dpancham

I have a domestic sewing machine (Brother 1500S) with a 8.5 " throat. I need advise on whether or not it is worth investing in a quilting frame to do FMQ . One drawback I read was the smaller throat size reduces the sewing space which dwindles as the quilt builds up on the roller. I need advise on affordable quality long arm machines and frames.

ckcowl

only you can decide if it is 'worth it' but before making that commitment you should 'shop around' for a shop/dealer that has a set up you could try out- or a friend, quilt shop, *try it before you buy it* when you quilt on your domestic machine without a frame you can manipulate your quilt around to get to all the areas- this 'process' is limited when using a frame- and the frame does take up 'throat' space- so by the end you may only have 2"- 4" of quilting space to work in- depending on how large the quilt is- so, you would really want to plan your design. some people love using the frames- some find it very *restricting* ~~ but as with most things each of us are different- and only you can decide what is best for you.
as for the 'affordable, quality long arm machines' affordable is a relative term & means something different to each of us- I may have believed the $10,000 I spent on my long arm was a great deal- where you may find that to be not affordable at all...
again, call around, visit dealers, shows, shops, check them out- ask questions, test drive (they are an investment and you need to find the one YOU like-just like buying a car) then, when you find what you like/want you could start looking for used ones in a price you are comfortable with- but don't make the investment (blindly) without having at least tried them out- because the 'thought of owning one' is appealing.

Pagzz

two of my friend have bought the wooden frame from the Grace Co. in the last couple years. They are using the 9 inch throat machines. you can do meandering alone or with hearts, leaves, stars etc. I had that type of set up for two years. I would suggest the grace frame because the ones my friends have can accept a machine up to 18 inches. So, if you later want to add a machine with a bigger throat it is doable on that frame

alleyoop1

I have a domestic machine and a quilt frame and have done 3 full size bed quilts on it. It is true, you are limited to the amount of space you can quilt but I just love it. I love the feeling of guiding the machine over the quilt. It is ideal for baby quilts but can do larger ones as well.

klgls

I have a Janome 1600 on a Grace frame and enjoy using it. It does limit the size of the space - but works well for my limited quilting.

pocoellie

Personally, I wouldn't spend the money on a machine with just 8.5" of throat space. If you want an "affordable" machine, check out the Bailey's, they have 13", 15" and 17" machines, sit down or with a frame. They have great customer service, family owned and the machines have a good reputation. When I have the room and the money, a Bailey is what I'll get.

jlm5419

I had planned to get such a setup myself, until I found a Bailey with frame for a reasonable price. After using the 15" machine for quilting, I would not want to try using a smaller machine on a frame. The sewing area would be too small. Having said that, however, I've read that some determined people have used such a setup successfully.

kamaiarigby

I have a frame with a Juki set up on it this machine has a 9 inch throat I do all my charity quilts on this,if the quilt is to long I put it on sideways,my frame is 12 ft long,
I start of quilting in about a 5 inch space and find when I get to the end I still have that 5 inch or very near it space

soccertxi

I started with a Juki and swapped it out for a HQ16 pretty quickly. It would help if you could find someone who has a similar set up for you to try. Its taken me 3 frames and 4 machines to find what fits me best. Good luck with your search!