profannie

Hi everyone,
For years I sew in a tiny room so didn't even consider getting any other set up than my domestic sewing machine. But I will move in a few weeks in a bigger sewing room. I started playing with the idea of getting a frame/midarm.
For now I have a Juki TL-98 and a Bernina 730 with the BSR. I use the Juki for quilting/stabilizing large area with the walking foot and the Bernina for free motion tiny area.
I'm overall very happy with this set up. BUT I HATE BASTING A QUILT. I have used every tricks given on this forum (thanks everyone) to ease the process, but still, it`s a pain! I don't really have the floor space to do it and always have to squeeze between furniture.
Also, I dreaming of being able to do some larger scale quilting (the harp size of the Bernina is too small for doing this smootly).
Would getting a frame help me with the basting process? Is it easier to load a quilt on a frame instead of pinning/gluing it?
I live in an area where finding a gently used setup is impossible. No dealer where to try a longarm setup either (the only one available is the HQ Sweet Sixteen sit down, and you still have to baste your quilt)
I'm going to New York soon with my car; it could be an occasion to bring back a frame/quilting machine. Should I by a frame to put my Juki on it? Should I look for a midarm combo? Only the Bailey/Block rock it would be within my price range (I have to pay import taxes, so a 3000$ cost me at least 500$ more...)
Any thoughts/advice on the subject will be welcomed!

QuiltnNan

not having to baste was just one of the reasons i got my first frame. i used my juki 98q on the hinterberg frame and was quite happy with it for a while... then i wanted a longer quilting distance . so my recent purchase was a bailey 17 setup. i get to take it out of the box next week... can't wait. good luck in finding something that will work for you.

kristakz

It is DEFINITELY easier than basting. Takes me about 1/2 hour to 1 hour to load a quilt - but it's not done crawling around on the floor so it is much easier than basting.

However, consider the size of the machine/setup. I know you said moving to a large sewing room, but how much larger? I would need 16x8' JUST for the longarm, and no room to do anything else in there. The 8' is pretty standard for a longarm machine I think (mine is an 18" Avante - a larger machine would need even more space front to back). The 14' is a bit negotiable - you need the size of your table plus a couple of feet on each end to get around it. Tables seems to come in 5', 8', 10', or 12' - but it depends on the manufacturer which sizes you can get (the avante is 8 or 12). My machine is in my basement, and there is no room in my house other than that which it would fit in unless it was the only thing in there.

I probably wouldn't buy a frame for a domestic machine. I tried that briefly and the small throat really restricts what you can do. Imagine your largest quilt, all rolled up on a bar of some size and stuffed through the throat - how much room would you have to actually quilt?

Look in Canada for a machine - avoid the import taxes. There are several longarm dealers in Ottawa - only 2 hours from you. I can give you some specific names if you are interested - PM me if you like.

jlm5419

I have a 15" Bailey on a queen size frame. It definitely is much easier than basting by any method. I also would not recommend using a regular size machine on a frame, because even a 15" throat can be restrictive for larger blocks. When I win the lottery, I intend to get a much larger machine with all the bells and whistles. Until then, the Bailey does a fairly decent job.

AliKat

I know of one couple who went to Salt Lake City, Utah for 2 HQ machines. They bought a Fusion and an Avante. They have two homes as they are 'snowbirds' who live in the Southern US in winter. They wanted a machine in each home. So before they went to SLC they arranged for her to take the HQ University classes while he learned how the machine was made and how to do the maintenance. They had a trailer for towing the machines to their homes. They were clam happy for what they did.
It is an alternative. They had a vacation and learned all at once.

ann31039

You can get plans to make a frame. It might be cheaper than buying one here and paying the taxes on it. I have the plans and they are pretty simple. I'm just having to wait on building it until the kids get all their STUFF out of my shed.

alleyoop1

I have a Bernina frame which I have set up full size (120") but it will break down to 60". I have been using my Bernina 440QE to quilt. The quilt area is very small and so I mostly use meander type quilting. I recently got a Bernina 710, which has a 10" throat. With a quilt rolled up on the rail, I will have approx. 6" of quilting space - which is 1/2 of a 12" block. If I plan my quilting design out properly will be able to do 1/2 of each block, roll the quilt and finish the other half. Until I get good at it I am using grooved boards to guide my quilting. So, a domestic or mid-arm are doable. I'd love to have a full size long arm with a computer drive program, but that is not going to happen unless I win the lottery!!!

profannie

Thanks everyone for sharing your toughts. It help me to make up my mind. Maybe I should just buy a frame to put my Juki on it. I do mostly baby, twin an lap quilt size, so a 6" quilting space won't be terrible for a start. If I want to upgrade to a larger throat, I will have the frame already so the cost will be easier to swallow for DH :-)

kamaiarigby

I have a frame with my Judi 98 on it I am more than happy with that set up 95% of my quilting is charity quils

Nammie to 7

If the basting is the only issue you might check into have someone with a long arm baste your quilt so you can do the quilting on your current setup. I'm going to check with a couple LAers to see what the cost might be to machine baste a couple quilts for me. Maybe I'm finally getting the hang of the pin basting as the last quilt I did wasn't a problem. Good luck making your decision.