How many of you use a frame and either mid or long arm machine?
Would you share the pro's and con's of your setup? Thanks

I have a Bailey 13 on a Hinterberg stretch frame.
Currently I love everything about both. I've quilted about 10
quilts in just a couple months. I was using a Juki on the frame
but the Bailey is much better for me.

I have done very little machine quilting, and then just on my sewing machine. I am curious though, what do like about the Bailey over the Juki?

The Juki has a habit of giving you either long or skipped stitches when quilting away from you. I know I certainly had the problem and I've heard a lot of people say the same thing. Especially on the Juki board. We went thru the changing the needle, the thread, the tension of the both of them, the tension of the quilt, the speed of your quilting, etc. I could never get it to go away. Other than that it is a workhorse, I use mine to piece now. Don't get me wrong, the Juki is a fine machine.
With all the different machines and frames out there now, personally I think the least expensive is the Bailey Quilting Machine. Both the 13" & 15" go for under $2,000 and the frame are generally under a $1,000.
I got my Bailey on Craigslist for a fabulous price. It is not a speed demon like the Juki but a great machine and well worth the price which is very reasonable. I understand Mr. Bailey even does layaway. :D
You have to call though, they aren't good with email.

Debbe

i had a brother 1500s (really a shortarm- 9" throat) on a new joy frame. the machine was incredible. the frame could have been heftier. it was a great quilter, BUT when the whole quilt was finished to the point where the roll was 3/4 behind the needle and under the arm, there was only about 6" maybe less of actual working field left. i was able to make two queen quilts but with a lot of difficulty. i ended up having to go in one direction, then take it off and go in the cross direction. when my kids saw me working that hard they bought me the tin lizzie (18") on the wood frame made by grace. the frame is great and solid as a rock. the machine is good, but also makes those long and skipped stitches. i can't figure out why. could it be the thread? they bought it at a show. over all, i would have to say i liked the brother better. it was smoother and quieter. but the lizzie has the stitch regulater and a good table for pantograms and lots of additional good features and notions and they give good tech support forever on the phone. if i had the room i would have kept the brother for wallhangings and small quilts. i sold it after one year for 1/2 what it cost me at a show. i believe the tin lizzie/grace table combo is in the neighborhood of $7000. i never asked.

They say that skipped stitches can come from a number of things.
Suggestions are: changing the needle, adjusting tension on either top or bottom, changing thread, slowing down your movement when you quilt, or the timing of the machine could be off.
Does it happen the same way all the time? I mean like with the Juki it was always when I was pushing the machine back and to the left or occasionally the right. Since I've heard so many people mention it with the Juki I have to figure it's not just me.
The Hinterberg stretch frame is very sturdy as well. I am very happy with it. I have 10' poles on it but as soon as I have a larger space I'll add on to the poles and make them 12'. I have to find some good instructions to be able to do that.

Debbe

with me it happens when i try to go from side to side. the weird thing is that it goes along just fine and then it acts up. then after driving me crazy it behaves itself again. i was using junky old thread at the time, so i thought it might be that. sometimes when cheap thread comes through the bobbin case it doesn't run smooth because it isn't so smooth itself. the manufacturer told me use king tut thread, but i had to be a wise-ass. i'll try again with good stuff and let you know, if you're still interested. king tut is very expensive, but i just bought some valdani (?) on sale from bayside quilters. they were closing it out. i love my frame too. i even like to look at all that wood. i have the 10' poles and i probably won't change them. i don't have a king sized bed and the frame as it stands gives me 110 good quilting inches. they say it's 120" but then there's no room for the extra batting and backing. i like 95 - 100" for mine. if i ever do any bigger i would do 2 halves and join them, even though i have plenty of space in my basement where i work.

i checked with my son and he told me the frame is a hintenberg made to the specifications for Lloyd Manufacturing, the maker of the Tin Lizzie. then they sell it as an outfit. and you're right. it is as solid as can be. they could do the olympic excersizes on that thing and it wouldn't collapse.

