Anyone use Martelli free motion quilting rings?
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKCK3mXp4U8

Does anyone use these?

Comments pro / con appreciated.

They look like a good product. I have a smaller version, open on one side and sort of square shaped. Only problem I found is the surface on most regular sewing machines is quite small and not totally smooth/flat. Even the free motion extension tables have uneven areas. I can do just as well wearing special gardening gloves to grip the quilt. It also helps go slow at least until you can do the motions smoothly.
Also, notice in the video the demonstrator is using a large, high long-arm machine mounted to a large flat table -- lots of area to move the quilt around. If you have the budget and space for a longarm (and frame) you have no need for the Martelli hoop.

I would also try gloves first. Although you can lift and repostition the hoop as needed, you will need some room to maneuver

I saw some frogs the other day they are pads to put under your hands new product. Now until you find it. Buy a roll of that stuff to stop objects sliding off the dashboard. In uk in the car isle of cheap shops about £1. Cut it up to make hand pads 6 inch square roughly. It is also very useful under the sewing machine to stop slide especially at classes. I use it for free motion as my hands get too hosting gloves. The hoops I find a problem because you only have a limited area to quilt in and you bump in the sides.

This is just like the Halo. It does the same thing and works perfectly. It depends on how much it cost. I paid $18.00 for the Halo at the Quilt Expo.

I have the quilt "halo" and the 2-pc set of square frames for manipulating quilts.

I didn't find anything about either of them than I liked better than my crazy purple rubber work gloves with the pointer finger and thumbs cut off.

You have to keep picking up the hoops to reposition them, requiring a repetitive pinching motion with your hands. The hoops don't slide to the place you need them.

The bed of the machine must be absolutely flush with the cabinet top or the hoop will catch on the lip. The working area is quite limited.

In addition to repetitive motion pain from pinching the hoop to pick it up, you must also exert some pretty good downward pressure to move the quilt, along with the directional horizontal movement. Your shoulders and forearms ache after using them.

For me, these were silly purchases but I just HAD to try them. I try everything.

I love the Sew Slip sheet that goes over the sewing machine bed under the needle. It really helps keep the quilt around the needle free of friction.

I love Magic Genie Bobbin Washers - won't bother trying to do FMQ without them. Machingers gloves are good, too.

But, any kind of frame or ring for pushing the quilt around - not for me, ever again. For me, it's far easier to puddle the quilt around the needle, keep about 16-18 square inches around the needle smooth, taut and free to move, and put on some gloves. Nothing to pick up/reposition except the quilt and no stopping mid-swoop because my hoop just ran into the hopping foot.

I'm clumsy enough all by myself. I don't need to put even more mechanical obstacles in my way. ;)

I guess this is a product you need to borrow and try for yourself. My machine is large enough to take full advantage of the martelli gripping hoops.

I have carpel tunnel issues, and have found gloves the best for quilting up to now. With the hoops, I look at the whole quilt and plan ahead, placing the hoop to even out areas to be quilted next. I find the process of quilting to be much more predictable. When I use gloves, I can't always preserve the fullness or flatness that I need in certain areas.

Using the hoops has also eliminated hand cramp for me, probably because the hoop has eliminated unexpected drag. When I feel any resistance, it's time to stop and rearrange where the edges of the quilt have dropped off my sewing table. I'm also able to quilt much larger areas at a time, stopping only to move on to a new area - not due to tired hands. Depending on what I'm doing, I can use just finger pressure on the hoop, or put my hands flat on the hoop edges. For me, they are wonderful, and I can use hand pressure anywhere on the hoop without needing to hold on only with the two handles. I'm still in the middle of the project using the hoops, but it has exceeded my expectations.

I have a sew slip, and might need to use that with the hoops in a future project, but my current quilt is moving very nicely on my table (perhaps partly because I keep it polished.) I have used regular embroidery hoops for thread painting, and am looking forward to finishing that unfinished project with the smaller Martelli gripping hoop. I'm curious as to how it will work out.

It was a very accomplished quilter on my yahoo Janome Horizon group who recommended these, so I didn't stop to look at the other gripping hoops available (at, I'm sure, a cheaper cost). I looked and looked for several months, hoping the cost would go down. Yes, the substantial cost was the only negative for me. I found a few dollars off on a website that had a general 20% reduction on notions, so that helped a bit. But now that I have the hoop set, I am thrilled.

Tecla
Janome 8900


Tecla

are you using the Martelli Hoops Tecia?

I tried them for a short time at a Martelli's Open House. I really liked the grip they had and the safety feeling. They had it on a sit down mid arm machine and with the powerful sewing, it simply felt safer. But I would only use them on a mid-arm. I don't think they would work on my regular machine.