Are you a long-armer? Mid-armer? Domestic machine quilter? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions would you mind telling me why you are, and what machine you use? I have great free motion results using my domestic machine, especially with the BSR and I love my walking foot, but there's still much maneuvering, repositioning and all of that becomes very time consuming whenever I quilt anything much larger than a table runner! As a result, my flimsies continue to pile up. I know that I could farm my tops out for someone to finish, and yet I like to see the entire process through, start to finish. Naturally, space and price are big considerations with some of the HUGE longarm machines, like the one pictured here, and yet I'm fascinated by them. I've seen an ad recently for a "Lenni", a scaled down version of the APQS Millenium.Anyone out there wanna weigh in?
Life is Good!
... and even better when the tops become QUILTS!
Life is Good!
... and even better when the tops become QUILTS!
16 comments:
I quilt on my DSM when the project is very small -- I have a Bernina. I also am a long arm quilter -- I have the APQS Millenium for that purpose. I love both!
I wish I had a long arm quilter too. I have a Bernina which quilts very nicely but it is still hard to handle a big quilt that way. But unfortunately I don´t have any space for a big machine.
Enjoy your goodies from Norway and take care.
I must confess I love quilting but done get time, I have a wonderful friend who quilts all of my tops. She quilted for profit on her DSM for years before buying a long arm.
I am sure she could give some advise.
Good luck
Kerry
I have a lot of flimsies for the same reason. I find it very hard on my shoulders. Only have a DSM & walking foot & a free motion embroidery foot.
I wish I could afford to have quilts professionally done.
My friend, Chris (threadbythread.net) quilts my quilts on her Nolting long arm. I'm sure she would be happy to answer any questions you have. If you would like her e-mail, just let me know!
I've never attempted quilting on a DSM but it looks hard to move the quilt around. I have an APQS Millennium that I bought almost 3 years ago. Before buying I comparison shopped and visited both the Gammill and APQS booths at the Houston quilt show. Both are good machines but I chose the APQS and have never been sorry. It's a wonderfully made machine by a great company and I highly recommend the product and the company. I have a friend who has a Nolting and I've visited her and seen the machine and she came to see my APQS. Feel free to email me for any questions and/or comments, I'll be happy to answer.
I quilt on my DSM, my Bernina 1090. It's a work horse. I too have been looking at longarms. I just cannot justify the cost at the moment. I also like to do my own machine quilting. I like the idea that it was all done by me!
I loved free motion quilting on my Viking for several years before I came to the conclusion that the push-pull of getting all that fabric and batting through the small throat was too tiring and hard on my shoulders to continue. I found a used Nolting Hobby Quilter on a Hinterberg frame for less than the price new and I'm very, very happy with it. $$ and space were limiting factors. We relegated the tv to a corner in order to accomodate the frame. Many frames can be set up as narrow or as long (12 ft?) as you want them or have space for. Go to Yahoo groups and search for quilting groups. They are gold mines of information. Email me if you have questions.
PS My post should have read.."for about half the price of the machine new."
Moment of humor from a non-quilter. I have absolutely no idea what the following words mean:
long-armer / mid-armer / domestic machine quilter
great free motion results
BSR
walking foot
flimsies
APQS Millenium
No need to define. It's just funny, and proof that every serious activity has its own language.
God is good!
This is Lisa, my wife, responding. We need to get her a Blogger I.D.:
I use a domestic machine, a.k.a. my Huskvarna Husky Star 215. I know it's pretty basic for this particular circle of quilting pros, but I'm just getting started.
I like it. But I know what you're talking about. There is only so much you can do. The largest quilt I can do is pretty much 45 by 60. And that's been strictly panels, so far, without much patchwork.
AND I STILL NEED HELP ON MY BORDERS! I'm coming down there to spirit you away for just a week.
Of course, we were supposed to come this Christmas, but by that time I could end up having a baby in N.C.!! By the way, my husband can't remember if he responded to your e-mail, so...
IT'S A GIRL!!! Lauren Elizabeth, due January 11.
I use a domestic machine. And yes it does get difficult with the bigger quilts. There are quiltshops which will rent long arms.
Maybe you can try one there to see if it is something that you would want.
I did see in the Stitching Post ad that they have a new quilting machine which looks like a domestic machine with lots of space in the arm. It didn't have a price on it though.
I have a Nolting funquilter on a Grace pro frame. It was more affordable for me. I didn't like wrestling with my quilts on my DMS.
I free motion, and you are so right about it. I really want to do it myself, so I feel stuck right now!
Oh, what a fun thing to consider!
I wrote a long post about my thoughts on owning a long arm machine in March of 2006- if you take a peek in my archives.
Maybe someday... maybe not. But, I surely do love to piece the tops!
Cheers!
Evelyn
I would think the Leni would do a great job for your use..... I mean really...It's got a built in laser... what more could a quilter want?
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