The Modern Needlework Stand: A Close Look and a Question

It’s been a long time since I’ve reviewed a major piece of embroidery equipment on the blog.

I haven’t reviewed a high-dollar, costly-investment item in a while, even though I know that many of us use equipment that the non-needlework-world (or the entry-level stitcher) might find a bit extreme, budget-wise.

When it comes specifically to needlework, it’s the needlework stand that tends to fall into this category. Good needlework stands are not inexpensive.

Today, I’m going to show you an expensive piece of embroidery equipment. It’s a needlework stand, but it’s not like any other needlework stand I’ve used. For many stitchers, I think the pros of this stand will outweigh the higher cost of it.

Let’s take a look at it!

The Modern is a stand manufactured by a Ukrainian company called Velke Potoky. At first glance, it may seem rather unremarkable. On the contrary, though, it’s a rather remarkable little piece of equipment.

I was first introduced to the Modern by a reader who sent me a photo of hers tucked into a cute little bag she made to carry it in. My curiosity was piqued about the stand, but I never got around to looking into one.

Then, another reader with whom I communicate pretty frequently asked me if I was familiar with the Modern, as she was looking for a travel stand, and she wanted my opinion on it, especially compared to the Needlework System Floor table stand.

Down the rabbit hole I went – and now I have the Modern sitting on my table, where it’s been in use almost daily.

I’m going to review it here, just as I would any item on my blog, and I’m going to mention pros and cons, what I like about it, how it works, what it works with, and the reasons why I think many stitchers would find it a very useful piece of equipment, worth the investment.

And then I’m going to ask a question of those who are interested in the stand.

Ready?

First, let’s talk about the stand itself.

It’s a wood stand, made from either solid cherry wood or European maple, and it comes in a variety of colors: dark wood stain, light wood stain, cherry stain, a soft warm green, a milky white (not bright-white), cream (or “cream green” – it’s cream with the softest hint of green in it); a calm and neutral gray; and a pleasant, happy yellow.

All of the finishes are matte – there is no glare or glossy shine on the stand. (As a person with eye problems, where glare on anything can be problematic, I appreciate this point.)

There is also a new color – this soft violet, which corresponds with DMC 3743. Very pretty!

All the colors are intentionally chosen to be calming, uplifting, and “comfortable” colors.

But – much like a car – color isn’t everything. Let’s look at the engineering of the stand.

Size and Weight: a Huge Positive

We’ll talk about functionality below, but before we do, let’s talk about size and weight.

The base of the Modern is about 9″ long. Taking the head, clamp, and knob into account, the whole stand, folded, is about 11″ long.

It’s about 5″ wide.

When the stand is folded into its storage / travel position, it is under 4″ high.

The stand weighs under 2 pounds – about 1 lb 14 oz.

So, in a package of about 11″ x 5″ x 3.75″, weighing less than two pounds, you have a perfectly functional, easy to transport, travel-friendly needlework stand.

This was an eye opener for me!

The Modern can fit easily in carry-on luggage (or even a large handbag); it can pass through airports without a problem and be used on an airplane; it fits easily in the lap, for car travel; it doesn’t take up much space for those who like to road-trip or who vacation (or live) the RV life.

If you attend workshops and seminars, this stand is ideal for that.

And even if you don’t travel, its smaller, compact size is excellent for keeping workspace clutter minimal and for easy storage at home.

Project Size

The Modern accommodates projects on frames and hoops that are around 14″ in any direction – so it is practical for small to medium-large projects, but not for large-large to very large projects.

If your frame is too wide, the clamp head won’t be able to rotate fully.

Below, I’ll share an unconventional solution if you want to use a wider frame, especially for folks who work at a table.

Functionality

The stand works on the principle of a clamping system for holding hoops, frames (scroll, small slate, stretcher bars), and q-snaps.

I’ve tested the clamp with hoops of different sizes and depths, with stretcher bar frames, with q-snaps, and with slate frames with flat rollers (my round-roller slate frames are very large and require trestles).

The clamp head rotates 360 degrees for access to the back of the work.

The clamping mechanism is opened and closed by turning this (fat) knob. The knob is cushioned with a thick leather “washer” or “collar” of sorts, to keep wood from rubbing on wood.

The clamp is opened via the knob, causing these springs and bars to go into action. The turning mechanism is smooth and easy, although the clamp opens in very small, slow, specific increments.

This can be bothersome, perhaps, the first time you put your frame into place – all eager to get started – because it takes a while to get those jaws open. But once they’re open to the right width to take your frame (or hoop or what-have-you), it only takes the smallest, easiest adjustment to get a nice tight grip on the frame. And, to release the frame, again, just a small adjustment.

The neck is locked into place by a locking lever on the side of the stand. You release this (push it up) to adjust the angle of the neck to your preferred stitching position for your frame.

