Are you a Short Arm quilter? If so let's talk!
 

I recently bought the Brother Nouvelle 1500's quilting machine and also a quilt frame and have been practicing for the past two weeks machine quilting. I can tell this machine does a lot more stitches per minute than my every day machine does. I am still awkward with the foot pedal and the speed but when I do get in the "zone" the stitches come out great!!

Here is my system...

[ATTACH=CONFIG]352365[/ATTACH]

Tell me about how you enjoy machine quilting on a short arm and if you have any "tips" to share.

Never knew this existed! I do short arm quilting, my own arms with fingers! Thanks for the post! Now i have learned something!

ny gal-
this is the ken lund frame...correct? can you tell us about it???? what do you like/don't like. a nd on your machine--how big is the throat??

thanks!

Learned something today! Didn't know about short arm quilting, can anyone tell me more about it? I have a Babylock Quest Plus, does anyone use this machine for short arm quilting? I'd love some help with this question, I hope it isn't a stupid question, but like I said, this is new info for me. Thanx!

I have a Baby Lok Quilter's Pro but no frame. I puddle the quilts for FMQ which works for everything except king size. For that I am going to try the 3 panel method and see if that works.

I find that the difference in FMG between a mid arm machine vs a traditinal swing machine is HUGE. It is much easier, stitches are much more even, the cutting featureis a godsend and of course it is a lot faster. I really debate the frame thing - not sure if its worth the effort by the time you get the derned thing on the frame, then have to mess with the machine to quilt in little increments... feedback???

A few years ago I bought a Little Gracie Quilt Frame and a Juki TL98Q. I set it up in my sewing room and did several quilts on it. Really enjoyed quilting on it a lot. But after a few months I got really tired of having so much of my den taken up by the frame. This room is also used for family gatherings, etc., so I moved it out to my storage building with the intentions of setting it up out there. Unfortunately, that never happened. It is still out there covered with dust and probably a million spiders. I still quilt all my quilts but I do the FMQ on the regular sewing table. As long as I don't do king size quilts I am okay with this set-up. Have fun with your new machine and frame.

I bought a Bernina Quilt Frame about 18 months ago. I have a Bernina 440 (which is about the same size as your machine) So far I've quilted 3 bed size quilts and a baby quilt on it. I really enjoy doing quilts on my frame.
I would love to have more quilting room because I only have about 4 1/2" to quilt - but some day maybe I'll get a long arm!!! As you said, you get into the zone.

I have the grace frame with a juki 98Q that I quilt with....I found some HQ handles on ebay and my DH mounted them on the front of the frame so I don't have to use a foot pedal....speed on one side and off/on on the right. they work really well. hope you can see in the picture...didn't take quilt off the machine LOL

I have a Baby Lock Jane on a frame and it is mostly just sitting there taking up too much room.
The space to quilt on is so small that even a lap quilt is too big.
My table is an Imperial with very large rods that take up way to much room on my 9 inch throat.
The strait stitch machine has a complicated threading and a under the machine bobbin so have to move the machine to the far end of the table to change the bobbin and to rethread.
I do have a stitch regulator which costs $500 but it is wonderful.
Tried to do pantos but needle kept getting caught on edge of quilt since you cannot see the edge from behind the machine.
From the front of the machine quilting is much better but need to do free motion or marking a quilt pattern.

I did not know that there was a short arm machine. My version was my domestic machine. I have done several quilts on it. I just finished a king size for my one SIL and am now working on the other for my other SIL. I use hobbs 80/20 batting. Both are FMQ'd. Wish I had one like yours, would sure make it faster.