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Old 12-28-2010, 04:52 PM
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Yarn or Fabric
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 3,371
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You can get a Gracie, Proflex, Hinterberg, New Joy, etc frame... There are lots out there to pick from. They are all about the same more or less. There are several different levels of Gracie frames though as a warning - the cheaper ones are not as sturdy and will not accommodate a larger machine down the road.

I have a SuperQuilter Proflex frame & a Bailey 15" machine.
Whichever frame you get, I strongly suggest you get one that can grow with you down the road so that you can put an 18" throated machine on it if ever you decide you want to. That is one reason why I liked the Proflex. It is well made, sturdy and easy to work with. I had to make a few minor modifications to it for putting my robotic quilting carriage on to it and it was a breeze to tinker on.

I also suggest that you keep an eye on Craigslist - in areas that you are willing to drive to as well as call local longarm dealers to see if anyone traded in a frame/machine. You can save a lot of money getting one used. People either get frustrated with them and sell them, machine and all or they upgrade to a larger machine and sell the old one - machine and all.

I have not decided what fence I will be on - keeping my set up or selling it. I have had it set up for a year and have yet to get the courage to use it. I did find a great product that will get me over my fear of loading a quilt (I despise using pins for anything if I can help it) and now I'm actually excited about using the frame - but the red snappers are on back order :(
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