Super Quilter
 

Another discusion on thie Super Quilter Mid-arm Machine system. Local Craig's list has his listed for $225. I may be interested but would like opinions on this unit. ( I know we are all SUPER QUILTERS)

From what I read about the throat space, it's only 9", which may seem large compared to the traditional space, but believe me, it's not big enough to put a large quilt on it without wrestling with it. I have a Elna quilter's dream with 10" of space and I hate trying to quilt with it because of having to wrestle with the quilt. If you only plan on doing smaller quilts, then it would probably be fine, but most of my quilts are at least queen sized.

If it's a 9-inch throat (and that's what I found when I Googled the setup), then it really is not a midarm. Midarms start at 13".

If you're just starting to frame quilt and the price includes both frame and machine, then it could be worth it. Once you get the hang of it, though, most people who start with a 9" throat quickly realize they want more harp space.

I quilt large full size bed quilts on a Bernina Quilt Frame using my Bernina 440QE which has a throat space of 7 1/2". Once a quilt is loaded on the frame I have about 4 1/2" - 5" of actual quilt space. I can't do large patterns but I can do other repeated patterns like meander, clouds, loops. I'd love to have a larger machine with more quilting space but can't afford one right now....maybe someday. If you plan on using this machine just on your quilt frame and it's only $225 I don't see how you can go wrong. BUT, first make sure you can drop the feed dogs and find out if it has or if you can buy a free motion foot. Good luck!

There is not machine included in price. I have a Brothers 1500s with a 9" throat. Is this still a good deal? I have had hard time finding info on this set-up on internet. I can quilt full size quilts on my Brothers. Also I do not really want to do complicated patters for FMQ. Thanks.

Well it sacrafice for a large throat machine , for money i could go was 8.5 "

It looks to me as if you could use any regular-throat machine in this frame. It comes with handles to "drive" with:
http://www.superquilter.com/testimonials.html

It does seem that there are two versions of the Super Quilter frame: one of them a tabletop version. The older ones came with square poles, which seems very outdated. You might want to check to find out if the Craigslist one is a standalone frame or a tabletop version, what kind of poles come with it, and whether it comes with handles. (You need handles to move the machine around.)

The current website says the suggested retail price is $900, but it looks like it could be less with their "sale" pricing that seems to be on all the time. Might be worth a call to find out what their "sale" price is:
http://www.superquilter.com/

It's hard to find a machine quilting frame for $225. If you want to set it up for use with a domestic machine, then I think this is a fair price -- although I would offer less for it. Assuming everything is there, it should work fine with your Brother as long as you are okay with the limited space. One reason for offering less is that this frame is not well known, so you may have difficulty selling it later if you want to upgrade.

A comparison frame would be the original Hinterberg, which sells new for $650:
http://www.hinterberg.com/prod-Origi...g_Frame-5.aspx

Probably the biggest question with a frame like this is how good the bearings are, which affects how smoothly you are able to move the machine. If the frame is set up so you can "test drive" it, you could tell from that. It's possible to change the bearings on a carriage, but it's extra cost and extra work (and requires some DIY expertise). If the frame is in pieces, you might want to offer less for it since you cannot be sure all the pieces are there.

Hope these ramblings help some.....

Thanks for the ramblings prism99

I am a new Quilter, and i ran across a SuperQuilter at a garage sale, for $25.00. I bought it, and i am not even sure what i have, is it a good buy, and how is the best way to learn to use it? Any help will be greatly appreciated.