Just-Lee

I am in the market for a quilting machine, but I am not sure what I am getting into. I have a very bad back, that doesn't allow standing for hours on end, but I am not sure how much of that is required with either machine. Do you complete an entire quilt all at once? How long does it take?? What hurts you the most when using a LA? Are there other options out there?

I have been looking at all of the 9" straight stitch machines...BL, Viking, PFAFF, JUKI, etc. They all appears to be about the same, online anyway, so I am confused. Is there a machine with a little bigger throat area that doesn't require a second mortgage on the house? lol Thanks bunches :-D

leatheflea

I dont have the answer to you questions but I just wanted to say I love your avatar!

Just-Lee

Oh thank you! That is a rag quilt that I made for my DH..his design, he even did it on CAD at work..lol.

I am a Hoosier and have family and friends in your area :) I miss it up there, for sure!

fabric_fancy

i have a 9 inch machine on a frame and i spend very little time standing while i quilt.

i have a chair that i got at ikea for about $30 that goes from chair height to bar height.

when i sit and sew i have it at chair height. when i frame quilt i have it at bar height and i sit and quilt.

i have the machine on a Grace Pinnacle Frame that can handle an 18 inch throat and i'm able to reach the distance without problem from my chair.

i don't know if my exact chair would work for you since it doesn't have a back (i don't use a back on my chairs so that didn't matter to me).

i didn't buy a chair with wheels because i wanted a stable chair that wouldn't move and cause me to mess up the stitching.

you could also look into a sit down quilting machine like the Queen Quilter if you'd prefer to sit and move the quilt instead of moving the machine.

Just-Lee

Thanks Fancy! Actually, I had been searching on here before posting this, and somewhere came across your post about the machines you use and looked them up. I have been very attracted to the Juki98, but I don't have a dealer anywhere near here and not sure if it is better to buy them from a dealer?? They have good deals online, but I don't know who is reliable on that route either. Any advice would be great!

I would rather not move the quilt, if I don't have to, because I have also had 3 right shoulder surgeries as well. Damn, I am a broke down mule! lol I am sure I could do it, but probably not in a timely manner.

fabric_fancy

i live near NYC and have many dealers to choose from and i still purchase my machines online.

i have purchased 4 sewing machines in 6 years thru Sew Vac Direct online.

i have had wonderful experiences with them and even when i broke one of my machines (it was 100% my fault) they gave me a brand new replacement machine without any trouble at all.

i take my machines down to my local Singer shop and he is well skilled in servicing my Juki's and has been treated me differently because i purchased the machines some where else.

i'm very happy with both of my Juki machines and would recommend them to anyone.

juki makes true workhorse machines and can run all day without trouble.

my machines are used from around 10am to 6pm five days a week.

Yarn or Fabric

You can also look in to a Bailey Home Quilting machine - it is a bit more than the 9" machines but you can get up to 17" for under 2k

I will say that if you have a bad back you might want to consider getting a robotic quilting system instead. I'm pretty sure that you are going to be hunkered down and standing if you are going to do any frame quilting.

fabric_fancy

just a note on Sew Vac Direct

call them for their best pricing because you can typically get them down from the price on the website plus they will match any other retailer price.

StitchinJoy

I have an A-1 Elite longarm with a 23" throat.

I can sit on a surgeon's stool at the back of the machine and scoot along when I am quilting a pantograph. I rarely quilt with pantographs though. I usually quilt custom or freehand designs from the front of the machine, and I stand.

You asked how long it takes to quilt a quilt, and it depends. It's like asking how long it takes to sew a top. It depends. It depends on how complex the pattern and how closely it's worked. I have finished a double bed quilt in 2 days,but I have also taken 2 weeks to quilt a double bed quilt. It depends on the design.

There is a lot of bending, reaching, and stretching involved in loading and unloading a quilt. There is machine maintenance involved as well. All of mine is done while I stand at the machine-- oiling and greasing the machine,changing needles, changing thread, winding bobbins.

My best advice for you would be to go to a big quilt show and try out the longarms and midarms. See which you like best. Ask about quilting at the machine while seated and see if they will let you try it that way.

Then if you feel like it is still an option for you,find a local shop that gives classes and lets you load and quilt your own quilt. Try one quilt and see how you feel after going through the entire process with one quilt.

It's better to do the legwork and find out if you're suited for it before you lay out a bunch of cash.

Best of luck to you in your research.

Just-Lee

Just checked the site and I am really drooling here. I was checking out the combo w/ stitch regulator. I sure wish that I had an "all-brand friendly" repair person in this area!

Have you ever done King size with your setup?