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The Sew What’s New Archive
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From: Teri
Date: 09-19-2005, 10:28 AM (1 of 9)
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Hi, My sister bought a Grace Machine Quilter system. This is new for us although both of us are quilters and seamtresses, we would love to get/share tips on short arm quilting. This system was bought used on e-Bay and we're very impressed with the quality of the frame, however, they could use a more user friendly instruction book. Are there any 3rd party books out there on short arm quilting, is that the correct terminology? We spent a wonderful day yesterday practising on an pieced quilt back and some thrift store fabric and salvage store batting and we still liked the outcome enough to save it for a picnic quilt. What we learned so far: *Give yourself enough room that you can move all around the quilting frame. *Make a false start for the quilt, it takes a little to get into the groove. *Use an embroidery foot on the machine, make sure your feetdogs are down and you presser foot is down. *Go all the way from left to right, then roll the finished portion with a little showing to avoid gaps and then quilt back from left to right. *End at the top corner of the design and put the needle down into the fabric to lock the machine in place before rolling the finished portion up. This allows the machine to move as you roll up. I hope others will share thier tips, projects and pictures. Thanks in advance Teri
"Where are we going, and why am I in this basket?" |
User: Teri
Member since: 09-14-2005 Total posts: 66 
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From: MaryW
Date: 09-19-2005, 11:37 AM (2 of 9)
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Ok, educate me. Short arm quilting??? Can you explain or share a picture of what you bought.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: beachgirl
Date: 09-20-2005, 02:04 AM (3 of 9)
| Mary, I'm wondering if they are talking about one I saw used on TV some time ago. I forget what sewing program it was on & who made it. It was made from pvc If I remember right & you used your regular sewing machine set sideways. The thing rolled to the left & right while your machine was stationary of course. It looked really neat. That would explain the short arm bit. I'm really hopeing they can send a picture or a site so we can see it. I haven't seen one in quite awhile on TV so wondering if it went over big or went bust. It was a man that came up with the idea & made it. |
User: beachgirl
Member since: 08-31-2004 Total posts: 615 
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From: MaryW
Date: 09-20-2005, 07:53 AM (4 of 9)
Ooooh, I know. The Flynn thingie. Yes, ok. Had a brain freeze there. 
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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From: Teri
Date: 09-20-2005, 10:58 AM (5 of 9)
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Ok, educate me. Short arm quilting??? Can you explain or share a picture of what you bought. Sorry! Short armed quilting is using a special quilt frame (there are several manufactures such as the Grace company www.graceframe.com and David Flynn has developed a kit you can make out of PVC piping) that a regular sewing machine sits in. It looks like the long armed quilting machine but is alot less expensive, but it has more limitations. The opening on a regular sewing machine is only 7X4 (varies by machine) as you quilt you roll the completed portion onto a pole that goes thru this area. The bigger the opening, the bigger the quilt you can do. Now, I know some quilters out there must have some tips for us newbies. Teri
"Where are we going, and why am I in this basket?" |
User: Teri
Member since: 09-14-2005 Total posts: 66
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From: esrun3
Date: 09-20-2005, 01:33 PM (6 of 9)
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Wow, that looks interesting! can't wait to hear from people how it works and what you are really able to do with it!
Lyn
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User: esrun3
Member since: 12-02-2004 Total posts: 2345 |
From: Sewhappie
Date: 09-25-2005, 12:03 PM (7 of 9)
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I went to a Quilt show here in town on Sat. There was a Vendor there that has a similar idea for short arm quilting. He made a wooden base w/ wheels that the machine head just sits on on top of your table. On either end of the table is clamped "u" shaped wooden frames, these are as high as what the neck of your machine is when on the wooden base. You then insert and clamp your quilt project onto the "u" shaped frames. sliding the quilt into the machine, roll up the extra quilt so it doesn't pull. You are able to quilt with your machine, going from one end to the other as Teri mentioned in her post. I will try and find the web site for this one. I know that he is based out of Oklahoma. His cost was $120.00 + s&h. It's simple enough that if you or someone you know is handy with a hammer, saw, and nails you could build your own. |
User: Sewhappie
Member since: 10-27-2001 Total posts: 1427 |
From: heartland
Date: 10-11-2005, 11:43 AM (8 of 9)
I have the HandiQuilter system which is a portable frame that clamps onto a stable flat surface. There are tracks where the carriage (where the home sewing machine sits) glides. The machine is moved rather than the fabric moved under the machine. Grace is a one piece wooden frame on legs which is always up. This is basically a small version of a longarm system. Shortarm systems are great because the take up less space than a longarm and are less of an investment.  However, there are drawbacks. You are limited by the amount of space of what kind of designs you can do. Remember that the throat space fills up with the quilt as it is rolled, giving you less room to work. 
Donna
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User: heartland
Member since: 05-23-2001 Total posts: 88 
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From: jamie b
Date: 03-22-2006, 04:18 PM (9 of 9)
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Does anyone know if the short-arm quilting systems can be used for a small business. I have a new Inspira Frame/Viking Mega quilter and have been asked by others if I was doing this as a business. Jamie |
User: jamie b
Member since: 03-03-2006 Total posts: 1 |
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