yankiequilter Posted May 18, 2009 Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 I'm interested in pattern boards and after reading the forum for the past few months it appears the Circle Lord is the system a lot of you like. There's also the Quilt-Ez and R&S boards, and the new Quiltazoid which I saw and think is great! What are the differences? I'm quilting for myself and doing community quilts at this time. IF/When I improve I may quilt for others, but for now I can't justify the expense of a Circle Lord. It seems the boards from R&S are the most affordable so would I be happy with them? Thanks for your input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nora123 Posted May 18, 2009 Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 Hi Carmen, I have both and I have a lot of them. They were great when I was just starting out as it made me look much better as a quilter. I could sell my services right away. Don't look at price so much as designs you would enjoy using. Nora Millennium Washougal WA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollyrw Posted May 18, 2009 Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 I use both the Quilt-Ez boards and the R&S boards and I like them very much. I am able to use both types of boards with the same stylus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted May 18, 2009 Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 I don't think you need my opinion I can say, I don't know a thing about the others except that I did watch the Quilt-a-Zoid at MQS and I was not sold. I know a lot of you are, and that is wonderful. I'm excited to see what you all do with the designs. I just thought it looked a little akward to use, maybe, maybe not....I guess someone who has used both system could talk to that. For me it was the cost. I didnt' think I could justify the cost of the CL either. But ease of use, speed of quilting, etc counts!! Big!!! I can put on the CL or a long template and away I go, without much set up. I love that. I love the look of the patterns. And the customer service is like no other!! I'm sold! But I know there are a lot of other systms out there and you need to be sure yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankiequilter Posted May 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 Hey, Mary Beth, I do need your opinion, too! I know you have a Circle Lord and so a comparison of it to the others is one thing that I want and I appreciate your feedback. Nora, you say you have both, but which are both? Circle Lord and ???? Holly, it is good to hear you like both Quilt-EZ and R&S. Glad to hear one stylus fits both so a person can utilize boards from more than one mfg. I realize the pattern choice(s) are one deciding factor and I think to start my collection I would get swirls and Baptist Fans. It looks like a person would need 4 boards to do a queen size quilt so you don't have to move a board from one end to another. How many of each design do you get? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted May 18, 2009 Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 I Deleted my message to you Carmen, and emailed you instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollyrw Posted May 18, 2009 Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 Originally posted by yankiequilter I realize the pattern choice(s) are one deciding factor and I think to start my collection I would get swirls and Baptist Fans. It looks like a person would need 4 boards to do a queen size quilt so you don't have to move a board from one end to another. How many of each design do you get? I have two of each and I move them. It would be easier to have 3 or 4 but I've managed so far. This way I can have more designs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michelleslongarm Posted May 18, 2009 Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 Hi Carmen I don't have the Circle Lord but I do have some of the R&S boards and I like them...except....I find it difficult to use the Baptist Fan because I don't like the way the rows join or stack on top of each other. I can't get them to connect without overlapping the stitches or leaving a gap. I love all the others. Does anyone else have tips on joining continuous rows without overlapping the stitches or leaving a gap? Occasionally they will meet up and look nice but not usually. Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollyrw Posted May 18, 2009 Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 Michelle, try this video. http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/558465342CeudcO?start=0 It works best with the Quilt-EZ Baptist Fan boards. The R&S boards are different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted May 18, 2009 Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 I have The Topper, R&S boards and I've been a tester on the Quiltazoid. I have to say all of them have their place! Once I have the final model of the Quiltazoid I'll make up a sample for those of you that really want to see what it can do. I was super impressed with the versatility of this device and can't wait to get the final model. I know it has even more design posibilities and I'm sure all the improvements made during the final testing will be well worth the wait! Linda and Adam are awesome to work with as well. The price of the Quiltazoid in my opinion is a real bargan when you consider all that it will do! I'm hoping to use it for some quick quilts with a lot of bang. I have several of the R&S boards and I have a UTube video, Baptist Fan Part 1 & Two if you want to see how they work attached to the topper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted May 18, 2009 Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 Heidi, did you get your email from Adam and Linda? Won't be long before we see the quiltazoids coming our way. 4-6 weeks maybe. I wonder if we could somehow attach the small design block boards to it like you did your Topper. I am gonna experiment when it arrives. I agree, the Quiltazoid has alot of designs that can be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted May 18, 2009 Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 Kristina, Yes I got my email. It should arrive not long after I get back! Hopefully I'll be able to play a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circlelord Posted May 18, 2009 Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 Hi, As one who has lived with this subject for 8 years, I hope you will understand that my view on the pros and cons of quilting tools goes beyond just making and selling. In the beginning we had just a circle maker that did circles, medallions and manual baptist fans. It has been accepted as a premium product that is, well designed, and well made. The Circle Lord Basic + is a stable platform for pattern templates. Used Circle Lords and templates, up to 7 years old, are coming on the market as the users are getting computerized systems. You may have noticed that they are sold very quickly. Most go for over 50% of the purchase price. So in the long run the product cost the owner only 50% of its price. The Circle Lord has not changed much since it was introduced, so the old ones work as well as the new. Where there is an improvement, it has been shared with the owners of the older units at no cost, or for a very small cost. The Circle Lord is an investment, not an expense. In the past years, I have looked at many ideas for new products. Some I have tried and produced. Others, I would not sell because they were not easy to use, or cost effective. Time is money, I make products for the professional longarm quilter,who wants to make money,and save time. This is why, it is important to have a tool that works, efficiently