When I do a smaller quilt I take it to school and do my pinning. Use the big tables and tape the backing down. Lot easier on the knees and hips but heck on the lower back.

Geeze, Charlee why did you hate the Pfaff? I have a Pfaff Hobby 1200 Grand Quilter, but not on any table. I have to use this machine on the dinning room table. I love that machine to FM with - at least before I got into vintage and started using my 15-88 treadle! The Grand Quilter has a full 9" harp space! What did you not like? I have a Handy Quilter (HQ 16) on a 10' foot table that I long arm with. The Pfaff never did have a table. I was going to sell it when I got into vintage, but I just can't bring myself to do that. I have quilted some very large - biggest one was 110x120 - quilts with the Pfaff - so I just can't sell it. I may go back to using it one day!

Nancy

You know if it wasn't for the fact that I do very large quilts as a rule, I'd get rid of the HQ 16 because that baby takes up so much space! That machine and table use one whole wall in my sewing room, plus it sticks out from wall 50 or so inches! There is a lot to be said for quilting on the dinning room table!

I had the Pfaff 1200 as well. It was on a 10 ft Grace frame with Cruise Control....and I fought that machine everytime I used it....could not get it to hold the tension, constantly broke thread, and the harp space, while being 9 inches, wasn't big enough to do more than a large lap quilt without having to dismount, turn, and remount the quilt. Was more work than it was worth to do the same thing I can do with my 15-91.
I have a handquilting frame that I can use to pin quilts or hand quilt with, so that's all good...

I sold the Pfaff and bought the spousal unit a beater of a pickup truck that he loves! Smartest thing I've done in awhile, he doesn't say word one about my machines now!! :D :D :D

LOL Charlee! My friend Beth has a Pfaff GQ that she absolutely loves. The problem we have with it when she brings it to Midnight Quilters classes or retreats is that it is so loud, you can't even have a conversation while it's running. Very loud machine, so she just uses it at home.

Charlee, I'm so sorry to hear about your sister. And Melinda, I'm so sorry to hear about your mother. Both ladies will be missed. {{{hugs}}} for both of you.

[QUOTE=MisDixie;4900077]When I do a smaller quilt I take it to school and do my pinning. Use the big tables and tape the backing down. Lot easier on the knees and hips but heck on the lower back.[/QUOTE

MisDixie, I have used a table to tape and pin the small/lap sized quilt too. I also do a lot of Quilt as you Go using my 15-88 treadle. That way I am only maneuvering a 14 to 16 inch square, which is so much easier than the tug of war you get when trying to FM a king sized quilt!

Nancy

Mine was loud too, and if I hadn't had to fight with it everytime I turned around, that wouldn't have bothered me. Now mind you, the spousal unit could turn it on and never have a lick of trouble.... kind of like when you go home and say, "Honey, the car is making a clunkaclunk sound"...and he gets in it and everything is fine until the next time YOU drive it! :D

Thanks Diane...

Well that does sound smart!

My Grand Quilter has never given me a lick of trouble with the tension or anything else. I have always used King Tut quilting thread top and bottom, but I don't think it would care what I used - a very dependable machine! I can certainly see why you had a problem, though! I can't even imagine trying to quilt a large quilt with a 9" harp space when the machine is sitting on a frame and you are rolling the quilt! I have only used mine on the table with me pushing and tugging and positioning the fabric, which is really pretty easy because you don't have a big roll in the way!

Even the HQ16 is too small at times. I can do up to a 108" quilt on that frame and any length, but the larger the quilt the smaller your quilting space becomes! If I had it to do over again, I'd get at least an 18" head!

Nancy

Thanks Nancy! I wasn't responsible for the wonderful colors, it was a kit. I did the quilting and binding after I pieced the kit. I love using bright colors in my quilts, so that being said...it could've been my creation. lol
The red border and cornerstones were what there was enough of in my flannel stash. :o)
Some little kid will love that quilt, it got turned in yesterday to "The Linus Connection".

The red border and cornerstones were what there was enough of in my flannel stash. :o)
Some little kid will love that quilt, it got turned in yesterday to "The Linus Connection".[/QUOTE]

I've been in charge of charity quilts for the kids in foster care in our county this past year. The quilt guild has made about 100 of them (that's way too many abused kids !!!). Here is a simple pattern that we use a lot. It is one of the Quiltmaker.com Linus projects. It is cute with kids fabric and beautiful with a gorgeous floral print for nursing home quilts.

Texas Jan

I've been in charge of charity quilts for the kids in foster care in our county this past year. The quilt guild has made about 100 of them (that's way too many abused kids !!!). Here is a simple pattern that we use a lot. It is one of the Quiltmaker.com Linus projects. It is cute with kids fabric and beautiful with a gorgeous floral print for nursing home quilts.

Texas Jan[/QUOTE]

Texas Jan what a great pattern! Wow! What is the finished size of this quilt? I love the pink and 'love' and 'peace' in this quilt - it could be a valentines quilt! Do you guys make different sized quilts, for infants to teenage, or are they all about the same size? All of you that are doing the donated quilts are just the greatest!

Nancy