Abstract: A sheet material, especially fabric, is tensioned in a stretching frame made up of frame sections which have grooves open at the surface at which the fabric or sheet material is applied and receiving two rigid symmetrical bars such that the sheet material is looped around one of these bars, passes between this bar and a wall of the groove and passes between the two bars, the groove being formed with opposite walls which converge toward the groove mouth which has overhang and is dimensioned to receive the bars. When the sheet material is tensioned, the one bar is pulled by the loop toward the mouth and the other bar rolls against the wall portion of the groove until both bars are wedged in the groove and the sheet material is clamped between the one bar and a wall portion of the groove and between the two bars.