NZquilter

I've been wanting a longarm for about five years, but during these past five years, my family has tripled in size and I swear our house has shrunk! My sewing corner has gotten smaller and smaller, but still functional, so I'm still happy. Anyway, for the first time ever our budget is allowing me to splash on myself and get a longarm. (Tax return season and twins born at the end of last December! It couldn't have panned out better, lol!) Since I have very little room to put into this, I have been looking into the Grace Cutie frame and their Q'nique 15 (or 16 is the latest design.) My budget is about $5k.

If I had more room I would like the Q'nique 15 or 19 on their big frames or the HandiQuilter Moxie. I wish room wasn't an issue but it is. If I were to get a regular frame (not a hoop style frame) I would like at least a 10ft frame because I want to make more large queen size /king size quilts. I am hoping that by having something like the Cutie frame, I can still make the bigger quilts.

Should I take advantage of this brief time that I can afford a longarm and just settle for the small hoop style frame? Or should I wait for many years and the kids have moved out and then get the big frame? I'm not keen a sit down quilting machine. I want to have my quilt block laid flat in front of me and I can see my designs better.

Also, anyone here have the Cutie frame? Or the Q'nique machines? Any pros or cons to the setup?

Thanks in advance!

quiltedsunshine

The HQ Moxie is a much better machine and frame.

But if you're set on a Q'nique, get it from Lynn and Kathy of Kathy Quilts. They will take good care of you. They're the originators of the BlockRockit and Q'nique. They have lots of YouTube videos and you can call and talk to them if you need help. https://kathyquilts.com/grace-compan...-specification

Peckish

Sorry I don't know anything about the brands you named, I just wanted to let you know that Handiquilter has released a new product that is a sit-down machine set into a height-adjustable stand-up desk. That means you can quilt sitting down, standing up, or anywhere in between. I have no personal recommendations, I saw it on Bethanne Nemesh's FB page, White Arbor Quilting. She posted a short video demonstrating it if you were curious about it.

SuzSLO

I have a sit-down machine in a height adjustable table. With my limited space, I am so glad I got this kind of table. I now use it as my cutting station, which is huge upgrade from using the end of my ironing board for cutting. Still, it is not a frame.

mkc

That's the Amara ST, a 20 inch throat machine. A much more robust/quality choice.

I agree with peckish. The HQ Moxie is a better option than a Q'nique, fits the budget if you do the Little Foot frame. Plus HQ offers great support and educational videos.

Spend some time on the Q'Nique FB pages and you'll read of some of the quality issues of that brand. I'd considered it before getting my HQ (I would have gone APQS but don't have the room width for the deeper frame). The price is attractive, but you get what you pay for. Q'Nique machines don't appear to be serviceable. Owners have had to send the head back and most times the entire machine has to be replaced. There are complaints about the frames as well.

With a budget of $5k, you can also consider a Handi Quilter Simply Sixteen/Little Foot used. The price should be in the $3500-4000 range.

debstoehr

I have a Block Rocket which is the Q.nigue machine. I love it. Never have tension issues. I have it serviced locally at a dealership so have never had to send it to the company as many have said. The only time I had a problem it ended up being a problem with the frame. I had one of the older wooden frames and one of the rails had become crooked. Got a new 10 ft frame and haven't had any more problems.

NZquilter

Maybe I should go with the Moxie on the Little Foot frame. I was really excited when Handiquilter made the Moxie and I've watched a lot of videos about it. I'll have to see if I can clear 5ft of space, lol. The reason I was thinking of the Cutie frame, and thus the Q'nique machines, is that the Cutie can be folded up and put in a closet when not in use. That is very appealing to me, since I don't finish a ton of quilts a year. I don't want a frame sitting around for weeks at a time with no project on it. Or maybe I should just accept that I can't fit a longarm into my house yet and just keep dreaming about it instead. At least dreams are free. We are planning on buying a bigger house in a year or two, so I hope I'll be able to fit a longarm then.

stitch678

Get the machine...life is short. I have the Qunique 21R onn 10' frame and love it. But for space, get the Cutie for now and you can upgrade to a larger frame later. You might look into a 19" on the same frame as a package deal when a sale is on, because when you do upgrade to a large frame, you'll already have a machine worthy of it.

Watson

I'm kind of a hybrid. I have a Tiara (used) which is a sit down mid arm but my shoulders couldn't take pushing the fabric anymore.
Grace has an adaptor to place a midarm on a longarm frame that they make...The QZone Queen. Just be aware that it is not a very wide "queen" and if I had had the room, I would have gone up one to the next model of frame.

I would not buy a hoop frame and I have not heard great things about the Cutie...you can find them cheap on used sites for a reason.
Not sure how much help all that was, but that's what I did when the budget was tight.
Watson

FoggyButFocused

@NZquilter Kansas people must be of stronger stock than me. Are they your twins? If so, I wouldn't buy a long arm at all. I would put the money away and send them out to a longarmer. It costs me about $100 for my longarmer to do a twin size quilt. At the price of a new machine and frame, you would need to do 50 quilts to get your money back.

Of course, if it is to get your "me" time, go for it. But when my kids were little, the only time I could get "me" time is to leave the house!

I know that whatever you decide will be right for you and your family. God bless and take care of those twins!