Have you checked with a Babylock they have some great features larger opening for moving the quilt and they do have many of the features of the Bernina such as the knee lift also a larger table working space and lots of different feet all comes with it and is not as expensive as a Bernina maybe worth checking just my thoughts

does anyone use a Juki for FMQ?

juki
 

I have a Nolting longarm but my friend has a juki I love it.
It seems like it will handle about anything.

I do a lot of FMQ on my Bernina 440QE. I love my Bernina and do every type of sewing on it and embroidery. I think the newest version of that model is the Bernina 540 QE.

I love my Pfaff for fmq. The Quilt Expression has a 9" throat and will easily handle 40 wt quilting thread.

VickyS, I'd sure like to know how you can fit a double bed quilt through a small harp. I'd really like to know how anyone can quilt even a smaller quilt with a small harp space. I know it can be done. Maybe some of you experienced quilters can give a tutorial on it or refer the rest of us to a video. You are all so much better than I am.

I have a Juki and it is very good for free motion. Its an older one so the harp isnt much over 8-9"
They ran about $800-900 several years ago. Its a work horse !!

Good luck to you. I know it was very confusing to me when I was looking. I ended up with a Bernina 820, which I have not had the time yet to really play with. I bought it when it was 6 years, no interest.

I LOVE LOVE my brother 1500...used it on a frame for fmq----use it on the table for fmq---and it is the best for piecing--
never have had the fabric drawn down into the bobbin like others that have a large hole....this only does straight stitch and reverse---and the quilting foot on it is the best!!

I now use my Janome 7700 and before that I used my 6600. they both worked really well.

I think Bernina makes the best, especially when using the BSR (Bernina Stitch Regulator) but if you have a budget in mind, ask to see "previously loved machines" which do come with a warrantee. Good luck!

I'm learning quite a bit from the discussion. I have an FW and a 201-2. Can someone please recommend some good tutorials or U-Tube videos, I'd like to start doing FMQ with either of them.

Your Singer 201 is one of the best for free motion quilting. That said I have many vintage machines but I prefer to use my Janome 6500 , the forerunner of the 6600 and 7700. What I like is the knee lifter and automatic thread cutter and the larger throat area. I do believe there is a plain Janome that has those features. I actually do not drop my feed dogs but just set the machine to quilting, change the needle to a top stitch 9/14 and then free motion away. I do wear quilting gloves. Could not do without them.

I'm glad my machine isn't a thread snob- I just can't afford it.
The Bernina dealer tells me to only use things like Mettler- but so far it has sewn well with everything I've thrown at it.

I never buy the super cheap no name thread, but I have a HUGE amount of Dual Duty, and it sews that great. It also does really well with essential from Connecting Threads. And Isacord. Oh, and Mettler too.

I've also had no problems at all sewing with invisible thread (in both the bobbin and the top) and metallic thread (top only)

I have not tried quilting on my machine - I have the Husqvarna Viking - SE - everyone at the LQS raves about it for quilting. What is the mega quilter? I've also got the "Quilting box" table, etc., and the mega hoop - is that all the mega quilter is? Sorry, I'm asking questions on top of questions.

That makes two of us! But I'm feeling really happy at the moment, because I've just done some pretty good FMQ on my 201. I was having problems with loops underneath, but when I moved from a small practice piece to a bigger one with a lower loft batting, it all suddenly came right. I'm using gloves and a SuperSlider, because without them it was really hard to keep the fabric moving smoothly. My stitch size is still quite variable, because I'm not yet used to controlling the speed just from the foot pedal, but the tension is OK, which for me is the main battle won!

The Janome is a thread snob and I have to use Aurafil 50/2 for both the bobbin and the top thread. The vintage machines I use Aurafil 50/2 in the bottom and the cheap Walmart stuff in the top, Coats machine quilting. I do find the Coats for piecing is a bit thick and affects accuracy because it adds bulk to the seam.

I have a Janome 1600P on my quilting frame..it is a great machine..just wished it had a deeper harp...but I can not afford to go to a bigger machine for all the quilting I do..

I can do straight line quilting with my Singer 201k-(1treadle), haven't been able to get it to FMQ. The Singer 15 & 237 treadles do wonderful FMQ.

The Mega quilter is a 9" throat space, straight stitch only industrial machine, its fabulous for machine quilting. We used to sell them at the store where I work. OMG that machine ZOOOOOMS!!!! I like the SE for quilting too.

Curious which machine do you have that you have problems FMQ with? So many seem good at the start and then you read all of these nightmares. I have a Bernina 630 (I know its out of your price range) but it does fmq. endlessly without one problem. It has the oscalating hook. I think the 7700 is over 2000. I looked at that the other day. Seems like a good machine. Very heavy with large harp. I did not FMQ because I didnt like the way the feet go on and off, and I dont like the fact you have to unscrew the main plate. IF the machine is at all sensitive to thread and lint you have to clean all of that pretty often. I liked the Melody (babylock) The new Viking Sapphire 830 and the Bernina 530, 430 whch all are around the same priceing between 1800 and 2400. Also if less I used the Pfaff Ambition 1.5 for FMQ in a class, and found it to be really good, easy, quiet, it has thread cutters but no hands free mechanisim. But it is a larger then reg.
harp. THe price is at my dealers is 1300. The 1.0 is around 800
Just some ideas.

Edit it is the new Sapphire Viking 875 that I tried out and it is a very nice machine in testing.
Not the 830.

I have had the 7700 for over a year now and love it! FMQ is a breeze!

Leah Day just started a new FMQ project for those that wish to learn or improve.

freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/p/start-here.html

Nanbue - I have a Janome 4800, which is very picky about threads (machine quilting thread won't go through the tension discs) and is incredibly temperamental for FMQ (though great for piecing). It's almost impossible to get the tension right - and I've tried everything over the years. I can do FMQ successfully on other machines, so it's not just me!

I also have the mega quilter, but mine is the Grandquilter from Pfaff. It's a very nice machine. I have mine on a quilt frame and it does a great job.
Karen

Saw a Husqvarna advertised with an 11" throat but don't remember the model number. Visit the dealer and see what them have to offer and test drive everything! I am not very good at FMQ but keep trying. Do want to upgrade from my Janome QC4800 one day. Good Luck!

I went to the Husqvarna and Pfaff dealer today and played with the Sapphire and the Pfaff Expressions 4. Mixed feelings - see the new thread I started. Next, the Horizon! As you've probably seen above, I have a 4800 as well, and it haasn't been a good experience, though I know many people love them.

Annethreads,
Did you find your machine?
I just bought a Janome 6600
Love it. Have FMQ for hours and its been great.

Take a look at the Janome 6300P, less stitches as the 6500p , a 9 in harp and about $900.00:thumbup: I have one and I love it.

The 6500 doesn't have the Accufeed. I love the Accufeed. But it is more $$.
You just have to go and see them.
Great machines though. I had the Pfaff EX4 and it was so riddled with problems, it manufactured in 2010. Supoosidly problems had been fixed, but not on this one. They replaced it. Lucky for me my dealer also sells Janome, I used my credit for the 6600P instead and am very happy with it.

The mega quilter; there are two made by viking; one has a 9in harp and the other 18in. I have the 9in. Straight stitch only; super fast; very rugged machine. It's great for quilting a also for piecing. I just got the Ruby a few months and had the chance to trade mine in but it wasnt' worth it to me; I kept it and want to use it for just quilting.