Has anyone ever downgraded ?
 

Have any of you ever " downgraded " from machine quilting on a frame back to quilting at the table ? I ask this because I currently have a Brother PQ1500 on a grace frame. I have had this setup now for about 8 months and until recently I have really enjoyed it.

Here is the trouble. Now that I am getting better at my piecing and my quilts are getting more detailed, I want to be able to continue that detail into my quilting itself. With the BrotherPQ1500 that available space, is limiting. Unless I make all by blocks really small, there is no way I can quilt a full block at a time, and if I try to do it in sections, it comes out looking choppy, due to all the stops and starts inside the block from having to stop and advance.

I recently made a top that I was, and still am very proud of, and for the first time EVER, I am feeling very disappointed in myself for how it was quilted. I took the " easy way " and stuck to my standard stipple, even though this quilt would have really shined like the sun had I not done it on the frame.

Moving my machine on and off the frame is not really an option since the frame itself takes up a large portion of my room, it does not leave me enough space anywhere else to quilt anything larger than a baby quilt. Plus it is not the easiest thing to pick up and move all the time.

Upgrading to a larger machine, while on my " when we win the lotto " list, is not financially realistic at this point. So I was just wondering if anyone else has had the same experience with the limitations of a smaller mid-arm / frame setup and gone back to a no frame setup again.

I don't quite have that experience, but recently purchased a sit down machine rather than frame. I find the standing for long periods quite hard and I am very happy with my choice. I know what you mean about the detail in the quilting making a difference. I borrowed a similar machine to yours, only a Pfaff, to quilt a 7'5" square quilt for my daughter & SIL. I enjoyed using it despite the size of the quilt and it went a long way in influencing me to get the new machine I ended up with. The HQ Sweet Sixteen performs more like a long arm than a regular machine like the Brother/Pfaff, and it's really good - when you get the cash, but in the meantime, the table is a really good option. Hope this helps a little. Just do what you feel is right for you and if the table is your preference, then go for it. You are right - you have to be comfortable with what you're doing so that the quilts can shine.

Thank you. I had the Brother before I got the frame, but I was JUST learning how to FMQ at the time and when a used frame became available at a price we could manage I jumped on it. And for a while I was doing fine and enjoying it, but now that my skills are increasing, I am finding it very limiting due to the constrained space.

I use the same machine on the frame and find I have the same issue. I get my sweetie to take it off the frame and put it on my table when I want to do custom quilting, BUT it is a big pain in the you know what. I also hate to baste or pin layers so that is a bother to me too. I also have a long arm on my lottery winning list, LOL, but I really need to replace my 14yo car first

Last night my guild had Marguerita McManus as a presenter. She told how she started out small and doing her quilting on her DSM, then gradually went up in scale til she had a LA, then back down to a midarm, and now to a DSM. She now lives in a RB and still enjoys quilting. She showed us how she does her QAYG method. Her quilts were beautiful.

Someone on the QB moved their midarm machine from a frame to a sit-down setup and is much happier with it that way. Sorry, I don't have a link to her thread with photos, but I know it exists out there somewhere!

Do what is best for you. It sounds like moving the machine to a sit-down area and selling the frame is what suits you now, so do it. You can always set up a new frame later, if you want to. At that time I would highly recommend going with a midarm and longarm machine, though, and buying both machine and frame together.

I first started quilting on my DSM. Then I got the handiquilter frame and used my Juki TL98E. I got rid of it and went back to just quilting on the Juki without a frame. I make large bed size quilts. Once you add the frame and half of a queen size quilt into the Juki throat your quilting space becomes very limited. So yes, I downsized back to a DSM.

I just recently learned about a quilt shop here who rents time on their long arm machines. You have to take a certification class first and then you can rent time. I have now quilted 2 quilts on their machines. Both of them were designs I could have done on my DSM (stippling and vines with leaves). However, I did not have to sandwich the quilt -which saves me a lot of time - since I still pin baste. One of these quilts had been a top for over 10 years and the other for over 6. So YEAH!!!! Now they are quilts.

I don't know why I am getting totally frustrated quilting a throw on my DSM.. I feel like screaming.. This is the first FMQ I've done on it. I made 30" square QAYG, and they came out okay.. Think I need an attitude adjustment, and not get so frustrated.. This is the first of eight that I am planning for the nephews, and nieces.. I don't have room for a frame, etc..

I have your same machine as well and it is on a tabletop frame. I am considering taking that entire setup down and just tie my quilts for a while. so I guess that is considered downsizing lol.... :)

Do you have a quilt store near you that you could rent time on a LA? I know that it would be a pain but could you take down your frame and store it for a while? Then make a decision to sell or put it back up? I wouldn't consider it a downgrade just changing the way you do things. You have to do what is right for you and no one method is better than another, the best method is what is right for you. I know it is apples and oranges but last Aug. I bought a mini van because with my arm issues I could no longer drive my conversion van, I felt I had downgraded and wasn't happy. Well, now I am, it took a while but it is nice to drive and not ache from stretching my arms out to reach the steering wheel on the big van. Good luck in finding the solution that works for you.