Has Anyone Ever Used One of These?
 

Howdy y'all :c)

There has been a lot of talk on here about quilting a large quilt on a small, domestic machine. I know to roll up a quilt to work with it, but that can still be tough at times. Nancy's Notions has a quilting frame that is made for regular sewing machines. I've been looking at it for a while, but I can't afford it if it doesn't work as claimed. Here is a link to the one I'm talking about:

http://www.nancysnotions.com/product...rame+system.do

Has anyone ever used this, or one like it? I'd be really interested in hearing opinions about it. Thanks y'all. You guys ROCK!! :c)

Donna

i have one. never used it. if you lived closer i'd tell you to come and get it.

I'm not sure I'd buy it, it only accommodates quilts up to 45 inches wide, so it wouldn't even be useful for lap or twin quilts.

How many quilts do you make less than 45" wide?

Nice idea, but I agree about the size limitations

It looks like the Flynn quilting system to me. There have been several reviews of this system either on this board or on the Internet. I have heard that it has a tough learning curve. I'm a Kentucky girl too, Donna. I live in Bowling Green. Where are you?

I wouldn't invest in this frame because of the width limitation, plus I know a lot of people never master using it.

Just as an aside, it's easier to loosely accordion fold the quilt under the machine arm than to roll it.

I would advise instead investing in Marti Michell's book that explains different methods of reducing bulk while quilting on a DSM. Here is a link to it on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Marti-Michell-...dp/B0002J5GX0/

Hey, I might have a taker for that! Can let you know tomorrow.

I found it easier to puddle my quilt than to roll it. I also recommend Marti Michell's book. I tried the John Flynn frame - as others said, works great for small quilts (when you don't need it), not so much for larger quilts, and it actually requires more room than a longarm, since the frame has to move in both directions (rather than the sewing machine moving).

[QUOTE=Prism99;5924097]
Just as an aside, it's easier to loosely accordion fold the quilt under the machine arm than to roll it.
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I agree with Prism. I've wrestled a lot of large quilts through my DSM. I have found that rolling the quilt up never works for me. I just keep it pleated like a loose accordian fold. I also keep a table to my left to take the weight of the part of the quilt that isn't under the machine. It does involve wrestling the quilt around...my upper arms get tired and I sometimes turn the air blue but I get it done.

I was thinking of getting one of these for small quilts so as not to load my LA. I just watched a tutorial on setting it up and IMHO, it takes a lot of work to get it right. Easier to load the LA. For some people it may be perfect. Don't get discouraged. It will take time and patience to learn it just like a LA but smaller.

As for the 45" wide limit you can buy longer poles to use with the system for wider quilts. I have seen it done. The package is like a starter kit and has the 45" poles as a matter of shipping restrictions. It is enough to get you started and practicing.

I do not own or sell or belong to any part of this company. The info is just stuff I have seen at shows and on line.

I had one, but didn't work out. Yes, you could get longer poles for larger quilts, so why not (if you could afford it), see about maybe getting a used frame?

If the general system works for you , you can always quilt in sections and then join using a QAYG technique.

I have not used one but John Flynn has a demo on it and it looks really neat!!!

Do a search on here for John Flynn Frame. You will get many threads about users experience. I passed mine on a long time ago.

I also found if you go to the web site http://www.flynnquilt.com/ they have a wonderful 30 minute video of the use of the frame. I have found it to be very interesting.

I don't have one, but it won't do a large quilt, at least I don't think it will. I have done a few large ones on my domestic machine, I just scrunch or wad the quilt up, have a large table area to do that. I did one on a small throat area and then I ended up buying one with a 11 inch throat, that makes all the difference in the world.

For the money, I would pass. It looks like something that a crafty DH could create

IM a Kentucky gal in Shepherdsville

I do the same, accordion, not rolled and I spray baste, no pins and have never had a problem with wrinkles or it comming a part...and the table on the left side makes a huge difference. I use to have table behind my sewing machine also. I need to get another one, it really did make a difference I was trying to save room in my small sewing room, but its easier with the table. I will invest in a folding table so that I can put it away when not in use. [QUOTE=ranger;5924134]

Yes, I have used one, back in the day when home quilters having long arms was unheard of. But it is has some similarities to a Longarm in that the quilt is mounted on the rollers and advanced like on a LA. But you move the frame, and not the machine. And your workspace is limited by the throat space of your machine. And you can use longer pieces of wood if you have a wider quilt, so you are not limited in that aspect, and if you quilt is too big, the throat space on your machine won't accommodate the roll. I found that it did make an nice smooth quilting design and was fun to use on smaller quilts. But I kind of got tired of having to roll it so often because of the small sewing area, so it's now living downstairs - still has a small wall hanging on it waiting to be finished.

