HQ Sixteen-New to Me!
11-02-2011, 02:01 AM
#1
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Posts: 2,078
HQ Sixteen-New to Me!
I recently purchased this HQ Sixteen from a Craigslist ad, got it set up a week ago and just finish FMQing my first quilt on it. It's not one of the new HQ Sweet Sixteens; it's an HQ Sixteen that I believe is 2 or 3 years old. I got it for about 1/3 the price of the new ones, and it stitches like a dream. I was pretty comfortable buying this one used because the lady I got it from had gotten it used a year earlier at our LQS, where they are HQ dealers/servicers. They had sold it to the original owner also, who had upgraded to something larger and traded it in.
I like the hopping foot for FMQing; it's a little different to FMQ than with my Juki TL 98 Q with a 9" harp that I was using, but I had almost zero learning curve to make the transition. I as soon as I got this machine set up, I did a small test feather and then started right in on the purple quilt (posted here: http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...d-t164909.html ). It didn't come with sit-down table; instead I set it up on a 4' x 5' built in table that I used to have the Juki on. I used rigid pink insulation foam board cut to fit around the machine and covered in fabric then heavyweight clear plastic so I'd have a nice smooth quilting surface. It gives me a huge flush surface area for large quilts; better I think than the HQ table that is available, and certainly much less expensive.
I think the thing I like best about this machine so far is that there is so much better visibility, and I don't have to crane my neck so much to get a clear view of the stitching area. Of course the extra harp space is WONDERFUL too! The harp isn't just wider, it's higher too and seems way more "open".
So, I think you probably get the idea that I LIKE this machine a lot and am very happy to have it!
EDIT: So the pics didn't show up in the order I added them, but you'll get the idea. I haven't figured out how to post descriptions for each picture yet...
The first picture shows the HQ Sixteen ready to go. That's a non-stick teflon oven liner I'm using in place of a much more expensive and smaller Supreme Slider mat. I just tape it down on 2 sides with some packing tape and it stays in place quite nicely.
The second picture shows access to the bobbin area.
The third is a quilt in-progress.
And the last pic is when I first got it and set it beside my Juki TL 98 Q that seemed pretty good sized until compared to this one! That Juki is still my very favorite machine and has be promoted almost exclusively to piecing and other similar projects.
I like the hopping foot for FMQing; it's a little different to FMQ than with my Juki TL 98 Q with a 9" harp that I was using, but I had almost zero learning curve to make the transition. I as soon as I got this machine set up, I did a small test feather and then started right in on the purple quilt (posted here: http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...d-t164909.html ). It didn't come with sit-down table; instead I set it up on a 4' x 5' built in table that I used to have the Juki on. I used rigid pink insulation foam board cut to fit around the machine and covered in fabric then heavyweight clear plastic so I'd have a nice smooth quilting surface. It gives me a huge flush surface area for large quilts; better I think than the HQ table that is available, and certainly much less expensive.
I think the thing I like best about this machine so far is that there is so much better visibility, and I don't have to crane my neck so much to get a clear view of the stitching area. Of course the extra harp space is WONDERFUL too! The harp isn't just wider, it's higher too and seems way more "open".
So, I think you probably get the idea that I LIKE this machine a lot and am very happy to have it!
EDIT: So the pics didn't show up in the order I added them, but you'll get the idea. I haven't figured out how to post descriptions for each picture yet...
The first picture shows the HQ Sixteen ready to go. That's a non-stick teflon oven liner I'm using in place of a much more expensive and smaller Supreme Slider mat. I just tape it down on 2 sides with some packing tape and it stays in place quite nicely.
The second picture shows access to the bobbin area.
The third is a quilt in-progress.
And the last pic is when I first got it and set it beside my Juki TL 98 Q that seemed pretty good sized until compared to this one! That Juki is still my very favorite machine and has be promoted almost exclusively to piecing and other similar projects.
11-02-2011, 10:41 AM
#8
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Sierra Vista, AZ
Posts: 3,992
I have been looking at the Sweet 16 because of space limitations. I am impressed with your idea for the table setup. What size and thickness of foam board did you use? I may use your idea for my Elna 7300. The wheels are really turning here!
11-02-2011, 11:08 AM
#10
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Posts: 2,078
Originally Posted by nyelphaba
Lucky you! I thought an HQ16 had to be used with an enormous frame, nice to know it doesn't. Unless, of course this is a sit down model.
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