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Millenium vs Freedom and channel locks


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So, I've narrowed it down and my only hesitation is about those channel locks. I don't care for the thread cutter, so it's not a biggie. Will the channel locks be something that I will regret not having? Opinions? Are they worth the almost 1000 dollar difference (if thread cutter makes no diff for me)

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If that is your only hang up you can put a clamp in front and behind the wheel and it is just like a channel lock. Don't know if you can do that on a bliss table tho. Way back my choice was the same but ended up buying a used refurbished Millie for less than a new freedom. Food for thought. I don't use my thread cutter.

Shirley

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If that is your only hang up you can put a clamp in front and behind the wheel and it is just like a channel lock. Don't know if you can do that on a bliss table tho. Way back my choice was the same but ended up buying a used refurbished Millie for less than a new freedom. Food for thought. I don't use my thread cutter.

Shirley

You can put a clamp on the bliss rails as well. The Freedom has a manual channel lock for the machine head. I find it just as easy to use a ruler. ;)

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It's your choice. I use mine a lot. Sometimes for stitching but mostly to check seams--both horizontal and vertical--for straightness. Placing the edge of the hopping foot on a seam, engage the appropriate lock and push the head along the line. You can easily see where a seam is off, adjust and pin, and you have stabilized and straightened the whole stitching field painlessly. Piano keys are easy with channel locks. And stitching across to attach the batting above the quilt top.

That said, you only need them if you think you'll use them. :P

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I suspect it is one of those things that if you never had it you won't miss it. Mostly we use ours to mark a straight line on the batting for loading. Brenda does piano keys freehand or with a ruler usually. We don't miss the hydraulic lift as we never had one. We both have thread cutters and neither of us use them.

Nigel

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I use my horizontal/vertical channel locks every single time I advance my quilt. For me, those electronic channel locks are a BIG deal. The Freedom does have a manual horizontal only channel lock (as does the Lenni & Lucey). So, if your budget is really crunching, you could always use the manual knob to lock out your wheels in order to check for straightness from side to side. I like that on my Millie it is a button. If I had to pick between Bliss and the channel locks... I'd choose Bliss but, man-oh-man, I'd miss my channel locks! :)

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If you go with a Freedom you will get the Horizantal lock and if I want to use them to do the whole quilt I quilt from top to bottom and then just turn the quilt and then go from top to bottom again, It is up to you which ever on you think is best for you. I have never used the clamp to keep it from moving but I am going to try it if I am doing a smaller area. Good luck on making your choice.

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Like Angela, I use my channel locks ALL the time! To me they're worth more than the $600 difference! I guess it's like going from a stick shift to an automatic. If you've never driven an automatic, you don't miss it, but once you have it, there's no going back; at least for me there isn't. I never use my thread cutter either, but you couldn't talk me out of my channel locks, no way, no how!

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thank you for your input so far!

can you put a clamp on for both horizontal and vertical stitching?

I'm pretty sure I'll be doing straight line stitching, both horizontal and vertical on more contemporary quilts - but wondering if it's worth the extra 1000.

There is a vertical lock on the freedom. It's a gold screw on the carriage.

I use clamps/ruler for horizontal depending in the size.

For piano keys, I use my QZ.

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I am another one that uses the locks on my Millie all the time. I do a lot of piano key borders and they make it so fast. Plus it makes keeping the quilt square, so much easier. I also do not use my thread cutter. I love that my hands never need to leave the handles. Those buttons are a part of me now.

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You've convinced me!! I waffling because I know I can do straight lines on my DSM right now, so 'how hard can it be?' plus, not needing the thread cutter, you know?

I know I'll be trying to tap into more modern designs and grid quilting will be a biggie for sure, so I'm all in!! I'm getting the bells and whistles!

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I was faced with exactly the same problem when I thought about buying a machine.

 

Since the Millennium is a lot heavier than the Freedom is, and straight lines are not that much of a problem with Bliss, I bought a Freedom.

There are multiple other ways how you can check wether your seams are straight or not, so why would you really need the channel locks that can be controlles from the handles?

 

You probably won't need them that often, but you would have to move around all this weight all the time (which definitely makes a difference - even with Bliss - but that's just my humble opinion...)

 

...and if you save some weight now, you can add some weight when installing Quilt Path later on ;)

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have a Millie and I don't think it is that heavy. I have no problems moving it around. If I give it a good shove it slides easily down the table. (momentum). I have M&M wheels on it. They do take a LOT of cleaning, but otherwise no problem.

I also use my channel locks and thread cutter a lot. If the thread breaks on top, I just use the thread cutter rather than reaching under the quilt.

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  • 5 months later...

The ONLY difference in weight between the Freedom and the Millennium is the weight of the thread cutter mechanism! Not enough difference in weight to give up the convenience of the electronic channel locks. They are a real time saver, and if you're custom quilting for customers, well..........time is money!

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have had my millie a few months now, and the channel locks are SOOO worth it.   I will likely remove the thread cutter when things are more quiet (will that ever happen)   but I use the channel locks all the time to make sure things are straightened, squared up, etc.

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  • 1 month later...

I simply don't understand why people are removing the thread cutter! :huh:  The difference in weight is only a few ounces, AND before we had extended bases, that extra width made it possible for us to do SID work. Try doing THAT on any other machine! I still use the width of the cutter for ruler work if I only have a little bit to do. AND, there is going to come a time when you're glad for the convenience of that bobbin thread cutter.

 

I'd be interested to know if any of you that removed it actually weighed it afterwards. ;)

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Darlene, I am curious, do you actually use the thread cutter?  I have mine on my machine and will not take it off.  As you stated, it is great to use as a base if you are doing just a little bit of ruler work.  I really don't like to put the big base on if  I don't have to.  I have not actually used my thread cutter in years!

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