Hi DonnaFreak, I'm from Kentucky too! I personally would not spend my money on it! My quilting teacher invested in it and we experimented with it for a while. Found it to be hard to handle, especially for one person when it comes time to move to the next part of the quilt. Limited quilting area. Space consuming, too! I haven't seen her even bring it out to use in a long time so she may have gotten rid of it, don't know for sure. But now that I've experienced it, I wouldn't waste my fabric money for it! Just my opinion though. Sorry John Flynn but it's just not for me.

I have looked at them and agree that they are expensive if they don't work....Look at Utube and a man named Kenneth Lund in Utah makes them for about 200 dollars or less....He has a great demo on them. I have been tempted but am scared they are not what they are cracked up to be.....Good Luck. and if you ever get one, let us know how it is....

Actually, I too, have one and never used it. Room is too small in this house. The one I have uses wooden dowels and you cut them whatever width you might want. Really wish someone else had it. PM me if interested.

Have thought about trying one of these, but decided against it after reading up on it online. Not the best quilting investment IMO.

I've done at least three 120 x 120 quilts on my DSM. No problem at all. I'd suggest getting two "2 ft x 4 ft" folding tables with adjustable legs. (about $30 ea at Sam's Club or WalMart. Amazon.com has them also) - place one to the left of your machine and one in front of your machine and you're good to go.

I have one of these. I tried it a few times and wasn't happy with it. Wish it was at somebody else's house!

A friend of mine in NC bought one and uses it ALL the time.

Not sure what or how she did it but she did manage to quilt
a king size quilt on it for her bed.

I thought about getting one but I just don't have the room for
it.

Pushing quilts thru my Singer has been the only way I have done it for years.I mostly do what I call "comforters" which have two layers of hi-loft batting and if I have one , an old mattress cover. I have a 50's or 60's Singer that is heavy. I wouldn't consider trying to pull a quilt thru my little portable. It is only plastic and would move all over the table. I set up three folding tables. One of them behind me to hold the weight of the quilt. My newest favorite aid is spray adhesive to hold the layers together. Otherwise I would baste the layers so they would not slide around. I start in the middle and work out to the outside. I too have cussed and cried for one more inch of sewing arm to force my new quilt. Leave the needle down when you readjust to sew. Don't worry it may not come out perfect . But there is no feeling like a finished quilt to share with the family.

First thing, you can quilt any size that you want, you just have to buy from the hardware store different lengths of metal tubing. I went to my local Runnings and bought the largest size they had and I will cut the tubing to fit my quilt. You put the Flynn multi-frame on a table and if you are quilting a queen or king sized quilt, you put 2 tables together. You measure the height of your sewing machine and then you buy PVC pipes to fit your sewing machine. When I bought my multi-frame, John Flynn has a DVD enclosed to set up the machine quilting frame. Also, Mr. Flynn has been on Fon's and Porter's Love of Quilting. Mr. Flynn demoed the frame and showed how to set up the frame and he showed how to quilt with it. I have neither the money nor the space for a longarm quilting machine, so I wanted a frame that I could assemble,put on a table,quilt and then disassemble. The nice thing about this frame is that you can use it for machine quilting or hand quilting. When you disassemble the frame, everything but the metal tubing and PVC pipe stores in a small box. The metal tubing and PVC can be stored in your garage.Mr. Flynn said that many quilters have different size metal pipe to quilt different sizes of quilts. There is a learning curve, but, as with anything there is always a learning curve. I have read some of the posts here about the Multi-frame that they hated it because they tried it once and didn't like it. Trying anything once and then quitting is kind of silly. Think of how long it takes to learn to write, to learn to ride a bike, to do pretty much anything. If you want to check out the DVD for the Multi-frame, go to Flynn's website and scroll down the page,and you can watch the DVD that I got when I bought the system. You can click on it and see if this is something you want before you buy.

Only used mine twice and stored it in the garage...width is too small and getting the rythum of 'gliding' my 930 Bernina just never happened. I agree with Prism, fold it up and FM. I have better results seated too.

