — stitch, roll, re-clamp.
About the Replacement Pieces
Clips are the working parts of a Side Grip, and like any working part, they eventually wear out. The Regina Quilt Studio Side Grips Replacement Pieces (Set of 2) are replacement plastic clips that swap into your existing Side Grips when one goes missing, cracks, or loses its spring. To swap one in, remove the worn clip from the bar and fit the new one into place — no tools or special skill required.
One important detail: choose the size you need. Side Grips come in different sizes, and the replacement clips must match the grips you already own. Measure your existing clips or check the original packaging before ordering.
Practical Tips for Great Tension
- Snug, not stretched. Over-tightening distorts the quilt top and can make the edges wave once the clamps come off.
- Clip close to, but not on, the seam. Gripping flat fabric just inside the edge gives the most even hold.
- Re-check after the first few inches. Fabric relaxes as you quilt; a quick re-tension keeps everything square.
- Keep a spare set of clips on hand. A worn or missing clip at the start of a session can stall your whole day — stash a replacement set with your frame tools.
Care and Storage
Side Grips and their replacement clips are low-maintenance. Wipe the clips occasionally to keep lint and batting fuzz out of the jaws, and store the bars flat or hanging so they don't bow. Keep replacement clips in a labeled parts box with your frame tools — plastic clips can warp in hot cars and attics, so store them at room temperature.
Project Ideas
- Large bed quilts — the wider the quilt, the more the edges sag; side clamps make the biggest difference here.
- Whole-cloth and whitework quilts — even tension keeps every line of your stitching crisp on a solid surface.
- Dense free-motion designs — a flat, stable surface lets you focus on the motif instead of fighting fabric movement.
Shop the Side Grips Replacement Pieces (Set of 2) at Linda's Electric Quilters.
