Stich regulator or not
 

We are purchasing a Nolting long arm and started watching some youtube cannels on longarm quilting. Our experience right now has been at quilt shows so not a whole lot. Some of the videos I saw mentioned they would switch to manual vice keeping the stich regulator on.

Why would you want to quilt without the stich regulator?

Thanks

Mike

Some things are actually easier to quilt without the stitch regulator on, such as circles. Personal preference.

I have never turned mine off .. love it!

I also never turn mine off, even when doing micro quilting like pebbling. I took a certification class from Karen McTavish for her McTavishing fill. She taught the class to do it in unregulated mode. When I do McTavishing I still keep the SR on. But as Peckish said, it is personal preference. I don't do anything unregulated.

And the other point of view..... I tried machines with the SR and could not get use to it. Been quilting long enough without it that I am able to keep my speed level constant enough to get even stitches.

I don't use a stitch regulator and I really think I'm OK without it. I like the touch of a hand and I really enjoy free motion quilting. If a stitch isn't perfect, it's simply OK.

Stitch regulated quilting is FMQ and/or hand guided (pantos and ruler work). There is a difference between Computer guided and stitch regulated quilting. Just wanted to clarify as your post seems to indicate that stitch regulated is not FMQ and does not involve the touch of a hand which is definitely not the case.

Personally, I need a stitch regulator. My friend on the other hand learned FMQ without one and is quite good with or without.

But something to keep in mind -- stitch regulators can be horribly expensive if you go back to get one. The time to negotiate is when you are buying the setup.

I have a mid sized sit down hand controlled machine without a stitch regulator that I purchased mostly because of cost. I wish I had spent the extra money!!

I use my stitch regulator all the time. I have a Nolting also.

I love having a stitch regulator, but keep it on "cruise" most of the time, at about 6%. This means the machine never completely stopped stitching unless you shut it off, but stitches very slow unless you are moving it., This way I can get an extra stitch in the corners if needed as I'm changing direction. I'll typically turn the cruise off when using rulers, and I have turned of the regulator when doing very tight stippling.

My bailey also had a stitch regulator, but it was a slow machine so I still had to be careful to move slowly so I didn't end up with long stitches.

I’ve had a long arm for over 15 years. I actually have the stitch regulator turned off probably 75% of the time. Once in a while I use it. I learned to quilt on a machine that didn’t have one so I’m pretty used to not using it. I use it when I find it beneficial

I have the Bernina Stitch Regulator. If it hadn't come with the machine, I probably wouldn't have bought it because of the price. Now, if mine bit the dust, I would spend the money and get a new one. I've free-motion quilted many a quilt with that BSR. I love it. I would never be able to keep my stitches even without it.

I wish one or both of my use all the time machines had a stitch regulator.

Thanks for the replies. I feel we will use it most of the time as we have done some free motion quilting and can do pretty good most of the time, but sometimes we can get some pretty long stiches. Like mentioned, it is OK, and usually you can't see the stiches that are too long. I thought it was interesting this person I was watching kept turing it off. Seemed like it was for the closer or tighter quilting jobs. Maybe the machines can't tell you are moving enough to get consistant stiches.

Guess we will have to play with it once it comes in.

I use my SR on the Gammill almost all the time--occasionally I will turn it off if doing very tight, microquilting, but even then I usually keep SR on. I'd definitely recommend getting one on the LA--or at least make sure that your machine can be upgraded to a SR--not only for the way you want to use it, but also for resale value.

I have a HQ I leave it on all the time ,not a problem .

I would love to have one on my DM!

I do not have one as it did not come with my used HQ16. I do not quilt for $$ so if something is not perfect it is fine with me. Once the quilt is washed and dried any little imperfections disappear.