I have a friend who is considering buying the Handi Quilter II frame to use with her regular sewing machine. Anyone recommend this unit? or not?

I started quilting with a HandiQuilter2. I used my old Bernina machine and I bought the Handi Handles to go with it. It works but you only have a small quilting area due to the small throat space in a domestic machine. I did quilt a bunch (maybe 10) of quilts on it. The tension issues are the first thing that his you. This is true of any machine that you move. A learning curve they call it. Speed.....slow down for better results. I liked my HandiQuilter2 so much that I immediatly started to look for a longarm I could afford! The HandiQuilter2 made me want more throat space. I don't have anything real negative to say about it, they work. I still have mine in the garage, am thinking one of my kids/grandkids might want it someday.

We have this frame! and we use a regular brother machine on it i would recommend a better one but i too have no real complaints! it works real well on my budget! its a great starter machine!!

see if there's a handi-quilter website. read the pros and cons. you get a good idea that way.

i started with a small-throat machine (9" brother quilter) and small frame. i
found it very frustrating when i got to the end, because the throat fills up with the rolled quilt and your work space gets very small. i could have done just as well without the frame by machine basting and then rolling and working from the center outwards. after less than one year i moved up to an 18" quilter and 12' frame. i will be forever sorry that i wasted the money on that first machine and frame. i should have waited and put that money toward the next one.

I started with the HandiQuilter II and use if for few years. I used the Brother sewing machine that is pictured with the frame. At first I had trouble with the machine, took it back numerous times. Good thing I had a close (distance) and patience dealer. He worked with that machine so many times, only to find out it was user error on my part. I did apologize (where is spell check) to him when I figured out what I was doing wrong. I liked the HandiQuilter so much that I bought the HandiQuilter Sweet 16 and love it.

if the sweet 16 is 16" that would make a huge difference. a home machine is nowhere near that.

Yes the Sweet 16 is 16" and yes it makes a great big difference.

Thank you all, you've been a lot of help.