Bernina Quilt Frame-What Machine to put on it?
10-23-2011, 05:21 PM
#1
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 357
I have a Bernina Quilt frame and love it. I have a Bernina 430 on it, and don't love it. The machine is great but the space is very limited, and then so is my creativity. My choice of machines is limited because the size of the platform. I have priced the Bernina 820, it will give me 5 more inches than I have. A nolting fun quilter will give me 10 more, but do not know if it will fit. If I go with the 820, I still have a great machine when and if I go long arm. Is there anyone out there that has a 820(830) setup and a Bernina quilt frame?
10-23-2011, 05:43 PM
#2
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Spokane, Wa
Posts: 1,196
My 830 is called Elly and she is sitting on her frame right now! I Love it! Not sure if the Nolting will fit or not, but the decorative stitches and the embroidery on the 830 make it very versatile and practical for me. Elly is very slow to respond to the foot pedal so I do not use her for piecing. It's more of a short arm but its a great setup. The jumbo hoop for the embroidery can quilt individual blocks too. It really does everything!
10-24-2011, 05:26 AM
#4
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: IL
Posts: 2,671
I got the Bernina quilt frame with my new 820, bought in June. I haven't set up the frame yet, but my thinking was that if I didn't take to frame quilting, I'd still have a superb, luxury sewing machine. And it truly is just that fabulous and worth every cent. When I have the space and time, I'll set up the frame, but I might end up putting a 9" straight stitcher on it, because it'll be hard to give up the 820 from sewing.
10-24-2011, 05:52 AM
#5
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Lake Wales, FL, USA
Posts: 1,554
Your frame looks like it is a Grace Pinnacle which will take a machine with up to an 18" throat unless Bernina has ordered the carriage to be modified somehow but I don't know why they would do that.
I do have to say that seeing the picture of the high end sewing/embroidery machine sitting on a quilt frame is a little startling. You really only need a straight stitch machine for machine quilting. I thought my Elna 7200 was overkill but I bought it to do both frame quilting & everything else which it did very well for 5 years before I got a Voyager.
I don't know what other advantages upgrading your 430 to an 820/830 might give you but I would use the money for a used Nolting or HandiQuilter unless you really want some of the other features on the 820/830.
I do have to say that seeing the picture of the high end sewing/embroidery machine sitting on a quilt frame is a little startling. You really only need a straight stitch machine for machine quilting. I thought my Elna 7200 was overkill but I bought it to do both frame quilting & everything else which it did very well for 5 years before I got a Voyager.
I don't know what other advantages upgrading your 430 to an 820/830 might give you but I would use the money for a used Nolting or HandiQuilter unless you really want some of the other features on the 820/830.
10-24-2011, 01:41 PM
#6
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Outer Space
Posts: 9,319
Originally Posted by BKrenning
Your frame looks like it is a Grace Pinnacle which will take a machine with up to an 18" throat unless Bernina has ordered the carriage to be modified somehow but I don't know why they would do that.
I do have to say that seeing the picture of the high end sewing/embroidery machine sitting on a quilt frame is a little startling. You really only need a straight stitch machine for machine quilting. I thought my Elna 7200 was overkill but I bought it to do both frame quilting & everything else which it did very well for 5 years before I got a Voyager.
I don't know what other advantages upgrading your 430 to an 820/830 might give you but I would use the money for a used Nolting or HandiQuilter unless you really want some of the other features on the 820/830.
I do have to say that seeing the picture of the high end sewing/embroidery machine sitting on a quilt frame is a little startling. You really only need a straight stitch machine for machine quilting. I thought my Elna 7200 was overkill but I bought it to do both frame quilting & everything else which it did very well for 5 years before I got a Voyager.
I don't know what other advantages upgrading your 430 to an 820/830 might give you but I would use the money for a used Nolting or HandiQuilter unless you really want some of the other features on the 820/830.
10-24-2011, 02:07 PM
#7
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Houston County, GA
Posts: 349
The Bernina dealer in Duluth, GA had two quilt frames set up. One had the 440QE and the other was a Babylock Crown Jewel. The Babylock is much larger than the 440QE so I don't think you will have a problem with a larger machine on the Bernina quilt frame.
10-24-2011, 04:15 PM
#9
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,501
I've seen the 830 on the Bernina frame and it is SWEEEET! She had the computer hooked up to it and it stitched a perfect feathered wreath in about 5 minutes. If I was more computer savvy, that's one I'd love!
10-24-2011, 06:28 PM
#10
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 357
When you go to set up your frame, contact me I can save you a lot of headache. The set up itself is great, but the directions for attaching the quilt itself are terrible. I think a man wrote both. I have learned some tricks through trial and error, and it is really easy. I will share those tips with you when you are ready.
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