Quilting Machines- Domestic, Small, Long-Arm
05-05-2018, 05:14 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 193
Quilting Machines- Domestic, Small, Long-Arm
I am a new quilter and just finished my first two quilts (cribs). I quilted them on my sewing/embroidery machine just using straight stitch. I know I can't do a queen/king quilt on my machine (or can I?). I want to make quilts for my family (next is grandson's wedding - already have cut out) and know I can take it to a LA place to quilt, but I want family quilts to be done completely by me.
I am so confused whether to purchase something for quilting - Something like a Sweet Sixteen/Tiara III or something bigger like a small long-arm (Coronet). Will I be in the same shape if I buy a table quilter? I know these are for free-motion, but will I regret not being able to add digital later? Of course, place to put it and funds are always a large consideration, but I don't want to regret later what I have purchased.
I just know enough about this to be be confused (or maybe dangerous - HA). Any thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you for help!!!
I am so confused whether to purchase something for quilting - Something like a Sweet Sixteen/Tiara III or something bigger like a small long-arm (Coronet). Will I be in the same shape if I buy a table quilter? I know these are for free-motion, but will I regret not being able to add digital later? Of course, place to put it and funds are always a large consideration, but I don't want to regret later what I have purchased.
I just know enough about this to be be confused (or maybe dangerous - HA). Any thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you for help!!!
Last edited by Little Lulu; 05-05-2018 at 05:17 AM.
05-05-2018, 05:47 AM
#2
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Central Pennsylvania
Posts: 109
The biggest advantage of mid or long arm machine is that you do not have to sandwich the quilt. The top and backing are loaded on the roller bars and the batting is tucked in between. I do not like the "sandwich" process... and that was why I purchased a long arm machine. Big decision - but have never been sorry!! Good Luck!
05-05-2018, 06:03 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 981
Midarms and Longarms are a big investment. I suggest that you attend a quilt show that will have longarm and midarm vendors and just visit with each of them and try the machines. This is a very important decision and one that is made based on your particular needs. Midarm machines will only quilt up to a certain size so if you are going to be quilting large quilts that is not the machine that you will need. If you do a Google search you will find tons of information about buying quilting systems.
05-05-2018, 06:09 AM
#4
Super Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ballwin, MO
Posts: 4,210
If you have room for a stand-up longarm, that is probably the way to go, unless you are sure you would not want to work standing up, or are sure you would want more tactile connection with your quilt. I think the effort to move the quilt under the needle as opposed to moving the needle over the quilt is the most significant difference between a sit-down and a stand-up machine (but I am one who does not mind basting).
05-05-2018, 06:28 AM
#5
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 269
A couple thoughts for you, Lulu:
1) You can quilt whatever size you want on your machine, but it will really depend on how much patience and effort you want to put into it, and whether you have any physical limitations (arthritis, illnesses, bad back, etc). I do all of my piecing and quilting on a small domestic that has a 6.5" harp and I've free motion quilted king sized quilts, queen quilts, and many twin/lap sized quilts. I am a relatively new quilter, started in 2012, and when I started, I wasn't sure how much I would like it so I didn't want to invest in a super expensive machine only to have it sit there unused. I built a cheap foam insulation topper for my table to fake inset my machine so that the surface is level, and that makes everything much easier. It is definitely a lot of work to wrangle a large quilt through a small machine, but we are limited on space and funds, so this works for me.
2) You can rent time on a longarm. Many quilt shops offer this service where you can purchase a class from them to learn how to load and use their longarm, then you can rent time on it for an hourly fee. That way, the quilt is still made entirely by you, but you're just using someone else's machine. This is what I'm looking at once my tots are bigger, since space is a limitation and the cost is a big factor for us right now. It's $20/hr for me to rent time on the longarm at the shop that I frequent, so you may want to check around for your area.
3) I've read often from members here on the board and other reviews/blogs where there are other issues with owning a longarm that don't crop up with a domestic. Making sure your frame is level is very important. Some people don't have a dead bar on their frame? Tension, just like on a domestic, can be a headache on a longarm. Some longarms are finicky about threads and you can throw off the timing if you hit a very bulky seam. Some longarms require yearly maintenance and some don't. Some require more frequent oiling in multiple spots, and some require oiling in just one or two spots. How the machine feels as you move it is so important, and again if you have any back/shoulder issues, this would be important to know how you feel about doing the motion for hours. You also lose about 5-6" of harp space due to the roller and quilt as you quilt more, so a smaller machine with a 16" harp will only allow you about 10" of quilting space. Most quilt blocks are 12", so it's difficult to do a custom design inside a block without having to advance the quilt.
