Just read an article in one of the quilt magazines about how many quilters are using the 'short arm' approach to quilting (instead of a long arm). Apparently there are some machines (they showed a Janome and Baby Lok Quilter's Pro) that will accomodate a stitch regulator and then supposedly you can hook everything up to a quilt frame and use the machine like a long arm. I can't fathom this and the article had no real detail. Has anyone heard of this?

Hi,

I've seen this setup before, too, and it looked to me like the machine is just put on some sort of 'dolly' with wheels while the quilt is put on a frame.

I actually prefer to baste my quilts (I use safety pins) and use my old-fashioned treadle which is a 'normal size' machine.

I drop the feed dogs (you can also cover them with a card), and I found one of those 'slide sheets' to help the quilt slide easier. I also use those plastic rings in my bobbin case to help prefer the backlash of the bobbin.

I work on one section at a time, and I think it works great. Beats having a HUGE frame set up, plus it's a lot of fun. You can do the same thing with any electric machine, I'm sure.

Trina

you can put these machines on a frame-it works but if you are doing a queen sized quilt when you get to the end you only have about 2" of travel space front to back

The only difference is the amount of area available to quilt in... With a domestic machine it can be 4" or so :D:D:D

Yes, you can do this. I originally bought a 9" Juki (very similar to the Janome) along with a Little Gracie II frame. Grace Frame Company offers a stitch regulator that can work with a whole bunch of small machines (read about it here: http://www.graceframe.com/site/machi...itch-regulator) I will say that the stitch regulator worked very well.

Personally, I found stitching with a short-arm FAR too limiting. The throat space on the machine is really quite small, and if you're doing a large quilt, by the time you get to the end of the quilt, the amount of space you have to quilt in is very small. Some people can make it work and are happy with it, but I was not -- so I bought a 15" Bailey instead, and am much happier with that :)

I actually just acquired a vintage industrial 31-15 specifically for fm quilting. A Juki 'hopping foot' fits the machine (it's a high-shank), and the harp space is probably like 11" - much larger than the typical machine.

I fm quilted a queen-sized quilt on a normal-sized Singer 15-88, and although it was certainly a challenge, it did work. Kinda like wrestling an alligator, but I actually won in this challenge. ;)

My SIL got a Grace frame and uses her (Brother) QC 1000 to quilt. It sits on a "tray with ball barrings" and literally floats. The distance to quilt is not nearly as deep as a long arm, but it sure gets the job done. She has no interest in trying to do a full size or larger quilt...at least for now!

I have the Babylock Q Pro on a hinterburg frame-set up and ready to go, but just dragging my feet. The machine sets on a platform that just GLIDES with the touch of a finger. I got a stitch regulator to go with it. DH had to put on the stitch regulator (it was beyond me)-modified to fit the frame AND machine. As soon as I learn to add the quilt top, batting and backing-I'm off! I have about 6 tops to do-one is for DH, a boondogle (Google this to see), in Woolies (a heaver flannel that looks like the older mens suiting) AND a Christmas quilt an older Thimbleberries fabrics. If I weren't so lazy (maybe a BIG procrastonator).....

I have a similar set-up. Gracy ll with a Brother 1500s -9" throat. When I start the quilt, I have about a 6" playing field. When it is nearly finished, I have about a 4 - 4 1/2" playing field. I have not had it long, but it does the job.

Here is my short arm. It is a Brother 1500 on a New Joy Frame. I have about the same starting area, so it is a little limiting, but it is better than nothing right now.