and accurately. The round stepping disks are not really spiro-graph patterns, but more like kaleidoscope designs. Some have hundreds of designs, other just a lot. The Spiro-graph designs are limited in quilt use. Gammill has had its Design Center out for 5 years. Do you see many quilt examples made with this tool? Working from the front of the machine is a nice idea, but in the end, not efficient. Unlike working from the back where the tools are on the table, the front is an unstable platform. You cannot leave your tools there, and move them easily as you work on the quilt. With each block, and fabric advance, you have to remove the tools and then set them up again. Our Pushbutton quilting system is the fastest and most accurate way to crosshatch from the front. Time is money. There are just some things I won't inflict on you. The Zig Zag template is bad enough! So much for all the sales talk. In the end it comes down to money. When you have spent up to $20,000 to set up a quilting business, you want to get going. Do you want to fiddle with 1 or 2 short templates, that you have to move and align, and then move and align, again. Or, put 3 CL sections on the table and get the job done, and then get to the next quilt. Actually, when you measure the area and pattern content of our templates, they may not be much more expensive than the equivalent in competing models. Remember the resale value too. How about customer service? What's it worth? I also understand, if you can't afford a dump truck, you have to use a wheel barrow. With our payment plan, and quantity discounts, maybe you can get the heavy mover. We have videos, and lots of pictures, in our Blogs and webshots. Some new training DVDs are on the way. We don't have a Circle Lord forum, because product forums are mostly for problems solving. Look at the APQS Circle Lord archives. Not many problems there. Besides you can always write or phone me. The other night, at 1:00 am I got a call from California. She got the answer to her question. 24-7 customer service. I deal with each customer personally by phone. For those of you that have read this far, thank you for your patience. Cheers, Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted May 18, 2009 Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 I love my Circle Lord products and the customer service is absolutely the best. I never tried any of the other ones, so can't compare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betsy Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Michael- I'm calling you tomorrow to order my circle lord! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nora123 Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Hi Carmen, I have both CL and R&S boards. They are worth the money. Nora Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Hi, I can't talk for CL as I have only just acquired the CL swirls templates and have not used them yet. However I did try my Quilt eze baptist fan template the other day and I was truly disappointed. I couldn't get my backtracks to stitch on top of each other so by the time I finished the first row, the quilt came off the frame and got frogged. UUUGGHH! :( It just didn't look 'clean'. Maybe I was doin' it wrong who knows but these things are so expensive it is disheartening when they aren't great. Just my 2 cents Tracey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Tracey, CL Baptist Fan is quick, easy.....and painless. Sorry to hear you had trouble with your templates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollyrw Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Originally posted by Tracey Hi, I can't talk for CL as I have only just acquired the CL swirls templates and have not used them yet. However I did try my Quilt eze baptist fan template the other day and I was truly disappointed. I couldn't get my backtracks to stitch on top of each other so by the time I finished the first row, the quilt came off the frame and got frogged. UUUGGHH! :( It just didn't look 'clean'. Maybe I was doin' it wrong who knows but these things are so expensive it is disheartening when they aren't great. Just my 2 cents Tracey Tracey, don't give up on the baptist fan. Check out the link I posted above. I had the same problem the first time I used mine but once I found that video, it's now very easy and fast. I just found this on my computer. This is the way I do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltingnanny Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Ok, I'll jump in here with both feet. I have the CL and Quilt-ez. Which ones do I use you ask ? The CL !!! The other just doesn't work ! I did not get any help and I couldn't even sell them for a fraction of what I paid for them. They are just gatjering dust ! :mad: IMHO, stick with the place that will give you customer service and work as described. Circle Lord is the only way to go ! Once again that is my 2 cents and MHO. Glenda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaii Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Another Plug for Circle Lord.... last year at MQS, I invested in two giant templates - Swirls and Square Dance - received the product right away, affordable because of Michael's payment plan. Am about paid off and getting ready to order more templates!!!! I did get a deal on a used CL basic unit, ginko and the feathers combination from Jolene. Am excited to get to know this new (used) tool, which seems a little more complicated than the giant templates. I am determined to get maximum use from these tools and I know there is a lot of support for set-up and use. Michael has called me, here in Hawaii, when I first set the stylus up on my APQS Freedom, and did some "handholding" from a distance! If you go to the CL website, there are links to wonderful master quilters (Carol Lyon, Judy Laquidara, Jane Ann Houser), who use CL templates + freehand, amazing, amazing stuff!). So inspiring! I have purchased other boards, but the Circle Lord product seems more solid and doesn't shift like my other boards. I know we all have our favorites, but I am excited to see what other designs Michael of CL will come up with in the future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheryll Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 I love my Circle Lord big templates. Micheal and Kay and so helpful. I always have question s for them at every show. They are so patient and willing to help you whether you bought it yesterday or 5 years ago. the big zig-zag template was a real mystery to me. Micheal explained it and told me where to see down loadable directions. I do have a small love affair with my Swirls template. I just haven't found a quilt that it doesn't look great on except maybe an applique quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyC Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Hi, One thing I love about the Pattern Boards is that I can sit while quilting. Right now I have soft casts on both legs, foot to knee. Not doing much quilting:( Before my surgery, I could not stand but for a few minutes at a time. But I would sit and use the pattern boards :cool: My favorite is the Hearts -a-Flutter. It is so elegant looking. Surfs Up is another favorite. When these "boots" come off, I want to learn the BF and the Clamshell. Georgia Gal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltingnanny Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 PattyC, I've sent you a U2U. Glenda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elkayr Posted May 24, 2009 Report Share Posted May 24, 2009 I have the Circle Lord & love it! Very easy to use & customer support is great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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