JLD

My hubby has found a Bailey's Home Quilter Sewing Machine with a GMQ Home Machine Quilting System Table on craigslist. It is only a year old and the person selling it is selling it for more than half price. I have never heard of this machine before and want to know if any one has experience, good and/or bad, with this brand. I don't want to invest in a machine that will cause me issues when I am learning. Any advice?

nannyrick

There is a group on Yahoo which would answer your questions. It is under Bailey. I have gone to the shop where they are made and they did impress me. They are well made and the service is great from what I understand.
I don't have one yet, but I will consider it when the time comes.
Good luck.

sewbeadit

I have heard good things about them. I belong to a yahoo group and they discuss them.

QuiltnNan

i've been to the shop also. the bailey is a stretched janome.

leatheflea

I own one, if its half the price its worth it. the only thing I dont like about this machine is that it is slower than I like to sew. When doing free motion I like to move a little faster than this machine allows. It only does 700 stitches a minute. My domestic does more than that. Debbie the moderator of the yahoo group has put few videos on you tube. Contrary to what others may think it isn't a stretch machine, its a singer, not sure which one but I do remember reading on the yahoo group that its not stretched. The frame that you are getting with that machine often has issues with the track cracking and you have to order a new one from the grace company. If I had it to do over again I'd save my money and buy a better machine and frame.

JLD

Thank you for your help. I think that is my concern. I had heard that it was related to singer some how and I have no luck with singer. - Not saying they are bad I just don't have good luck with them - I like you, would rather save my money and get one that will make me really happy then spend the money and want a different one.

Bev18

Could you send me the link to this group please. I too have a Bailey's and have some questions.

Herabird

I have been to the Bailey's factory (which is actually a shop attached to their home) and given the tour of how they make the machine by both father and son. It is in fact a stretch machine. They explained they use a basic Janome head (I saw a crate full of these) which they split and then re-manufactured to the desired length. They do a lot of welding and bolting so the end result is very stable. However This is also why it is no faster than a domestic machine (because it is made from a domestic machine) and why they cannot make the machine opening any higher than it is, and also why it uses class 15 bobbins -- they use the exact same 'base' machine for all three models. (They post on their web site BHQ does not contain any parts made by Singer.) A true long arm uses size L or M bobbins, both of which hold much more thread than the class 15, has an opening of 8" or higher and goes a lot faster. I considered the Bailey until I tried it and saw how slow it went. However for the price it can't be beat, but I see a lot of them being resold on ebay and craigslist probably by folks looking to upgrade.

zennia

I have also been to Bailey. Very nice people. I am thinking of purchasing one so i am glad for the reviews.

Dollyo

I have a 15" Bailey on a Next Generation frame. I love it. The speed is not an issue for me. That said, there are a couple of things that I would change. Also know that I have made at least a half dozen changes to my frame, too. So, it just may be me.
1. The handles are too high for me (I'm 67, 5'6" and prefer ergonomic things). DH is changing mine to a bicycle handlebar and wiring my switches in the end of the handlebar.
2. I would like a up/down switch. I have figured out how to do that w/just turning the speed dial all the way down. So that's not that big an issue.
3. I removed the cover from the front of the machine for more visibility.

Regarding the tracks on the frame. Change them to 1/4" round stainless steel rods ($80). They work so much better. My frame had plastic tracks, first set cracked in less than 6 months. Grace sent me new ones, they cracked in less than 6 months, then Grace wanted me to pay for new ones. I went w/the stainless steel rods. Best solution. Nice smooth motion.

If you get it, watch Jamie Wallen's YouTube video "Taking the stress out of longarm tension". Thanks to that video, I have very few tension problems. Before, I had lots of tension issues.

I started w/a Pfaff 9" GrandQuilter 1200. Would I like a bigger, more bells and whistles system? Sure. I make at least a couple of dozen items a year and I hate tying quilts or pushing them thru my domestic machine. So this works for me.

By for now, I'm going downstairs to quilt.