Light table quilting/craft system

A light table for use in connection with a separately positionable underlying light source to illuminate a pattern disposed between the light table and an overlying fabric sheet, the light table comprising:

• a portable frame having a large central window;
• a translucent upper plate fixed to the frame to fill the central window, wherein the translucent plate forms a translucent upper surface for the light table;
• and
• a plurality of one-piece, resilient hold-down clamps configured to snap into place relative to the frame to securely hold the fabric sheet in a selected position over the upper surface of the light table;
• wherein the portable frame includes a plurality of legs extending downwardly from the translucent upper plate for supporting the light table over a planar support surface, and a downwardly facing peripheral frame channel which cooperates with the hold-down clamps to help retain the clamps in place on the table, and wherein each hold-down clamp includes a first side and a second side and is bent into a shape to include an upper bracket whereat the first side engages the upper surface of the light table, and a lower bracket wherein the second side engages the peripheral frame channel and rests partially therein, wherein the lower bracket is bent into a resilient arch having sufficient flexibility to securely hold fabric sheets of various thicknesses in place.

A light table quilting/craft system, comprising:

• a light table having a translucent upper surface and standing atop a generally planar supporting surface, the light table including a frame having a large central window, a translucent plate disposed within the window, and a plurality of legs extending downwardly from the translucent plate for supporting the light table over the planar surface, wherein the frame includes a downwardly facing peripheral channel;
• a portable light source removably placed over the planar supporting surface and beneath the translucent upper surface;
• a pattern placed over the translucent upper surface;
• a fabric sheet draped over the pattern and the upper surface of the light table;
• and
• means for non-destructively clamping the fabric sheet to the light table to minimize relative movement therebetween, the clamping means including a plurality of one-piece, resilient hold-down clamps which are configured to snap into place within the peripheral channel to securely hold the fabric sheet in a selected position over the upper surface of the light table, the hold-down clamps each including a first side, a second side, an upper bracket for engaging an upper surface of the light table, a lower bracket configured to engage the peripheral frame channel and rest partially therein, and an intermediate portion extending between the upper and lower brackets, wherein the lower bracket is bent into a resilient arch having sufficient flexibility to securely hold fabric sheets of various thicknesses in place and is configured such that the first side of the upper bracket engages an upper surface of the light table, and the second side of the lower bracket engages the peripheral frame channel.