Is a Long Arm quilting machine meant to be used left to right?
#51
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: in the heart of the awl
Posts: 1,015
Originally Posted by DebraB
Originally Posted by garysgal
So, for a mid-arm, quilt from left to right behind the quilt, and right to left standing in front of the quilt?
#52
I am not sure if this is helpful...I have a Gammill. You start at the left. I think I Have a 22 inch area to quilt (I have an Optimum. Once you have started on the left, you continue to your right but you can go sideways, up down left, right, circles or what ever, untill you end up at the right and finished with that section.
Then you push the machine back to the left side and roll the fabric up and start again. I think that is what is meant by starting on the left.
Then you push the machine back to the left side and roll the fabric up and start again. I think that is what is meant by starting on the left.
#53
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: in the heart of the awl
Posts: 1,015
Originally Posted by Rosyhf
I am not sure if this is helpful...I have a Gammill. You start at the left. I think I Have a 22 inch area to quilt (I have an Optimum. Once you have started on the left, you continue to your right but you can go sideways, up down left, right, circles or what ever, untill you end up at the right and finished with that section.
Then you push the machine back to the left side and roll the fabric up and start again. I think that is what is meant by starting on the left.
Then you push the machine back to the left side and roll the fabric up and start again. I think that is what is meant by starting on the left.
This board is great-always learning new things!!
#54
I just think that is more natural for people but when doing a design we change directions alot so thjey dont look so uniform so I think she is probably wrong or maybe you misunderstood? then again I may be wrong, but ive owned two long arms and they both went both directions fine.
#55
Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 11
My mother-in-law has a long arm and they told her she could only go right to left on the side you put a pattern on. It would the oppisite on the free motion side left to right. She says she has tried going back once she reaches the end of the row and the thread breaks every time.
#56
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 12,861
so, i really do not understand why it would be taught to only go left to right or right to left. my long arm stitches up and down...it does not feed, or pull in any direction, it simply goes up and down. the carriage the machine sits on moves in any direction i want it to go in, and has nothing to do with the machine stitches. poor quality stitches have to do with not moving the machine smoothly, speeding up on curves, moving the machine faster than the stitch speed is set. it is easy to sew in any direction i want to go, the carriage lets me go in circles or any direction i want. as long as tension is set correctly and my speed is consistant it does not matter at all what direction i go in
#57
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: The Deep South near Cajun Country, USA
Posts: 5,434
Originally Posted by ckcowl
so, i really do not understand why it would be taught to only go left to right or right to left. my long arm stitches up and down...it does not feed, or pull in any direction, it simply goes up and down. the carriage the machine sits on moves in any direction i want it to go in, and has nothing to do with the machine stitches. poor quality stitches have to do with not moving the machine smoothly, speeding up on curves, moving the machine faster than the stitch speed is set. it is easy to sew in any direction i want to go, the carriage lets me go in circles or any direction i want. as long as tension is set correctly and my speed is consistant it does not matter at all what direction i go in
#58
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: slowly going forward cuz' I can't find reverse
Posts: 262
Originally Posted by AlleyCat
I was taught to go one way and then come back the opposite way. Some pantographs are very akward this way but once you get the hang of them your quilt top does not creep to the left or right. I float all of my tops and quilting this way helps greatly!
#59
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Missouri
Posts: 155
I'm not AlleyCat, but I can answer your question on floating the top. This means the backing fabric, top and bottom, is rolled on to the rollers of the long arm machine frame, the batting is then laid on the backing and secured, I pin mine, and the top is then placed on top of the batting and sewn in place through the batting and backing. The top is not attached to a leader or rolled on the roller, thus "floating the top" and can be adjusted and moved to fit the back area much easier than if it was sewn to a leader and rolled on to the roller. Hope this is clear enough for you.
#60
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,375
I would not purchase a machine that they say can only go right to left. It is totally bizarre to me. I have a Fusion and I go anyway I want to. How could you possibly do any kind of fancy quilting???? I do float my tops and batting. My frame does a batting bar also, but my poodle really thinks the batting is for her when it is so close to the floor. Not a good thing! LOL
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