I've been starting to think about getting a long arm. I think I want one where it's not a regular machine that's being put into a frame (like Bernina) but an actual quilting machine (like HQ 16). I saw one many moons ago in our Bernina store. They were authorized retailers for Bernina, BabyLock, and maybe one other. For the machine, you put the quilt in the frame (duh) and then it had a spot on the back where you lay down a stencil. You then attached the machine into the stencil and so the machine followed the stencil while moving the needle on the quilt. Kinda like if your right hand is tracing a design and your left hand is writing it down, going together.

I just have no idea what machine that was. The machines I've been looking at online (HQ, BabyLock) don't seem to have that stencil piece... or maybe it's an option that I just don't realize since I haven't played in person...

Any idea? Thank you :)

most any mid/long arm has a place for a stylus. you can follow boards that have the design cut into them which is probably what you saw. those are pricey and for me hard to do. I use a laser light and follow paper patterns as well as work freehand designs. mine is a 15" BHQ, Bailey Home Quilter on a Grace Frame. it's a good beginner machine and all it does is quilt.

The pattern you are talking about is a "pantograph". A lot of machines have them , but you don't have to use them. I think most LA quilters prefer to do freehand design.

I have have a couple groovy boards for my HQ Fusion, but I have not used them yet.
Pantographs you manually follow with a laser light.

I think you are referring to the old style Grace frame which came with the long skinny boards that the stylus ran along. I used to have one and now have a Gammill. However, the Grace has changed a lot since then and has a better system that is more user friendly. Agree with what others have posted, pantograms are easy to follow with the laser light, boards a little harder with the stylus. All just take a little practice. Still working on the freehand, to get it really good takes a lot of practice.

Tin Lizzie is a great machine. Ther have some great pricing right now. I have seen under $4000. for the 18" and it has a very solid frame.

Thank you all! You're a wealth of knowledge, as always

I just got a Tin Lizzie with a pinnacle frame and they threw in the pattern perfect which sounds like what you are talking about. The dealer suggested I use it for the first couple of quilts until I got used to the motion of the machine.

I have a Tin Lizzy also and you can use a laser and follow the design and you can use these boards that have a grove in them and follow the pattern. (I think it is error proof way to go, when you are just starting, I know I was nervous about do my first quilt on Tin lizzy. I went with the laser for my first one. I just finish my first quilt on my Tin Lizzy would not recomend do a big quilt for your first. I had lots of frustration :(120x120)