Does anyone have a Grace or Hinterberg that you use your regular machine with? I am looking into purchasing one and I am not sure how fancy I should get. I am just starting out with machine quilting and I am not impressed with just using my machine by itself. Help

Hi, Tina from New York/Canadian border. Just had my first experience with my guild's quilt show. Very interesting and very educational.

Welcome. I have a Grace frame, it is sturdy, but not professional quality. I have it set up for king size, and it is a good thing I have a BIG rec room, that is for sure.

Do you use your home machine or a long arm?

I use a Grace GMQ with a mid-arm. I really like it, but already have the bug to get a long arm. It's really addictive. I have a 9 inch throat on my Juki, which gives me between 4-6 inches of quilting room. I think it might shrink to nothing with a smaller machine, but I don't know.

I have the Grace Pinnacle ... and a Babylock Quilters' Pro ... a little bigger throat than a basic portable sewing machine ...
it didn't take three quilts to understand that I could do more with a bigger machine ... interesting how much more creative you get when you can move more freely ...
the PLUS side to the system I purchased is: I can upgrade to anything up to an 18 inch mid-arm ....
depending on how important quilting is to you, your decision needs to be based on your space availability and how far you want to go.
For myself, I quilt for the practical reason that it holds the layers together. My biggest thrill is to stipple in a very relaxed manner ... I don't think I would ever want to quilt every available space of fabric ... but, there are many who very much want to and do accomplish some amazing thread pictures with their quilting ... if you are one of those, save your money for the biggest, best system you can get. <wave>

I have the Grace -- not sure which one - it's metal. Works great, but if I had lottsa $$$ I'd buy one that would electronically go up and down, etc. :) It will do up to a 108" (or close to that) quilt. I use a mid arm sewing machine on it. Considering the hook up --- that machine will STAY on it!!! The other thing I'd like is a long-arm because you can't do big designs on the mid-arm. However, it's better than nothing!

Yeah, um....I don't know how much quilting you could do with a standard throat on a frame. I mean, you could do *some* but me, with a 9" on a frame, I have to advance the quilt a lot more often by the end. You'd have to be prepared to quilt halfway through the quilt, then turn and reload, kwim?

Just sent you a private message.

I'm not sure you would get a lot of space to quilt with a regular machine, but it would be easier than trying to push the quilt through it on a table. Check out the Grace site. They have a number of frames that are very reasonable. I did find the best prices on them at sewvacdirect.com.

I don't stop and turn anything - - just too much work! ... one of my solutions was to turn the quilt sideways when loading it up ... and, I make sure that I am loading the right side of the quilt, rather than the left side ... The reason for that (in my thinking) is that we usually read from left to right ... with a design that is "narrow", (speaking of stippling most specifically) the eye becomes "confused" by having to read across lines of quilting that are going up and down, so the brain says the quilting is more complicated than it really is ... (if that makes sense <g>) ... anyway, by doing it sideways, I have less in the throat of my machine, also.
And, another thing I have started doing is really racking down the tension on the layers ... that tightens what is in the throat of the machine, so I can get further, longer.
Yes, it is a hassle stopping every four inches or so to advance the quilt ... but, at least I can look forward to a mid arm machine with the Grace Pinnacle ... although, consider this!
The frame is $1000 or more of the price of a quilting set up - - so ... if I were to replace my system, I would replace the whole thing - - cheaper and more efficient than just buying a new machine.
however, we shall see what I am saying in a year or two ... either way, if I never change my system or get a bigger machine, right now, what I am dealing with is better, faster, and more efficient than sitting at a table and wrestling with quilt bulk <wave>

another thing? When you get a frame, be sure to get a machine for the quilting purpose ... you will not want to be setting up your piecing machine on the quilting frame and then removing it to piece the next quilt .... just too much of a hassle. <wave>

OMAK, I have the same machine & want that frame. What kind of machine are you thinking of upgrading to? The Babylock Jewel is about $8000.00 I think without frame. Is that what you are thinking of. I really want to be able to do the pretty feather patterns. Is this possible with this machine & frame.

I won't upgrade to a babylock Jewel, even though they do offer it in blue <g> ... For that amount of money, I can have a complete mid-arm and frame with a local dealer through INNOVA ... hubby is looking hard at the Bailey's Home quilting in a bigger size, and with this frame, it is more manageable ... but, then, if you consider what Gammill is doing, price wise, that is an established company that is bringing prices down to my range ...
I absolutely do feathers with this machine ... I don't do a lot of circular patterns where I would have to stop and start and move things ... but, it is doable - - I have watched many do it on different patterns on even the big long arms .... which sort of tells me that it really doesn't matter what size machine you get, you will always want a bigger one <g> - - I think it is a human thing! LOL <wave>

What is INNOVA? Have heard of it I think. Isn't that Brother. The Bailey is just the machine & it will fit on your frame right. I will be glad to just have the frame. Eddie posted another thread & he got a Gammill without stitch regulator. Said he didn't need it. What are your thoughts?