As others have mentioned, you should definitely try out as many as you can, and for as long as you can. I'm happy to move the quilt, and I glue baste so at least basting isn't as terrible as it could be. I'd love a longarm, but that's not really a possibility for me currently, however much I may dream about it. I plan to rent time on the shop's longarm once life allows, and that will also show me if I really want to own one or not, and if I will use it enough to justify the cost for myself.
Hope that helps!
1) You can quilt whatever size you want on your machine, but it will really depend on how much patience and effort you want to put into it, and whether you have any physical limitations (arthritis, illnesses, bad back, etc). I do all of my piecing and quilting on a small domestic that has a 6.5" harp and I've free motion quilted king sized quilts, queen quilts, and many twin/lap sized quilts. I am a relatively new quilter, started in 2012, and when I started, I wasn't sure how much I would like it so I didn't want to invest in a super expensive machine only to have it sit there unused. I built a cheap foam insulation topper for my table to fake inset my machine so that the surface is level, and that makes everything much easier. It is definitely a lot of work to wrangle a large quilt through a small machine, but we are limited on space and funds, so this works for me.
2) You can rent time on a longarm. Many quilt shops offer this service where you can purchase a class from them to learn how to load and use their longarm, then you can rent time on it for an hourly fee. That way, the quilt is still made entirely by you, but you're just using someone else's machine. This is what I'm looking at once my tots are bigger, since space is a limitation and the cost is a big factor for us right now. It's $20/hr for me to rent time on the longarm at the shop that I frequent, so you may want to check around for your area.
3) I've read often from members here on the board and other reviews/blogs where there are other issues with owning a longarm that don't crop up with a domestic. Making sure your frame is level is very important. Some people don't have a dead bar on their frame? Tension, just like on a domestic, can be a headache on a longarm. Some longarms are finicky about threads and you can throw off the timing if you hit a very bulky seam. Some longarms require yearly maintenance and some don't. Some require more frequent oiling in multiple spots, and some require oiling in just one or two spots. How the machine feels as you move it is so important, and again if you have any back/shoulder issues, this would be important to know how you feel about doing the motion for hours. You also lose about 5-6" of harp space due to the roller and quilt as you quilt more, so a smaller machine with a 16" harp will only allow you about 10" of quilting space. Most quilt blocks are 12", so it's difficult to do a custom design inside a block without having to advance the quilt.
As others have mentioned, you should definitely try out as many as you can, and for as long as you can. I'm happy to move the quilt, and I glue baste so at least basting isn't as terrible as it could be. I'd love a longarm, but that's not really a possibility for me currently, however much I may dream about it. I plan to rent time on the shop's longarm once life allows, and that will also show me if I really want to own one or not, and if I will use it enough to justify the cost for myself.
Hope that helps!
05-05-2018, 06:37 AM
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Ridgefield WA
Posts: 7,765
Sephie, thanks so much for all the information! I have only quilted very simply on my Pfaff which has a 9" throat and it worked very well. I usually hand quilt now, but do really appreciate your knowledge!
05-05-2018, 07:19 AM
#7
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 269
Hehe, I thought of more things!
Shoving a big quilt through a small harp on a machine is no easy task either, so it's very physically demanding, but at least you're sitting while you're doing it. I've read that some people get a saddle stool or something so they can sit while they longarm, but then you have to constantly move the stool too - I imagine they make rollers you can put on them? No idea how that would feel. Apparently loading the quilt can also be challenging the first few times (or more?) that you do it but I know that experienced longarmers can load very quickly.
On a sit down machine, like a Tiara or a Sweet Sixteen, you still have to baste. I believe you cannot glue baste with these machines? Not sure on that, so hopefully someone can weigh in on that. You still have to move the quilt though, and some have built the suspension system that hangs from the ceiling so the quilt is supported and is easier to move. Not necessary, but it's another idea to consider if you don't like the weight of the quilt as you move it.
You cannot use pantographs on a sit down like you can with a longarm on a frame. I mean, you can, but you have to somehow transfer the marking (needle punch then transfer like a stencil), or copy it a ton of times, attach, and stitch through it, then remove the paper later. So, not like on a longarm
Ruler work is different, since you have to hold down the ruler while holding the quilt while pushing it through the machine! On a longarm, I believe you hold down the ruler with one hand and move the head of the machine with the other.