I bought one from a lady on here about 2 yrs ago. I was so excited but now I wouldn't do it. I gave lessons at my
quilt group but the older ladies decided they wouldn't do it.
I put on 60 inch long 2 in sq log rolls so I could do longer quilts than the 45". My problem is I live in small quarters so it's a problem when that (60 in) --5 ft 2 x 2 sticks out from the table. So in other words that length
goes from the left of my machine to the right of my machine. I have to let it hang over my desk when it goes to the
right. But, you have to support it anyway --can't let it lay on the desk.
Wish I never would have bought it but I am sure the lady is glad that I did. If I had a big basement like spot I think
I could set it up and use it more. It does help with time. Have a Brother 1500 D for Harp size !!!!

It does not work. Don't waste your money. Too narrow to do anything but straight lines or swirls. Everyone I know who tried it felt it was a waste.

Agree with everyone on using your domestic. Put a folding table behind your machine to take the weight and puddle or accordian pleat the quilt.
I don't know how much the Flynn is, but I would rather buy a midarm machine (9" or larger) with the money. They work really well. I have made queen size on mine and a king could be done if I did it in two sections.

John Flynn frame
 

You can buy wider pvc pipe to use with the John Flynn frame. They provide the 48" to save on shipping. A handy person could actually make one...they ride of large pvc pipe.

I'm a minority here. I've had one for several years and have bought the longer poles to fit the different size quilts I've made. I have actually quilted hundreds of quilts on the Flynn Frame ranging from Quilts for Kids to bed queen quilts on this frame. Yes...there is a learning curve but it's that how it is is with any new thing we learn? You can't expect to master it after trying a few times and deciding it's to hard. For me it is so fast and effortless to quilt a quilt. I love mine and would like to have an extra backup one.

I have a Flynn frame and have quilted many king and queen size quilts on it, not to mention smaller quilts. All you have to do is get bigger wood rails, which are not that expensive, from the lumber store. If you want to do a smaller quilt, use the smaller rails. It is easy to use and good for basting. It does require space.

I have knee problems and can't stand long, but when I previously could, I often used this frame. You put the machine perpendicular to you, needle facing you. Any machine will do. You put PVC pipe lengths under the frame so it moves smoothly. I used to stand and steer it with my hips. It's easy. You can do any quilting pattern up to the width of your harp. In fact, if I can do a sitting system, I'll be using it again, and almost exclusively.

Let me tell you how it saved the day for me on one quilt. I make a lot of quilts for homeless people. I bought a top at a tag sale without looking closely at it, thinking it would save me some work. When I got it home, I saw it was more than 7 feet long and about 100 inches wide. It had a zillion very small pieces, and the seams were popping on most of them. What was I going to do with this mess? I got a warm back for it and warm batting, and put back, batting, and top on the Flynn Frame. It's very easy for one person to do. Because the pieces were so small and the seams went every which way, I decided to do a micro stippling job on it. Standing and steering with my hips, I did this easily. It took 12 hours. I crossed every seam at least twice. That baby was not going to come apart. I bound it and took it to the homeless shelter with other quilts, thinking it was easily the most ugly quilt I had ever seen. It had green and orange and purple and brown and absolutely everything else, with no plain fabric on which to rest the eyes and no pattern I could find. I did not expect anyone to want it. But a young man named Bill, 14 years old and 6'11 inches tall already, approached me and shyly asked for the quilt. He explained that they only had one blanket there, and no heat at night. He was always too cold to sleep. If his feet were covered, his chest was not, and vice versa. So of course, I gave him this very warm, densely quilted quilt. He took it in his arms, ran his fingers over it, and a look of awe came over his face. "Ma'am?" he said, "Ma'am, this is the prettiest quilt I've ever seen!"

So I do recommend this frame and, furthermore, I recommend anything that John Flynn does. He is an engineer who thoroughly thinks things out before releasing them, and makes many prototypes before releasing any product. And yes, I am fortunate enough to know him. He showed me how to use the frame himself, but that is not necessary. It is easy enough to learn. It's easy to assemble, and easy to use. For the money, you can't beat this frame!

Cricket

I had one....got rid of it because it is more trouble than it's worth in my opinion.

My daughter who has been quilting for about 18 years bought one about 8 years ago. Never could set it up properly and ended up giving it to her quilt guild for their annual auction.

I have one, and used it as shown on the dvd instructions, but I used it on a ping pong table top. The theory is great but I had trouble coordinating the way it had to roll on the supporting tubes. Now I'm in a smaller place and my quilts are bigger than the rods I now have. Might try it on a smaller quilt but I haven't done one of those for a while. I bought a cheaper kit and supplied my own rods from Lowes. It would take a LOT of practice in my opinion to look good.