Good morning, Everyone!! My name is Gay and I live in Missouri with DH, 2 dogs and 1 cat. We have two grown daughters and 2 beautiful granddaughters with another granddaughter due the end of March. I retired 1/1/03 and have been quilting ever since. I love quilting and I love learning new techniques. I have just started doing my own machine quilting on a gracie frame with a janome 1600p. Still learning on that though!! LOL
Gay

Welcome Gay, looking forward to your input here, how do you like your frame and machine?
kathy

Hi, Kathy and thanks for the welcome!! I bought the gracie II about a year ago thinking that I could use my "spare" singer machine on it. It just didn't have enough throat space and I didn't want to put my quantum on it and have to move it on and off to sew. The frame sat unused for several months and everytime I went to the basement I felt like it sticking it's tongue out at me!! LOL After Christmas I decided I just had to get a machine that would work on it so I researched and bought the janome 1600P. Now, the first quilt I did on it......well let's just say that one won'w be shown to ANYONE!! LOL After that, I took some muslin and batting and some fabric that was less than nice and just played until I felt like I had a better understanding and better control. I then quilted a full size quilt and now I have a baby quilt on it. I am LOVING it!! It is sew much fun!!! Now if I have something extra special that I want done and I'm afraid to do, I'll still use the LQS and let them do it. but long story short (er) I really do like it and I like the freedom of doing my own stuff.
Gay

Sew, do you just freehand stipple or can you follow a pattern? I'm real curious because I'm WAY out in the sticks and work 10-11 hrs 6 days per week so I don't have time to shop around and take classes but I sure am itching to get a frame like that but don't know about another machine right now. I was under the impression that they worked fine with regular machines. I have a Singer, not too many bells and whistles just some fancy stitches. Tell me more.. tell me more.
kathy

So far I have just done free motion in a loopy meandering design. I did do some freehand hearts and stars which turned out pretty good. I have not yet tried to follow a pattern with the stylus but did follow a pattern pinned to the practice piece. It was a turtle and didn't turn out too bad but I decided not to put that on the baby quilt.
It depends on your machine, Kathy, as to how much space you would have in the throat of your machine. My singer I was using was a smaller one and just did not have enough room at all but I was also not setting it quite right either which I discovered after buying the Janome 1600P. I did get a really good buy on my janome though (I think). :D
I did quite a bit of research online before buying my gracie II frame, Kathy and it just seemed like the one that fit my needs better. If I had plenty of money, I would buying a Bailey machine with a 13" throat space but.....well that just isn't going to happen!! LOL
You put in some long long hours.....not sure I would have the energy to quilt after a day like that. I also live in the country but only about 2 miles from town.
Gay

I'm 30 mins. from the nearest grocery store (it's small). 1 hr. from WalMart and 1hr15mins from the nearest quilt store so I do a lot of online shopping when possible. I think I'll check out the janome site, just for curiosity sake.
kathy

Hi Gay
Welcome! I too am from Missouri, the northwestern part. Where it is cold with snow still on the ground. A good time to stay in and quilt. I also have to daughters, 2 granddaughters and one grandson. What part of Missouri are you from? This is a great site to be a part of. With lots have helpful ideas. Happy Quilting

Kathy,I am 45 minutes from a walmart but am very blessed that I have a local quilt shop that has a very nice selection of fabrics.
Kathy D, I live in SE MO. It's pretty cold here right now but no snow at all. As you said, really good weather to stay in and quilt!! LOL
I also have a grandson however he died at the age of 2 mos 8 days on 10/13/99.
Do you live anywhere near Burlington Junction? I have a niece who recently moved there?
Gay

Yes, I only live about 15 miles from B.J. What a small world lol.

Yes, it is a small world for sure!! LOL My niece's DH is a new principal at a school in that area but not sure which school it is. Kristan is working in different schools with special needs children.
Gay