What's the largest harp/throat space out there?
12-02-2015, 08:47 AM
#61
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Jozefow, Poland
Posts: 4,474
The largest harp on a 'regular' sewing machine currently on the market, I believe, is the Husqvarna Viking Designer Epic. It's 12.2" from needle to arm and 5.5" high...and retails for $15K.
Personally, I'd go into counseling in order to make a better connection with a longarm if I had one just sitting around here...but that's just me.
Good luck with your dilemma.
Personally, I'd go into counseling in order to make a better connection with a longarm if I had one just sitting around here...but that's just me.
Good luck with your dilemma.This made me laugh out loud! Too funny. I'd also just learn to use it. Honestly. If you do beautiful work on it, then just keep doing it. I'd bet eventually you will bond.
12-02-2015, 09:07 AM
#62
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Va.
Posts: 5,753
I think you mentioned that your current domestic machine has a 10" throat. There are several domestic machines that have larger throat spaces in addition to the Viking that someone mentioned.
The new Brother VQ2400 and its more expensive sibling the VQ3000 have 11.25" throats. I'm not sure of the actual selling prices, though our local dealer told me the MSRP on the VQ2400 is $4000. You could almost certainly get it for less, but I'm not sure that the extra inch and a quarter would really help you out all that much.
The Bernina B8 series have 12" throats, I'm not sure of the price if purchased new. I have seen a number of used B820s sell on ebay for the $3000-$4000 range--but you wouldn't have a warranty.
If you find that your long arm is still not enjoyable after trying some of the trouble shooting suggestions that have been mentioned, perhaps you could try a couple of things that have helped me when quilting large quilts on my domestic machines which both have only 7" throats.
The largest quilt I've quilted without doing the QAYG joining strip thing was 81" square. The way I was able to do it was to split my batting. It was still a pain in the butt and I didn't enjoy it all that much, but it was the only way I could get enough of the quilt into the harp space and still have room for my hands when free motion quilting the middle of the quilt. I find that I enjoy doing FMQ on lap quilts and twin sized quilts on my machines as there is plenty of room for my hands to move the quilt around with those sizes. I accordian fold my quilts all around the machine, both in the throat space and also the parts of the quilt that stick out the back, side and front, that makes it easier for me to flatten the part that I'm actively quilting and it helps to keep the other parts of the quilt from getting hung up and creating drag. For quilts larger than twin size, I start quilting the middle section before I add borders. Once that's quilted it's not too hard to add borders using Marti Michell's techniques. You can FMQ the borders first, or you can add them to the already quilted top an then quilt them. There is still a lot of quilt to move around, but it doesn't have to go through the throat of the machine that way.
I have created a makeshift suspension system similar to the one that Leah Day uses and that has really helped with managing the quilts. I even use it when I'm binding my quilts and it has really helped to relieve the strain on my shoulders, neck and back that I used to get when doing that task.
Ann Peterson has a couple of courses on Craftsy that show a number of ways to quilt large quilts on a domestic machine. She's an excellent teacher and it may be worth it to you to take one of her courses to see if they help you FMQ with your current machine's harp space before plunking mega bucks down on a new machine that may not have enough additional harp space to make a difference.
Rob
The new Brother VQ2400 and its more expensive sibling the VQ3000 have 11.25" throats. I'm not sure of the actual selling prices, though our local dealer told me the MSRP on the VQ2400 is $4000. You could almost certainly get it for less, but I'm not sure that the extra inch and a quarter would really help you out all that much.
The Bernina B8 series have 12" throats, I'm not sure of the price if purchased new. I have seen a number of used B820s sell on ebay for the $3000-$4000 range--but you wouldn't have a warranty.
If you find that your long arm is still not enjoyable after trying some of the trouble shooting suggestions that have been mentioned, perhaps you could try a couple of things that have helped me when quilting large quilts on my domestic machines which both have only 7" throats.
