DebJ

something other than just a regular home sewing machine. :?: I assumed when I read a post recently and this person spoke of putting a quilt in the frames that she was doing long or midarm quilting. :roll: So I got to wondering how many used something other than our home sewing machine to actually do the quilting. I sure wish I had the room and means to do so. :(

Country Quilter

Well, whenever I talk about putting a quilt in the frames it is to pin baste (prep for regular machine quilting) it or tie it... just in case it was me that might have said that! LOL

Otherwise it would probably be a long arm or handquilting frames maybe?

ceannastahr

I have a grace stury lite fram with a juki TL98QE I love it

june6995

Well, I have to admit that I am getting ready to start quilting on something other than myhome sewing machine. I tried it that way, and just did not like the limited motion.

I ordered, and have received, a GMQ Pro (Grace) Frame and a Bailey 13 inch arm quilting machine. We have just gotten the frame together, and it looks a lot like the picture that was posted above.

I made the leader cloths tonight (using my serger to finish them) and then applied them to the poles. That was a job! I am about ready to give it a trial run and am rearranging my sewing room as it is getting pretty crowded.

June

ceannastahr

you have probably spent almost as much by sending them out as the cost of the frame and machine. I'll admit I'm not very good at it but I get better with each quilt I do

june6995

To be honest, at the point where I had given her over $500 in a few short months (because I had collected these tops not knowing how I was going to get them done) I soon decided I would rather spend it on the equipment.

I have the leader cloths on and just put on a really dumb looking Trip Around the World that I made....wondering why I made it.....and a sheet for the backing. next comes the batting. I have decided not to use a "pattern" but to use the blocks as a quide and see what I can do free-motion. It might be too free, but I will give it a go.

I did not order the patterns to use as guides for quilting. Pattern Perfect would be nice, but I am not sure it is really what I want. I bought a book of simple designs, and don't especially like them. They are too intricate. I thought they were simple. But who knows, with practice I may, one day, actually be able to do something nice! I am just taking it one day at a time.

Don't ever think you can't do something, there is always another day and at 73 I am willing to give it a try. Come on over to my house and we can do this together. Should be fun. An extra pair of hands never hurt.

June

ceannastahr

I was too cheap to buy the pattern thingys. I bought a roll of fax paper. If I see a design I like I print a picture of it and used my scanner to make them differnt sizes. from 2" to 4" sizes then I trace it on the fax paper till I have the lenght I need.
Then I lay the paper out on the board under the carriage.
I bought some heavy clear plastic and place it over the paper so nothing happens to it and it doesen't move.
Here are a few samples of the designs I traced onto fax paper.

Patsy

I am looking for a short arm. What is the gracie like? How many inches can you quilt AND how much space do I need to set it up?

june6995

Patsy, here are a couple of sites to get information on both machines and frames. Bailey has their own machines which can be ordered in 12 and 15 inch arm.

http://www.baileyssewingcenter.com/homequilter.html

Then there is this company with excellent buys, but most machines are 9 inch machines.

http://www.sewvacdirect.com/grace_combos.html
There is also
http://www.allbrands.com/products/abc0308.html

You will see there are different frames. Most will extend to about 104 inches. The one I bought has an extension for a King size, but the queen is 104 and is big enough for what I am doing now.

I am just learning, but I did a lot of research. Taking your time to compare and decide will pay off later.

June

ceannastahr

I got my frame combo at sewvacdirect.com. the machine is a 9"' throat but thats plenty big enough for me when a queen sized quilt is all rolled up in the throat you have abour a 4" depth to quilt in. They have a nice combo package for under $950 thats a frame machine and the quilt cad software (helps design the design to quilt) and the speed control.