Hi, Steph. I am brand new to this Board, but was reading that you had ordered a Grace frame, I thought I would throw in my 2 cents worth.
I bought one 2 years ago, with the Janome 1600P. Have only done one "practice piece" on it, mostly because I just haven't had time to fiddle with it, and I've had some physical/mental blocks due to a (benign)brain tumor I had that has slowed me down. I LOVE the Grace frame. There are a million pieces to put together, but the DVD and the instructions are wonderful, and DH and I put it together over about 3 days off and on. It is a marvelous piece of equipment. And another reason I really haven't used it is, in fact, the Janome machine. It just isn't big enough -- I spent half the time re-rolling it 4 inches at a time. And changing the bobbin on that machine is a real pain. But I decided to toughen up this week and load a quilt (I have 8 or 9 waiting to be quilted!) and try it. WEll, dang. Seems a certain young lady who shall remain nameless (but she's fat, grey, has four legs and a tail) decided the little spring around the tension wheels was a really cute play-pretty, so the machine went to the shop this morning. Found out I could probably go ahead and use it without the spring but they're ordering one for me. All this to say, I really want a longer-armed machine! Thinking seriously about the Bailey 15; I tried a Tin Lizzie at the Dallas show and loved it, but I really don't want to give up my Grace frame; and besides it costs too much for no more than I have time to devote to it. I'll be keeping watch to see how you like your set-up; the Grace Company is very nice to deal with as well.

marje, in HOT HUMID Dallas

thanks Marje!

I considered a bigger machine, but I really wanted something that I could use for quilting smaller projects and for taking to retreats which I would not be comfortable doing with the heavier, larger machines. I'm sure my 1600P will stay on the frame most of the time, but I wanted the flexibility to use it off the frame comfortably! You never know, I could end up trading in /up in 12 months - and at that time I will look more seriously at the Bailey!

Welcome to the site!

STeph

I read your note about your Juki and how you love it, right now I don,t
like mine too much. Would you give me some advice? I can"t come up with designs that fill my blocks and that I can sew that will fill up whole block, my work space only is about 5 inches. I have fihured that I could do half the block and come back and finish other side of it. Also I don't see how you could do feathers, I am new at my machine today I put my first quilt on the rack. Do you know a website maybe that would help me? I would greatly appreciate your advice and help. chichimamma

Help with Janome
 

I purchased a used Grace pennacle frame, putting my Janome 6600 MC on it. Please give me any advice or input to what I need to do and not do. This is all new to me. I appreciate any help or advice you will shte.