Quilting with an embroidery machine?
 

How many of you have finished your quilts using an embroidery machine instead of FMQ? I currently have a Janome 6600 but still struggle with FMQ..........not enough practice I guess!! I have been looking at a long arm but space is definately an issue at the moment. I have a spare desk that would hold an embroidery machine next to my 6600 but am wondering how the embroidery machines would work on quilt sandwiches. If anyone has samples, I would love to see them.

My first quilt was a nine-patch and I had no idea how to FMQ (still struggling with it like you). I used the embroidery feature on my machine to put a feather medallion/wreath in the center of each of the plain blocks and did stitch in the ditch in the nine patches. Sorry I don't have time right now to post a pic, but the quilt is on display above my bed and everyone is wowed by my quilting "ability"!

I have used some of the quilting designs from Emblibrary on small quilts. I have been pleased with the results. For me the biggest challenge was supporting the weight of the quilt so the emb. arm could move freely. i did not hoop the quilt, but used washaway stabilizer and spray to stick the quilt in place. Added pins along the edges to help prevent any shifting.

I bought the diamond just for that reason. I have emb. on a few quilts and it looks so much better then any FMQ I could do.

My question is---If you do use the embroidery for quilting do you hoop it? I've wondered about that as I have two embroidery sewing machines.

this would depend on the size of the quilt; sometimes you have to float it on top of the hoop. Emblibrary.com and alot of other sites has tutes on embroidering quilts. You do need to make sure you have a large table service so that it is supported. There are lots of designs out there.

I'm about to find out myself, as my Husqvarna is now in the shop, and I've pulled out my Bernina embroidery machine to sew/quilt, etc. Love the embroidery feature and it does everything but sing to me while I'm using it, but just have never used it for the machine quilting...I suspect it will work out wonderfully and I'll wonder why I didn't use it a long time ago for that purpose. : )

I've quilted many of my quilts using my embroidery machines.

I use mine to quilt, from baby to king. I do hoop the quilt but I have a huge table top to do it on. I put the machine in the middle of the table to keep the weight of the quilt even. I have the continuous hoop for borders but have not tried it out yet.

I hooped mine and did not use a stabilizer. But washaway stabilizer and spray to stick the quilt in place. Added pins along the edges to help prevent any shifting. As Bakermom said would be good to .I used Tearaway stabilizer once it was a pain.