The lock is good and firm and true. Again, it’s not wood-on-wood – the actual mechanism is this metal piece with the wood lever. In my experience, all-wood locking systems tend eventually to give out. So I appreciate that this system uses the wood for the handle, but the mechanism includes a steel piece that contributes to longevity.

The base acts as a “foot” for the stand. It can sit on a table…

…and it can also easily rest in your lap.

With lap use in an upright chair or office chair, Anna has no problem using it with her feet flat on the floor and her knees at a 90-degree angle. It rests right on her lap.

I have slightly less of a lap than Anna, being more fully endowed in the mid-section, so I find that the frame works better for me if my feet are up – say, using a footstool when sitting in a chair or on a sofa, or even in a recliner.

An Unconventional Approach

I discovered that the neck of the stand can open further than the 90-degree upright angle.

Of course, if you lock the neck in place at a very open, wide angle like this, your needlework project is going to act as a weight and cause the base of the stand to tip up.

But I was looking at this, and I could see that there is an advantage to using the stand in this configuration. You can actually use a wider frame or hoop – as long as you can seat yourself in front of the work in a comfortable stitching position.

Sooo…

I added some weight to the foot, by placing my change bucket on the foot, to see if it would hold the hoop in this configuration and allow me to stitch at it.

It does.

If I wanted to use the stand this way, a clamp (cushioned with soft cloth, to avoid damaging the wood) would enable me to do so.

It’s not meant to be used this way, but I think it’s interesting that I can use it this way, if I find a reason to.

The Craftsmanship

The construction of the Modern is superb. The craftsmanship is apparent from the moment you open the box and remove the stand from its thick felt carrying and storage bag.

The wood is perfectly smooth. I’ve run my hands over and over and over the stand, seeking any fissure or flaw in the wood, but I haven’t found any. I would say it is “glass smooth,” but that gives the impression that there is a shine to it.

Remember, though, there’s nothing about the finish that can interfere with the comfort of the eyes. There is no possibility, for example, of glare or reflection. The muted, matte finish is well thought-out.

The Modern arrives in a box that can be retained for storage or travel – it’s about the size of a shallower shoe box. Inside the box, you’ll find a heavy duty, sewn, felt bag that protects the stand and that can be used to carry it. There’s also a long strap of the same felt that assists in cushioning the stand during shipping. I figure this strap could easily be sewn to the felt pouch to make an easy-to-carry cross body bag, for transport to and from classes, out to the pool, over to your friend’s, to the neighborhood coffee shop – wherever you like to stitch!

In a Nutshell

I expected to find things I wouldn’t like about this stand, because I’ve had so many problems in the past with stands made from wood.

I can’t really find any definite cons with the Modern, though.

Anna suggested that adding some grippy or rubbery strip on the base of the foot might be helpful to keep the stand from shifting or sliding backwards, if you’re getting aggressive with your embroidery or to add a little traction for when you’re turning the clamp head.

I can see how that might be helpful, but if I’m using it as a lap stand, I don’t think I’d want anything rubbery / grippy pushing on my clothes. I’ll have to think about that. It might make more sense, if you’re really keen to have extra traction, to put a mat of some sort on your table, that has some grippiness to it.

The pros are numerous:

1. It’s perfectly functional for anything up to medium-large projects on hoops, frames of various sorts, and q-snaps.

2. The craftsmanship is superb. It’s made to last. It’s an appealing, attractive design.

3. It is compact and light, making it excellent for travel, for workshops, for commuting, for tidy home use that doesn’t take up space. It’s unobtrusive, while being highly functional – and good looking, to boot.

The Question

Do you want one?

I’m not going to beat around the bush. They aren’t cheap! The retail price of the stand is $360.

I’m considering stocking these stands in the multiple colors and finishes, but I will admit, when you’re a tiny business like mine, it’s a bit of a risk to bring in higher dollar items like this. It makes me a wee bit nervous.

Still, I’m willing to take the risk of bringing in at least the minimum required for importing – I’m sure that eventually, the minimum amount will sell, because the stands are just That Good.

But I would like to hear from those of you who are interested in it, understanding that it is an investment. I’d also be curious to know what color or wood finish you’d be interested in. (They’re listed above, under the photos of the stands.)

(Personally, I want one of every color, but that’s a bit excessive, I suppose!)

So, if you are interested in the Potoky Modern stand and you want to be on the waitlist for it, email me at mary (at) needlenthread (dot) com, and let me know! Let me know what color you’d be interested in, too, so that I can bring in enough variety.

Whew.

That was long.

Thanks for hanging in to the end!

Hope you have a lovely Wednesday! We’re waiting for a blizzard, despite the fact that it was 68 degrees when I left the house at 5:15 this morning.

Oh, Kansas. Make up your mind!