Hi.....I have a grace frame and like it....but most of all I love my Bailey quilting machine. I have a Janome 1600 on it and just did not like the machine. Not enough area to quilt from.
Karen

I have a Grace which will take a king size. It's all solid maple wood and steady as a rock. I use my 9" throat Janome. No, it's not a Gammil but I couldn't afford one in the next 100 years so this is fine. The first quilt I did on my machine wrestling it in every direction. I swore (literally) never again. If I had to keep doing a quilt that way, I would never make any more quilts. Talk about frustrating and awkward........... Yes, it has limits but at least it's not hanging over my shoulder or dragging on the floor.

I had that Janome and sold it. It was so noisy and no fun struggling with it. I now have the Bailey 15" and absolutely love it. Works great on my Grace frame too.
I'm with you.....I would never be able to afford the Gammill.
It does look nice, but that's all I can do is LOOK...LOL
I know a gal who now has 4 of them.....She does a great business....

I have a New Joy Gold frame with a BabyLock Quilter's Pro. The one draw back is that the frame construction would not allow using anything other than a domestic machine on it. So, if I decide to upgrade I'll have to buy frame and machine. But I'm happy with what I have right now. It does the job. Sometimes it feels a little confining, but overall it's fine.

I've read several references to the Bailey but at am a loss. I don't know this one. Can you fill me in on price etc?

Go to:
www.baileyssewingcenter.com

Mr Bailey and wife are so nice and if there are any problems
he deals with it. Can always phone him and he helps over the phone. Never had a problem though.

http://www.abminternational.com/index.php

a company based in Texas <g>

The only reason I actually use a regulator that came with the frame is to keep the needle going up and down ... the alternative is to use the foot pedal or hold a button down the whole time.
I am not sure that my regulator works correctly, since if I stop, the needle continues going up and down, anyway.
When I first started using the system, I set the regulator on five, a medium speed ... then, I started trying to stitch a regular stitch - - I got either really tiny stitches or big loops ...
someone on the Board suggested slowing down my movements (well, <g> they weren't talking to me, but I was reading advice to others) ... and, I noticed that with a five, I lost the loops, but those pesky little stitches were back ... so, the only solution was to slow the regulator down, and finally, I am where I wouldn't bother with the regulator if I could figure out how to keep the needle moving.
At this point, I would have to say that I am probably not using it correctly, but I have listened to quite a few proficient quilters and they don't use the regulator, and others who wouldn't quilt without it ...
Does that help? <wave>

I looked them up. There is a sales rep about 35 miles from me. There is only one dealer in Washington in Euphrata. I think I spelled it wrong. I'm going to call her & see what they cost. I have heard of them but had forgot. Do you know how expensive they are?

I looked them up. There is a sales rep about 35 miles from me. There is only one dealer in Washington in Euphrata. I think I spelled it wrong. I'm going to call her & see what they cost. I have heard of them but had forgot. Do you know how expensive they are?

The dealer here has her shop about twelve miles from me!
When I first started pricing them two years ago, the 18" mid-arm was $7000 and I think the 26" was about ten thousand. What the prices are now, I couldn't even guess. You are probably wondering why I didn't just go with the INNOVA <g> fair question - - I was settling for what I could get in a heartbeat instead of waiting a few more months for the LQS to get their dealership established. NOT a good idea ... life lesson - - do NOT settle! Wait for the best you can get. <wave>

At those prices, I won't be able to afford one. If I can get the Pinnacle I will be happy. Got a kid startin college in 2years so you know where my money will go.

Congratulations!
As we pointed out at the beginning of the discussion - - with the Pinnacle, it is designed to handle an 18" mid-arm machine, so (just wait and see <g>) you get a few quilts under your belt, and you will be quilting for lots of other people in no time!
Tip: Most of the people making quilts today are doing so as a way to benefit others with their resources and talents - - "charity quilts" is an understatement, but I haven't come up with a better word.
You wouldn't have to charge very much, but it might not take as long to get the mid-arm as you might think. (Just something to think about) <wave>

I owned a Grace and had an Elna with not much throat space on it. I did a number of quilts on it and liked it but sold the frame and kept the machine as a spare. I upgraded to Tin Lizzie 18 LS and it is on a grace frame--$8,000. I love it! No computer control but there is a regulator. The frame takes up a little more space than the older one. My other Grace had tracks the new one runs on rails like a Gammill. I can do on my Lizzie anything that can be done on a Gammill. Experienced a few probs in the beginning but the dealer and company made it right. And I have aleady lost count on how many quilts I have quilted since last Oct. I do some for others for $$. And I live in a small community in Alaska.

What is the difference between tracks and rails? I have a GMQ, and I would call them rails, but I'm not sure I know what I'm thinking of.

Rails are actually conduit and the wheels ride on the conduit. Tracks are plastic pieces that fit in the grooves on the frame bed and the wheels run on those. That was the older version of the Grace MQ frame.