A sit down is purely a free motion quilting machine. It doesn't have feed dogs. There are sewing machines that have 11-12" harps that can also do embroidery and regular sewing but they also cost a pretty penny. If you want a machine that does "more", that could be a consideration for you since it could replace your current machine and then it's not just a unitasker (only does one task) taking up space. Space is at a premium for us right now so I'm not willing to give up the space for a sit down either.
You'll want to consider how many quilts you're thinking about making, and how often you would use the machine, and weigh that against cost, space, enjoyment, and anything else you can think of. Have you tried any of the machines yet? Some people love/hate certain ones. Everyone's brain works differently - some do better moving the pencil, and some do better moving the paper. Stitch regulator or not? How steady is your foot and steady your hands? Different brands have different regulators and some work better than others (both sit down and standing). Some quilters hate basting, so while you don't have to baste with a longarm, you do have to load the quilt and that takes time too. I can glue baste a quilt in well under an hour, but then I have to either wait for it to dry or iron it, and I have to move all the toys to make enough space to do it
Shoving a big quilt through a small harp on a machine is no easy task either, so it's very physically demanding, but at least you're sitting while you're doing it. I've read that some people get a saddle stool or something so they can sit while they longarm, but then you have to constantly move the stool too - I imagine they make rollers you can put on them? No idea how that would feel. Apparently loading the quilt can also be challenging the first few times (or more?) that you do it but I know that experienced longarmers can load very quickly.
On a sit down machine, like a Tiara or a Sweet Sixteen, you still have to baste. I believe you cannot glue baste with these machines? Not sure on that, so hopefully someone can weigh in on that. You still have to move the quilt though, and some have built the suspension system that hangs from the ceiling so the quilt is supported and is easier to move. Not necessary, but it's another idea to consider if you don't like the weight of the quilt as you move it.
You cannot use pantographs on a sit down like you can with a longarm on a frame. I mean, you can, but you have to somehow transfer the marking (needle punch then transfer like a stencil), or copy it a ton of times, attach, and stitch through it, then remove the paper later. So, not like on a longarm
Ruler work is different, since you have to hold down the ruler while holding the quilt while pushing it through the machine! On a longarm, I believe you hold down the ruler with one hand and move the head of the machine with the other.
A sit down is purely a free motion quilting machine. It doesn't have feed dogs. There are sewing machines that have 11-12" harps that can also do embroidery and regular sewing but they also cost a pretty penny. If you want a machine that does "more", that could be a consideration for you since it could replace your current machine and then it's not just a unitasker (only does one task) taking up space. Space is at a premium for us right now so I'm not willing to give up the space for a sit down either.
You'll want to consider how many quilts you're thinking about making, and how often you would use the machine, and weigh that against cost, space, enjoyment, and anything else you can think of. Have you tried any of the machines yet? Some people love/hate certain ones. Everyone's brain works differently - some do better moving the pencil, and some do better moving the paper. Stitch regulator or not? How steady is your foot and steady your hands? Different brands have different regulators and some work better than others (both sit down and standing). Some quilters hate basting, so while you don't have to baste with a longarm, you do have to load the quilt and that takes time too. I can glue baste a quilt in well under an hour, but then I have to either wait for it to dry or iron it, and I have to move all the toys to make enough space to do it
05-05-2018, 10:58 AM
#10
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 4,348
One thing you have to consider between a sit down and a long arm is whether you are a push the quilt kind of person or a push the machine kind of person.
I can do some decent FMQ on a domestic machine and have done queen sized quilts on my domestic. I have also rented time on a long arm and I have recently purchased a short arm on a frame, where you move the machine. I am terrible on the long arm/frame and just cannot do free motion at all.
I am beginning to believe that I am a "push the fabric" kind of girl and prefer to sit down and be close to the needle and the fabric to create the designs.
You really should try both the mid arm and the long arm and see which you prefer, if possible. It also seems to me, and I could be wrong here but from what I've read and experienced, that the long arm/frame has a much bigger learning curve than the sit down.
Watson
I can do some decent FMQ on a domestic machine and have done queen sized quilts on my domestic. I have also rented time on a long arm and I have recently purchased a short arm on a frame, where you move the machine. I am terrible on the long arm/frame and just cannot do free motion at all.
I am beginning to believe that I am a "push the fabric" kind of girl and prefer to sit down and be close to the needle and the fabric to create the designs.
You really should try both the mid arm and the long arm and see which you prefer, if possible. It also seems to me, and I could be wrong here but from what I've read and experienced, that the long arm/frame has a much bigger learning curve than the sit down.
Watson
Last edited by Watson; 05-05-2018 at 11:06 AM.
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