The largest quilt I've quilted without doing the QAYG joining strip thing was 81" square. The way I was able to do it was to split my batting. It was still a pain in the butt and I didn't enjoy it all that much, but it was the only way I could get enough of the quilt into the harp space and still have room for my hands when free motion quilting the middle of the quilt. I find that I enjoy doing FMQ on lap quilts and twin sized quilts on my machines as there is plenty of room for my hands to move the quilt around with those sizes. I accordian fold my quilts all around the machine, both in the throat space and also the parts of the quilt that stick out the back, side and front, that makes it easier for me to flatten the part that I'm actively quilting and it helps to keep the other parts of the quilt from getting hung up and creating drag. For quilts larger than twin size, I start quilting the middle section before I add borders. Once that's quilted it's not too hard to add borders using Marti Michell's techniques. You can FMQ the borders first, or you can add them to the already quilted top an then quilt them. There is still a lot of quilt to move around, but it doesn't have to go through the throat of the machine that way.
I have created a makeshift suspension system similar to the one that Leah Day uses and that has really helped with managing the quilts. I even use it when I'm binding my quilts and it has really helped to relieve the strain on my shoulders, neck and back that I used to get when doing that task.
Ann Peterson has a couple of courses on Craftsy that show a number of ways to quilt large quilts on a domestic machine. She's an excellent teacher and it may be worth it to you to take one of her courses to see if they help you FMQ with your current machine's harp space before plunking mega bucks down on a new machine that may not have enough additional harp space to make a difference.
Rob
Last edited by rryder; 12-02-2015 at 09:11 AM. Reason: typos
12-02-2015, 10:48 AM
#63
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: suburbs of Dallas, TX
Posts: 64
"I bought a Juki 2010Q in August, specifically because I do my own quilting and was really needing more throat space... No more rolling, shoving and muttering! I just bunch up the quilt under there with plenty of room to spare."
This sounds like a great machine. What is the largest quilt you've done on it?
This sounds like a great machine. What is the largest quilt you've done on it?
12-02-2015, 06:03 PM
#64
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 428
Long arm
What about one of the Jukis? The 2010Q might work for you. It's a high speed straight stitch machine. Here's a page with info on it: http://www.jukihome.com/products/quilt_tl2010q.html
I think you might like it because it has a large harp and feed dogs. You can search here on QB for more posts about it.
I don't have this machine (I have a Sweet Sixteen sitdown) but I do have a Juki sewing machine and I love it. I've never had to adjust anything on the machine, including tension, and it sews like a dream.
Hope this helps!
Lynda
I think you might like it because it has a large harp and feed dogs. You can search here on QB for more posts about it.
I don't have this machine (I have a Sweet Sixteen sitdown) but I do have a Juki sewing machine and I love it. I've never had to adjust anything on the machine, including tension, and it sews like a dream.
Hope this helps!
Lynda
12-02-2015, 06:40 PM
#65
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 5,546
I have a Janome Magnolia 7330 and love it. I just measured it and it is 6 1/2" from needle to arm & approx. 4 1/2" high. I make mostly lap/baby size quilts but have made larger on it. I have not had a problem with quilting these quilts. I think it's a matter of learning the best way for each individual in maneuvering the quilt through the throat of the machine. I'm sorry you are not happy with your long arm.
12-03-2015, 05:18 AM
#66
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 952
Nilla,
If I read your original post correctly, you are specifically not wanting to FMQ (you mentioned you didn't like having to move the fabric yourself without feed dogs) - you want something you can straight-line and stitch-in-the-ditch with that will feed the quilt. Is that correct?
Michelle
If I read your original post correctly, you are specifically not wanting to FMQ (you mentioned you didn't like having to move the fabric yourself without feed dogs) - you want something you can straight-line and stitch-in-the-ditch with that will feed the quilt. Is that correct?
Michelle
12-03-2015, 12:12 PM
#67
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Maryland
Posts: 539
Nilla,
If I read your original post correctly, you are specifically not wanting to FMQ (you mentioned you didn't like having to move the fabric yourself without feed dogs) - you want something you can straight-line and stitch-in-the-ditch with that will feed the quilt. Is that correct?
Michelle
If I read your original post correctly, you are specifically not wanting to FMQ (you mentioned you didn't like having to move the fabric yourself without feed dogs) - you want something you can straight-line and stitch-in-the-ditch with that will feed the quilt. Is that correct?
Michelle
FYI, between using the long arm or my regular machine to quilt, I much prefer my regular sewing machine.
12-03-2015, 08:18 PM
#70
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,660
Well I got intrigued with stretching a sewing machine. Here is a blog post about someone who sent her Juki out to be stretched. She was pretty frustrated with the result.
http://artisanssquare.com/sg/index.php?topic=19820.0
http://artisanssquare.com/sg/index.php?topic=19820.0
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