This is great information for us all!! I do hope more post on the subject..it is very educational for all of us!! Skeat

When I first got my frame I didn't understand any of it. The terminology is different, I didn't have a clue what anyone was even talking about. :oops: Now, I have some sort of a clue so it's much better. If you have any questions ask away.

Ok, I couldn't say anything until I had actually tried the new Bailey 15/Gracie II outfit we got. We couldn't get out to the shop to play around because of Gustav!

Now that's out of the way, today we put some flannel on the frame and are testing the waters so to speak. So far I'm very happy... and anxious to get the 'beginner' stuff out of the way so I can do a quilt :mrgreen:

I posted about it on the picture board.....

Wow, I'd say you're quite brave to start with flannel. Some people have trouble with thread breakage with it. I recently did one and had no trouble at all. I have found that I had too much trouble with breakage when I had bottom line in the top and bobbin. I then tried it just in the bottom and still had troubles. I think I'll try one of those nylon washers to see if that helps. I adjusted the tension numerous times and then gave up and used Threadart cotton on top and poly on bottom with no troubles.

I use Longcreek mills cone thread:
http://www.longcreekmills.com/produc...rquilting.html

5000m of 100% 50wt cotton in the bobbin and on top...
works great, lasts forever, no problems

Well I sure do like the price! Thanks for sharing.

re: LONGCREEKMILLS.COM

i just ordered 2 white and 2 natural. the shipping and handling was way out of line, but if the thread works out i will place a larger order next time and the shipping and handling will be proportionately less. follow? how often do they run this sale? do they ever have other colors?

thanks for the info. i have only ordered from www.baysidequilting.com and then only when they run sales.

I began the order process to just buy 2 neutral but the shipping was twice the price of the thread. I hate buying a lot when I don't know if I'm going to like it or not, you know?

www.phpbbserver.com/quiltangels (my little quilting forum)

hi debbe and janeen
i also don't like to buy a pig in a poke, especially when the shipping and handling is so high. sometimes you have to take the chance. if it helps solve my problem, then its worth it, and i would buy more. if it doesn't work, that not the money that will put me in the poorhouse. it's the stash money that will. since this comes recommended, i thought i'd give it a try. i did tell them that i thought the s+h was disproportionate to the sale price in their comment window. i figure let them know. they should have a chart showing what the cost will be based on price or weight or something. then you know what to expect.

I can't wait to see how you like it. Please let us know what you think as well as how long it takes to get it, okay?

i'm working green now, but will use the natural next. i can't wait myself!

debbe- i love the little smiley avatar of you at work.

debbe and janeen - you won't believe this but i just got an email from longcreek mills. he said the shipping was the 'actual' charge that ups was charging him, plus 75 cents for the box. he will check to see if i was overcharged. hah! if you believe that, there's a bridge i can sell you in the place i was born.

How much was the shipping for 4 spools?

I have a WOW III which is presently on an HQ I frame. I am looking to purchase the HQII or the HQ portable professional frame so I can use my PC Quilter without having to modify the present frame.

The WOW is a workhorse and the only problems I've had are loops on the back of the quilt due to inaccurate tension, which is more often than not my fault. I am a newbie to the whole thing and haven't mastered the art of getting my tension right yet. She will use almost any kind of thread and regular needles, including an embroidery needle.

I would like a larger bobbin and that will be something that I make sure to get when I decide to upgrade. I haven't tried any ruler work yet as I do not have a base, but have done 'practice' quilts in free motion and panto patterns.

Other than that - I like the set up and plan to keep her for a year and then upgrade to larger throat. She is 16".

$10.93 :evil:

ridiculous, right? if they weren't on sale, forget it.
altogether it came to $22.93. that makes it a little under $6.00 a spool. an okay (not great) price. better than no sale at all. and it gives me the chance to try it.

also, i make my own clothes, so it won't be wasted.

