sharkee

Would love a long arm but no money and no room is causing a problem. I have the Janome 6600P and it has a 9" throat sp and I have quilted a 95x95 on it. I used round clamp like things that I bought at my LQS (some people call them bycyle clamps) to roll up the side next to my machine. It look OK but I am still learning to machine quilt and everyone keeps telling me practice, practice, practice. I still love to hand quilt since it is so relaxing. I ma finishing the borders on a 108x108 for a friend's wedding gift in June

CompulsiveQuilter

I found I was spending more time "rearranging" than actually quilting. Drove me nuts, and I know I wasn't doing a good job because of it. I can do little things like placemats and table runners, but everything else I will send out. A shame ... and it seems there are no answers except quit whining.

fabric_fancy

when i first started quilting i did so on a small singer also.

i found the best way to quilt is from the side.

you always see people machine quilting from the front but this limits ease of movement for both you and the quilt.

you will have much greater success if you turn the machine to its side like the frame quilters do.

you should either sink the machine into or table or build a base around it out of foam insulation.

here's a link to make it out of form - just set your machine on its side.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAS25v3ZTk0

then spray the area with sullivan's silicon spray to eliminate quilt drag.

use machingers gloves and you can try the quilt halo.


i used all these products for a little over a year before i got my frame and had great success quilting this way.


also you might find that a frame isn't out of your reach. they are very inexpensive on the used market.

i got my grace pinnacle with all the extras (a $3000 cost) for $600 and then i just put my sewing machine on it.

quilttiludrop

I quilted more than a dozen full size quilts on my 7" throat Viking 415 before I purchased the long arm. Rolling the quilt, and adjusting the fabric to get the area you want to quilt are concerns. If it is too much of a pain, I agree with you. Just hand quilt the larger items. Machine quilt the smaller items. (Or ask a long armer to do it for you). All the best!

Bill'sBonBon

For one thing the throat on my machine is like eight inches and I can not figure out how to roll up a queen sized quilt and stuff it into that small space. How on earth do you all quilt on your sewing machines?

I am like You Don't expect to ever have the money for such an exspensive item..unless my DD's buy me one :wink: Miracles do happen.. :-D I have a kemore,no more throat space than you do and I still freemotion..You can puddle it under your needle.. now I have only done stippleing or outlining things like flowers,animals ETC. in the middle going out. The broders are an easy one to get under the needle on a domestic Machine. My Sister has a midarm I tried it out 2 days ago. I was in FL for those days. I live in Ga. so I don't get to use Hers But Boy did I have a good time on it while I was there. Nothing like it. :thumbup: But I am back home no midarm just my Domestic. :thumbup: Love that too. :lol: BillsBonBon

CoriAmD

Nope, you are not alone. I will never own a long arm. I do not at all enjoy the quilting process, but cannot afford to send it out to be done.
I solved my dilema by buying an inexpensive Brother SE400 Sewing/Embroidery machine. I use that for the quilting and am very happy with how it works. Many of the online Embroidery sites have outline stitches available for quilting.

laurac

i dream of a long arm but no way will i ever be able to afford one. thankfully, i enjoy hand quilting. i figure the time it takes for me to hand quilt helps me save the money for the next quilt.

GGrammie

Your not alone.

mustangquilts

I do not have a long arm. My sewing machine that I do my FMQ on is a Juki. I love it. I an starting to do very intricate quilting. Will post some pictures in the very near future. I have been machine quilting only over a year and just love what you can do FMQ.

noveltyjunkie

I have never completed a large quilt but on the small ones I have made, I have done a mixture of hand and machine. Yes, it's allowed! In the centre (which is probably the most visible) you can quilt in a hoop and when you get the edges, which are easier to machine quilt and less obvious to the eye, you can save some time and effort and machine them.