Only 7 inch harp!
 

I have a Viking Interlude 445 machine that's about 10 years old. It was sold to me with the understanding that I wanted to FMQ. It's taken me 10 years I guess to get the nerve to try and now someone told me my harp is too small.......it measures 7 inches. What do you think? Is it too small? I can't afford a new machine right now even with a trade in. :sew::)

It would be easier with a larger harp, but you can still FMQ with the machine you have. You will need to roll up the area that is to the right of where you are quilting, so that it takes up as little of your 7" as possible. It will be difficult to do FMQ on very large pieces. I would suggest at first trying to do blocks using a quilt as you go technique and then attach the blocks together after being quilted (there are a number of ways to attached quilted blocks...do a search when you get to that point). Once you are very comfortable with FMQ on blocks, then try your larger pieces like a lap or baby quilt.

You can do small projects, probably up to a lap size quilt, it will be a little tight, but lots of us have done it. Use what you have & adjust, you can always quilt your larger quilts in quadrants.

Should be OK for FMQ but will be a little crowded for larger projects. Start with something small.

What size quilt are you planning to work on?

I had a Viking Lily that did a fantastic job with FMQ. I believe the harp size would have been about the same as the Interlude. I just shoved the quilt through and puddled the part I was working on around the needle. Granted it's a tight squeeze with a queen size quilt, but it can be done.

10 years ago, larger harps were not as common as they are now. Some fantastic quilts were made on machines with harps no bigger than yours - where there is a will, there is a way.

Janet

7" is fine on a DSM - could be a couple inches bigger but you will do ok. I bet there are plenty of Board members here who do fine. A king or queen size quilt is a bit of a problem but there are a lot of ways to adjust.

Once you get up to speed with FMQ, if you like it, and you want to go gaga, then go for a big harp or a mid or long-arm.

The way I look at it, why spend thousands on something you may not end up liking or being delft at or even wanting to do?

I have quilted for decades winning ribbons with my FMQ using my Bernina 1530 that has a 7.5" opening. I don't understand what your problem is?? I don't think 10 years ago there were few if any domestic sewing machine that had a wider opening. I am certain you can do it. Start practicing. Good Luck !!

Give it a whirl! Don't worry about what "someone" says. I quilted a jumbo queen on a Walmart Brother machine with about a 4.5 inch harp. It's far from perfect, but it's done, and it wouldn't have been perfect if the harp was 2 feet long. You have to start getting you skills somewhere. Do some medium size things and see what you think. Don't let "someone" set you back another 10 years!

I have quilted up to a twin size quilt on my small machine that size. You will be "wrestling" with it some, but definitely doable! Just take frequent breaks.

You should be fine, depending on size. However, well known FMQ like Diane Gaudynski and Sharon Schaumber have made large quilts on older machines.

I had a Brother CS6000 and I believe that has a 6.5" harp. I FMQ stippling on a lap quilt and it was fine. Don't let anyone discourage you to try!

You can still do it but it will be more of a challenge. Just going to have to reposition it a lot and roll over the excess. I wish I had one with a bigger harp; then maybe I wouldn't have so much trouble FMQing.

I would encourage you to at least try it first. Don't let someone else discourage you before you even start. And start with something small, so you can build your skills. Once you have a couple of smaller projects under your belt, gradually move up to larger projects.

I will say that I started out by rolling my quilt up to fit it in the harp, but I really struggled with it, so I quit rolling it and started accordion-folding it instead. Worked much better for me.

It can be done, my domestic Singer has about that size. But I limit my quilts to "throws" only 48 - 54 across. It also works better if I do a meander and don't roll the quilt, bunch it up.

My 14 year old machine has a 7" harp. I have quilted a king size quilt on it by cutting the batting into 3 sections. I try to quilt all of my twin and smaller quilts on it. I am still learning FMQ; but I am great at doing my SITD with my free motion foot. Although I would love a 12" harp, I am doing fine with my little machine. Now, if I draw in the patterns, I do a good job of FMQ. My goal this year is to learn to do FMQ without having to follow lines. Practice on your machine. I am sure it will work well for you.

All of the above is great advice, I would also chose a thinner batting at first. Less to roll or bunch up.

I only have 7 1/5 and I've done FMQ on a full-size quilt.

Split the batting so it takes less room, there is a boofk machine quilting in sections, and Ann Peterson had a class on craftsy quilting on small machines. It is doable just need to be creative

Exactly! Don't listen to "someone". My Pfaff Hobby had a small harp but I started quilting and I pushed and pulled and got some rather large quilts through there....even a queen, I think.

lots of quilters use domestic machines with 6"-7" harps for quilting. I know a lady who quilts beautiful large (queen+) quilts on a little 1950 singer. it takes practice and patience to learn how to do it- but that is the case with any quilting regardless of what machine you are using. if you want to quilt with your Viking- do so, no one should tell a person it can not be done---yes it can- I've quilted lots of quilts (queens) with my Viking. even though I have a long arm when I am doing really detailed, intricate work I like doing it with the Viking- it lets me really be 'up close & personal' and I can get really creative (along with having all those great special stitches to add in. :)

I never measured the harp on my 37 year old Viking that is my main machine I use. I have quilted many quilts on this machine both using a walking foot and FMQ and all different sizes. I now have measured it because of this thread and it is 7.5" Still seems big enough to me to do whatever I want to do. I have to sometimes wrestle a large quilt through but not a big deal. Less wrestling with FMQ. Another thing that has made a difference is going from pinning my sandwich to glue basting. Much less weight and bulk. There are plenty of quilters out there who don't have the latest and greatest machines that are still happily making beautiful quilts. Relax and have some fun with the machine you have!