Wow, almost $11 shipping? it was almost $9 for 2 spools. :x
I passed. I do understand shipping costs have gone way up but
USPS wouldn't have cost that much. You can get the 2 different sized
flat rate boxes for under that price. This company would probably do more
business if they had options for shipping, don't you think?

As for tension on my Bailey machine I have no issues at all using the same thread. I know a lot of people don't like ThreadArt thread but I have had no problem that wasn't user error. :oops: It is very economical, they have fast, fairly priced shipping. Their varigated 100% cotton thread is wonderful. I just wish it came on bigger spools. :)

debbe
they do have different options for shipping and they are all more expensive. can you really believe it?
i used threadart variegated on a friend's tin lizzie and liked it. when it goes on sale somewhere i will get it.
i chose the cheapest delivery they offered. their charge for the box alone was .75. i ordered on the 5th. i'm waiting to see how long it takes to get to me. it shouldn't take more than three days, don't you think?
i also couldn't download the free alphabet embroidery they give you as a "free giift". mr. longcreek told me how to do it now, but i don't have an embroidery machine so who cares? i mean my machines do computer embroidery but they are not what is known today as embroidery machines that you download programs into. so he can keep his download and lower his shipping prices instead!

So how are things going with the thread? Are you still happy with it?
I might just order some now so that I can make my own comparisons
between, Essential threads, ThreadArt, and this one. I also ordered some
Valdani at $3.00 a spool. Sadly, I ordered it the 28th of December and
it hasn't even been shipped yet. Bayside Quilting says it was an oversight.
I'll post what I think of it.

wow! i forgot all about that fiasco!

the thread took ten days to get to me. the quality is only so-so. i will never order from them again. i can't reccomend them. did i spell that wrong? oh. well.

even on sale it's no bargain. i use it for garment sewing.

Oh great, I should've waited for your response. I just ordered the same
amount and colors that you did. The shipping was under $10.
$22. for 4. Hopefully it will work well for me. I know everyone raves
about Signature but I don't like it at all. It's got all these bumps, etc.
on it.
How is your quilting going?
I'm piecing a Cumberland pattern. Only have 5 more rows and its
done. Then to the quilting.

check the 'what's next' post and you'll see what i'm up to.

i did another block yesterday, and i can't look at it anymore. fortunately, it's only a wallhanginng.

Hi
I am new to quilting and want to learn how to use a mid-long arm quilter, I also live in central NJ and was wondering where you learned how to do this? I had one quilt that I made professionally quilted last month, it was so expensive. I have a lot more quilts that I want to make for my family, so I think it would be cheaper to buy a machine and learn how. Any info
will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Normabeth

Normabeth,
If you have the basic understanding of adjusting and using a domestic machine you should be able to learn how to use a mid-arm. There is a learning curve to them, and doing the quilting on a frame is a task as well. I'd say within 6 months of practicing you should be doing a pretty good job of it. You'll have days when the thread will break or the tension will be messed up but you'll get it if you stick with it. I love my Bailey Home Quilter, and think it's a great mid-arm. PM me for more info on them.

Desertdebbe

I put my new Janome Horizon 7700 on my Inspira frame. Now, take into consideration that Janome says it doesn't "do" framework. Well, in my house it does.
I had to take the handlebars off to get the machine onto the carriage, but once it was on i could remount the handles. It was just 1/2" too wide to fit through.
I bought a Grace cruise control compatible with it. That took a bit of research to find out what was compatible, but I got 'er done.
The machine works like a gem!
Most of the bumps and hassles of starting with frame quilting are the learning curve of frame quilting, not so much the machine. There is a totally different technique and feel to frame quilting.
Broken threads and needles and skipped stitches and tension issues are just part of the curve. And some machines just like a different thread than others. It's trial and error to find the right combination for you.
If you stick to it, try new things, and practise until your arms fall off, you will see your quilting improve.
My key advice would be to stay relaxed. When you feel your shoulders getting close to your ears, stretch! LOL
There is also a Yahoo group for home quilting systems which is a treasure house of problem solving for frame quilters.