Last week I came upon the sale of the GMQ Pro Grace frame. It's in excellent condition & I think I got a good deal @ $650. This is the alternative to the Handi-Quilter that I would really, really, love to own but the cost puts the kibosh on that! I now have it all set up in my sewing zone & have begun playing! I'm practicing with my Kenmore, but yesterday I was having trouble with the threading so I re-did it numerous times. I ended up breaking a needle & wouldn't you know it, when I went to remove the needle part it fell down into the machine. UGH! So today will be spent taking off the plate & hunting for that needle bit. Sure puts a wrench into my play time!
I really like having the frame but I think the machine might give me issues. My other maching is a Janome which is newer than the Kenmore & has more features so I want to keep her on my table.
Anyway, I wanted to share my excitement & if anyone has any tips/advice, please share.
Maureen

congrats..I have been looking for a reasonable frame to fit my juki on. have fun

Congrats. on our frame!!!!

Congratulations! I bought one from a lady on craigslist a while back. It was pretty easy to set up. I have a quilt loaded on it. Next is to get my Singer 301 on it so I can begin quilting. Hope you post photos when you get it going.

xsquilter, With the needle, I have always found that if the machine is going to slow that's when I break the most needles.... Also one of the reasons that I start breaking needles after stopping the machine (after it has hummed along just fine) is that the thread gets caught on something. The favorite place for it to get caught on me is the thread spindle that the thread sits on...

Good luck!

Sharon, that's exactly what has happened. I get humming/stolling along then slow down, & crunch, broken needle. But I did take the plate off the arm to locate the piece of needle that fell in. I did find it along with another wee piece &, embarassed to say, a whole whack of dust/fibres. So it was a good thing to have a good look!
I am getting a bit frustrated though. I love the frame but I think I need to consider a machine with a bigger throat but I don't know where to start looking. I'm certainly not interested in paying big bucks....perhaps I'll come across a deal like my frame!
Maureen

I've had that same thread wrapped around the thread spindle problem when FMQ'ing with one of my vintage Singers. What I did to fix it was I taped a quarter to the top of the spool. Another suggestion might be to add a round piece of felt to the thread spindle and then put your spool on top of the felt.

xsquilter: I am VERY jealous. Have fun!

Shari

Good for you. It must be toy time. I got my HQ Sweet Sixteen yesterday.