Newbie needing machine advise
05-29-2011, 06:01 AM
#11
Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
Posts: 54
Hello from Oregon! I'm new here too and have found this to be a very welcoming board. In regards to buying a new machine, I agree with others, that it's a good idea to "test drive" different brands and models at your local shops. Often times, dealers will provide a series of free lessons when you purchase a machine. I did this when I purchased my Bernina and it was very helpful for learning about the function of all of the special feet, various stitches, etc. Good luck & welcome!
05-29-2011, 06:11 AM
#12
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,176
Hello and welcome from lincolnshire UK. Very recently I also upgraded my machine. I bought a Janome QXL 605. A friend has a Janome for some time although not the same model and told me how reliable this manufacturer is . The other reason is that at present there is a very good offer on this model including a walking foot, applique foot, extension table etc. I have had this machine for 3 weeks now and am very pleased with it so far. Lovely stitch and very quiet.
05-29-2011, 06:17 AM
#13
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Southeastern West Virginia, USA
Posts: 1,026
Hello and a big, warm welcome from southern WV....glad you're with us! I have hand-quilted for over 30 years but just started machine quilting this year. I found the Leah Day videos on youtube and her website, Daystyle Designs (365 machine quilting patterns in a year blog, too). I don't use a frame I move the fabric under the machine as per her instructions. Now I think that's much easier and has better control. I use an old Bernina 1080 special for piecing and for quilting I have a Husqvarna Viking 830. It has a 10+ inch opening for getting your quilt in the machine.
05-29-2011, 01:59 PM
#18
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,376
Hi and welcome from Colorado, USA.
I used to have a frame that I used with my regular sewing machine. Please bear in mind that this is only my opinion.
I had a Juki YL98E mchine on what was called a Super Quilter frame. I did OK with it as far as stippling or freehand designs on small quilts. It took some practice to make my stitches look presentable, but it ultimately happened. I found that if I wanted to make larger quilts (bed size), the throat of the Juki just wasn't big enough to accomodate the finished roll of quilt as I progressed. By the time I was 3/4 of the way finished I really couldn't quilt well because I could hardly move the machine. Remember that as the quilt gets quilted, the roll in the machine throat area gets bigger and bigger. There is a technique to remove the quilt from the frame at the halfway point, turn it around and reload it and quilt from the "bottom", but it's a real pain to do this. So from my perspective, the machine worked well and the frame did what it was supposed to for small quilts. But once the portion of completed quilt outgrew the machine throat space, life became difficult. I also found (trial and error) that the freehand and stippling had to be pretty small so that whatever I put on the larger quilts would be consistant at the beginning and at the end. Again this was because I ran out of manuvering room as the quilt progressed.
I used to have a frame that I used with my regular sewing machine. Please bear in mind that this is only my opinion.
I had a Juki YL98E mchine on what was called a Super Quilter frame. I did OK with it as far as stippling or freehand designs on small quilts. It took some practice to make my stitches look presentable, but it ultimately happened. I found that if I wanted to make larger quilts (bed size), the throat of the Juki just wasn't big enough to accomodate the finished roll of quilt as I progressed. By the time I was 3/4 of the way finished I really couldn't quilt well because I could hardly move the machine. Remember that as the quilt gets quilted, the roll in the machine throat area gets bigger and bigger. There is a technique to remove the quilt from the frame at the halfway point, turn it around and reload it and quilt from the "bottom", but it's a real pain to do this. So from my perspective, the machine worked well and the frame did what it was supposed to for small quilts. But once the portion of completed quilt outgrew the machine throat space, life became difficult. I also found (trial and error) that the freehand and stippling had to be pretty small so that whatever I put on the larger quilts would be consistant at the beginning and at the end. Again this was because I ran out of manuvering room as the quilt progressed.
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