JLabelle

Hi there!

I’m new to the forum, but started quilting 10 years ago, mostly baby quilts and lap quilts. I’ve done some larger quilts, but quilting them in my domestic machine (Husqvarna Sapphire 930) is challenging!

I’ve finally decided to buy a mid-arm machine and am researching which to buy - I’m torn between the Husqvarna Platinum 16, the HQ Sweet 16, and the HQ Capri.

Admittedly, the Canadian prices on all of them stink.

So, hi and if you have one of the above noted mid-arms and have pros / cons to them, I’d love to hear them!

thanks

Tartan

Welcome from Ontario, Canada. I quilt on my sewing machine but you might want to watch some of the YouTube videos from Helen Godden. She is a Sweet 16 ambassador from Australia.

juliasb

Welcome to the QB from SE Michigan USA! I too have been considering a mid-arm machine. There are many people here who use the sweet 16 as well as others. I am sure someone will advise you on their preferences. Best of luck. I do hope to see a lot of you here. There are some wonderful and helpful folks here. Again welcome to the QB!

JLabelle

Hello fellow Ontarioan 👋🏻
I’ll check the videos out! I’ve been talking about getting a midarm for a few years. The hubby is finally onboard with the expense... probably tired of hearing me talk about them!

JLabelle

I found so many deals on American sites lately, just none applicable to Canada.
I’ve asked my local quilt shop owner who is a dealer for HQ for her opinion on the Sweet 16 and the Capri as well as pricing to see how much more expensive than the Husqvarna they are. I find each machine has different features and pros/cons so it’s hard to compare! And since no one seems to sell both the HQ and Husqvarnas in the same shop, there isn’t any instore side by side comparisons to do.

Lori B.

Welcome from Michigan!

granky

Welcome from Southern Indiana!

Iceblossom

Welcome to the board. What a big and wonderful decision. We usually suggest people wait to buy until testing out various models and suggests expos as a good place to try the various brands out. Except for this year... Still it helps to sit down at one of them and see if you and the machine can work together, different people just think differently and sometimes one brand is better for them than another. But all brands have their fans and for good reasons.

For table top models I always suggest as much throat space you can afford. It still always helps with bulk, but don't think that matters quite as much if you will be using a frame. Sure, it always helps but what I found is that I still can't easily quilt a design more than about 10" wide because of the length of my arms. Another friend's machine she has on her frame is smaller than any of those you are looking at (think it is just 10" throat), and she has found she can not back quilts with minkee because of the amount taken up on the roller bars and her relatively small throat.

I'm sure all of those machines have bobbins that are L or 15 or maybe M which are all standard sizes. I've found I really like buying prewound bobbins from my longarm experience which is now moving over to sewing bobbins as well. My Bernina has a proprietary bobbin that is extra large but is also extra expensive, you can't buy in stores, and you can't buy prewound bobbins. Not all that big an issue, but if I had the embroidery unit (and used it!) it would probably annoy me pretty fast that I couldn't just buy a big box of bobbins ready to go. The machine I used was an M bobbin, which is not common around here, I could buy prewound but just had to order it directly.

SallyS

Welcome from Southern California. I've travelled in Canada and fell in love with Canadians when a lady we were talking to at a craft fair gave us her brother's phone number near our destination in case we had a problem. Of course she was at a quilting booth.

Quiltah Mama

Welcome from Maine. I do not have the midarms you mentioned, but I did score one off CL, Husqvarna mega quilter and have been very happy with using it and learning as I use it more and more. It's always fun to get a new toy and learn how to use it.