Free Motion or Computer?
#22
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Coastal Georgia
Posts: 1,508
Originally Posted by Michellesews
Great question...I will be watching this thead. I longarm for the public but am not computerized. I have heard people complain that computerized designs sometimes stitch over an area 3-4 times and this is unattractive....but if I had 12K doing nothing, I would be sorely tempted!!!
Michelle
Michelle
#23
I think both have their place. I have a longarm but no computer, and I love doing custom quilting. I get bored doing E2E and I hate doing pantos so I just don't do them, so in a perfect world, I would have 2 longarms, one set up without a computer system and one with a computer, so I could do both at the same time.
While here in Florida, a wonderful quilty friend let me use her Proto with IQ on a 14" frame to quilt a 130"x130" quilt that would not fit on my 12" frame. I got to learn how to use the IQ while doing this quilt and really liked how user-friendly it was. It was really cool to have the IQ quilting a row while I sat at my sewing machine and pieced another quilt!
There is definitely a different skill set needed for computerized quilting as opposed to hand-guided LA quilting, but it is great for getting the pattern perfect every time - of course, placement is an issue for computerized quilting that is not a problem when I am guiding the LA - I can easily adjust to the size of the block, takes a bit more to do individual blocks with a computerized system. I will always take it as a complement if someone thinks my quilting was done by a computerized system :thumbup:
While here in Florida, a wonderful quilty friend let me use her Proto with IQ on a 14" frame to quilt a 130"x130" quilt that would not fit on my 12" frame. I got to learn how to use the IQ while doing this quilt and really liked how user-friendly it was. It was really cool to have the IQ quilting a row while I sat at my sewing machine and pieced another quilt!
There is definitely a different skill set needed for computerized quilting as opposed to hand-guided LA quilting, but it is great for getting the pattern perfect every time - of course, placement is an issue for computerized quilting that is not a problem when I am guiding the LA - I can easily adjust to the size of the block, takes a bit more to do individual blocks with a computerized system. I will always take it as a complement if someone thinks my quilting was done by a computerized system :thumbup:
#27
I do freemotion -- because I can't afford the computer yet. I WAS babysitting a friend's computerized longarm. It had a program where I could create designs. I COULD adjust a design so it didn't go over a line more than 2 times (let's say) but you would lose the design!!!! There's a reason for it backtracking a lot. You simply can't get from here to there without backtracking a lot on some designs. And, I too, do a lot of backtracking. in some cases....more than I should. :)
I've noticed that people that use strictly computer or pantos tend to use the same patterns over and over and over. I like free motion for 2 reasons: 1) each block is looked at individually and I quilt for that quilt - not just because I have a certain pattern and 2) I get bored as heck watching the machine work and I'm having to stand there! My shop is in an outbuilding on our property....I can't do anything else but stay with it.
I've noticed that people that use strictly computer or pantos tend to use the same patterns over and over and over. I like free motion for 2 reasons: 1) each block is looked at individually and I quilt for that quilt - not just because I have a certain pattern and 2) I get bored as heck watching the machine work and I'm having to stand there! My shop is in an outbuilding on our property....I can't do anything else but stay with it.
#28
Both bring a lot of great quilting to the quilt. As far as cost goes, free-hand doesn't involve extra equipmemt at around $10,000 to $15,000.
Overall I prefer the freehand quilter, who brings special talent to the job.
Lanny
Overall I prefer the freehand quilter, who brings special talent to the job.
Lanny
#29
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3
Questions? I am very new to quilting anything myself. What book do you have that you feel taught you the most as a beginner? What machine do you have (and does it have curise control)? There is noting FREE about my motion yet, but I know it is practice, practice, practice.
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