Long-arms and Frames! Info Please!

[Spudgrandma]

If you have a quilt frame can you give the pros and cons and what kind of set-up you have? Frame, machine, etc.

I would like to get some ideas of what others are using and how they like them. I do not have one but would really really like to!

[Abbigail]

LOL! I think I ask them this same question every other month! I want one also but can't decide on one, where to put it, all kinds of questions! Good luck with your search. I hope you find what you want. These ladies will give you all good things to know or think about.~Abbigail~

[Spudgrandma]

Do you have a thread where these answers have already been answered. If so, can you point me to it. I looked but did not see anything, of course that does not mean it is not there it just means I could not find it. LOL

[CoyoteQuilts]

Spud & Abbigail, Get on yahoo. Type in longarm quilting in the search. You will find a million & one sites. Some are general set-ups and others are specific. What it boils down to is your preference. I have been searching for months for a set-up. I just read a post somewhere on one of the sites that you should demo set-ups by writing names while stitching, but mostly make O's. This will tell you if the machine jerks, or skips or if you have to fight with it in anyway. Everyone loves their set-ups and it is hard to find what YOU would like is tough.

Good luck on your search ladies and if you need sites for used machines PM me & I will pass on about 9 of them.

Sharon V.

[cindyg]

I have a portable B-line frame with a Juki machine w/cruise control. The frame and machine work fine - it does exactly what it is intended to do. The frame can be extended out to 12'. My main complaints are: room to set up the frame and there is not enough throat space on the Juki (only 9"). I have shoved my dining room table to one side of the dining room and my quilting frame/machine are set up in the dining room because that is absolutely the only area in my house for the set up and it's only extended to 8'. If I extend it all the way to 12' I'll be taking up part of the foyer and nobody would be able to get in the front door. The Juki has a 9" throat but because the quilt rolls up on the take-up bar in the throat of the machine I can only quilt a 4" wide pattern. That means I quilt across the quilt once and then I have to advance the quilt again before I can stitch another row. I would love to be able to quilt, for instance, a motif in a 12" block so I would like to have an HQ16 or Voyager 17, something that would allow me the space to quilt like I'd like to quilt but without being too big like a Gammill.

Spud - it's really up to you. What do you want to be able to do with your quilting machine, how much can you spend, and how much space do you have to set it up? Remember that you need room to walk around it, it can't go wall-to-wall. So here's the thing - I think you need to come to Houston, TX in November and attend the quilt show here. They have every conceivable machine set up for you to try. You can see which you like the best and get tons of information.

[Spudgrandma]

Oh Cindy, I would love to come to TX for several reasons. I lived in TX for 4 years and would love to go back just to visit. I would also love to come and try out the machines, but I don't think that is going to happen this year.

One thing I would need to find is a frame that did not take an engineering degree to set up and take down as I would have to have it in My dining room-living room area. We don't use that very often but do need it, mostly for sleeping space, when the kids all show up.

I was just hoping to get a few pointers from those of you here who own systems. BTW, I do belong to several Yahoo groups and have read a lot but thought I might get some different answers here.

Thank all so much for taking the time to answer. (((hug)))