I just measured the harp on my Bernina 530 and it is 7.25 inches from the needle to the arm. I have done a king size quilt on it and several queen sizes. For me the secret is to stabilize the quilt vertically and horizontally by stitching in the ditch along the seam lines of the blocks. Then, when quilting, I only need to be concerned about one block at a time. Then, because the blocks are stabilized I can work the outer blocks first. Then I put the binding on the quilt so I can cut away all of the excess stuff around the outside of the quilt. It greatly reduces the amount of bulk to deal with.

Go to Utube and look up quilt as you go.......

I have a 30 yr old Viking and find 3 things really help. As already mentioned, I split the batting into thirds, I accordion fold rather than roll the quilt, glue basting rather than pinning. Oops, 4:
I find it very important to have lots of tables, or whatever, to support the quilt so there is no 'drag' as it goes through the harp.

As other have said it would be easier with a larger harp. That being said, I have FMQ'd a queen size quilt on a machine with a 6" harp. I won't say it was easy, but I did a good job. Good enough that I got a second place ribbon in our judged quilt show at the county fair. So grit your teeth and go for it! Good luck.

Just remember this; "If you tell yourself you can't, then you won't. If you tell yourself you can then your will. It's totally up to you. I know a lady who quilts with a handcrank. She's made some beautifully large quilts. it's up to you. The are videos out there on You Tube about quilting large quilts on small machines.

I've fmq'd king size quilts with a 7" harp! Those who say you Can't should get out of the way of those who are doing it.

Thanks a lot for all the encouragement. I tend to second guess myself with everything. Like I said it's taken me 10 years to get the guts up to even try. I know now it can be done and have no excuse not to try.

There is also a class on Craftsy about how to quilt large quilts on a small machine. Here last name is Peterson and she shows you how to cut the batting and quilt in sections. She's a very good instructor and you will learn a lot from her. She spray bastes and stitches in the ditch before FMQ. I highly recommend this class. Maybe you can catch it on sale. Even when you pay full price it's cheaper than most local classes. Check it out. (no affiliation, just a satisfied customer)

7" of harp space is quite doable for even a queen size quilt, its all in how you spread your quilt out. I have used a Bernina 930(7") & 1031 for many years(6.5"). I have quilted as large as queen size quilts, its not easy but can be done.
Sharon W. in Texas

I just finished FMQ on a quilt that was 100 x 111 on my domestic size Bernina. It went a lot easier and better than I thought it would. You can do it! I have a great desk that my machine sinks into and the back folds up to give me a large surface. I just put stuff around the edges so that the quilt would not fall off the desk and pull.

-Go for it -I have quilted large items on my old Elna with a small harp but it is good advice to start with smaller items and work up. That's what I did and I learned alot about maneuvering and manipulating the pieces as I went along!

You should be able to fmq on your machine with no problems. Start small to practice, as the others have said, and think about quilting in sections. Marti Michell has a good book on that. It's called "Machine Quilting in Sections." Here is a link:

http://www.amazon.com/Marti-Michell-...mitchell+books

You will probably have questions as you learn. I highly recommend a craftsy.com class on fmq and you can always get answers here, on this board.

Go for it! Start with potholders.

Cricket

I have taken another of Ann Peterson's class on Craftsy.com and I agree. She is a great teacher!

I agree with all of these. I would add that it is important to have your machine recessed or your support surface around it elevated to the level of the bed. You also need good ergonomics, good lighting - and a glass of wine does not hurt! You need to relax.

What needle do you use for fmq? I used to use denim needles until a quilting teacher suggested a top stitch needle, and I like that better. The needles that Schmetz calls "quilting" needles should really be called "piecing" needles, IMHO. I don't like them for fmq at all.

I also have a vintage Viking, and it free motion quilts very well.

Cricket

7" is on the small size, however, at a PIQF show there was an elderly gentleman that had done several quilts on a featherweight machine. He had some beautiful quilts and all the ladies were amazed by his work. Give it a try. You might decide it isn't as bad as you think.

In the picture section there is a picture of a quilt and the machine that the FMQ was done on. I'm sure it's only a 7" harp. The post is called Furballs and Fireworks. Good luck.

My Viking D1 has a 7.5" harp and I done large pieces on it. Doing a quarter of the quilt at time makes the job much easier. I don't roll the quilt--I bunch it up and push it through.