On Pins and Needles Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Good morning to all! I've recently been laid off my job and have decided that going forward I want to be a longarm quilter. While I am an experienced quilter, I am completely new to longarming, so I studied and studied and with your help I took delivery of my new Millennium with 12 foot table yesterday and the assembly has begun! My room is only 12 X 20, I think it will need to sit about 2 feet from the wall ( less would be better, but I think I can spare 2 feet), so the question is, should I put the front of the machine or the back of the machine near the wall? I don't want to get it wrong (dh would not be happy doing the set up twice!) and I just have no experience of my own to draw on. Thanks so much for any input....I'm so impressed with the friendly, helpful people in these forums, hopefully someday I'll be able to help someone in return. Cindy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 As I like to work mostly from the front of my machine. I placed my back (the front of the machine) against the wall. This allows me to see into my studio and visit with my family and friends that come over without being startled from behind. Congratulations Cindy on a wonderful purchase and welcome to the world of longarming. You are gonna love the ride! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Hi, Cindy! Well, I am set up like Kristina is, except I have a work table behind me. I set up my machine so the front of the machine is more toward the wall (where my table that holds tools is) and have the back of the machine with more space in the quilting room. This works very well for me. I was playing with my MS Word drawing tool and created this drawing of my quilting room... maybe this will help you to see what I mean? Oh and after you put everything together, if you "change your mind"... remember that with a little help from a partner, you can slightly lift and carefully "skooch" the longarm table around in the room. No need to tear it apart and reassemble!! Here's another idea to consider so you can get the most from your available space: I've seen people take the closet doors off to give more space in the room. I've also seen where people put the longarm machine at an angle in the room. Welcome to the chat and no more lurking from you, OK?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollyrw Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 I wish I had done like Kristina and Shana. When I quilt from the front, I am facing the wall with by back to the door and all the windows with the great views. One of these days I will probably turn her around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iquiltit Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 I have moved mine around in my room by using those "moving men" the ones that go under the feet and then you can scoot it anywhere>:cool::Carol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 I'm with Holly, wishing I had done it the way Shana and Kristina did it. I'm not taking it down though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollyc Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 front of the machine to the wall would be my preference, preferrably facing a window or window to the side. Not as much wasted space, your stool stays in one place. people can't sneak up on you when you are working because you'll see them in the corner of your eye if you have a television with headset, you can look at it when you are working works for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 I think it depends on which side of the machine you want to work from. I did nothing but pantographs for over 2 years, so had mine situated so I could see when someone walked in the doorway. (I scare easily! ) LOL My first studio was 9'8" x 20', so you have more room than I did! When I had customers in the room, someone had to back out the doorway to allow the other one in. :cool: I measure the quilt top and backing (& batting!) while they're draped over the front rollers, so having easy access for both my customer and myself to the front of the machine was important too. I would recommend doing a scale drawing of the room, the machine, and anything else you want to put in there. Note all outlets, windows, closets, doorways etc. It's a lot easier to cut out little pieces of paper and move them around on your scale drawing than it is to move the machine after the fact. You will NOT just be able to "scootch" your machine around if the table is 12' (12'9" if you have the fabric advance feed) and the width of the room is 12', so you need to get it right the first time. Good Luck and Congratulations on your very smart purchase! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnice Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Where I rent the use of a Millie the gal has it setup at an angle. This way I can see from both sides of the machine any one entering into the room. The one corner in the front is set up with the bobbin winder, threads and rulers. The angle works great for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sspingler Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 I have mine so that the front of the machine faces the wall of windows to make the lighting better......and I can see all the birds that come into my yard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Hi Cindy and welcome to the forum. And congrats on your new Millie. You are going to have so much fun. I just moved and have a long room with four big windows on one side. I work mostly from the front of the machine, so I put the back side closest to the window. That way I get to have a view but mostly because if the front was next to the windows, my body would cast a shadow over the quilt. I want lots of light. I'm a big girl so I left about 3.5 feet at the back. I pulled my machine head all the way to the back and then stood behind it. I was a bit squeezed in my last place so I remembered to leave room of 'me'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busy Quilting Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 I have my panto side of my machine against a wall. I pulled the machine way back and made sure there was room for me to move the machine. This side does face out to the windows so when I am bored with the pantos I can galnce up at the view. I use the wall on the panto side to pin possible freehand patterns to so I can them see them from the front(freehand) side of the machine. I have my DSM and tables set up under the windows (love the light) and it also means I have tables to place all the little things on when freehanding. I have a 24" passageway between the backing roller and these tables. My sewing room is 14 foot wide by 18 foot long, with a full wall of cupboards at one end. I have a 12ft table with the Millenium too. Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 Welcome to the forum Cindy and congratulations on your new Millie. As far as where to put your machine, I have mine so that as I stand at the front of the machine, I can look out the windows. As Linda said, if I had done it the other way, I would have cast shadows onto the quilt. In my previous home, I only had about 2 feet to stand in on the panto side and that was really tight. My new studio, I have about 3 1/2 ' so that it is much easier to do a panto without feeling like I'm restricted. My room is 13 x 18 and I have room for a roll around island that I use for storage and a cutting table, 2 smaller cabinets with drawers for more storage, 2 book shelves (one for books & one to store my thread in) my mother's sewing chest, and a 78" tall cabinet with wire bins inside it that holds most of my stash in it! Lots of good ideas here for you, the main thing is that it needs to work for you. Have fun with your new baby!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
On Pins and Needles Posted June 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 Thanks to all of you for helping me. Seems like the vote is for the front of the machine closest to the wall, so that's how it will be here. I don't have the luxury of lots of windows and a view as I am in the basement but I do have a sliding door to the backyard and good overhead lighting so I think that will be ok. Now if I just had room to walk around all the stuff in that room...being in there remends me of a saying I've heard...something about trying to put 10 pounds of "stuff" into a five pound bag...well, that's what I've got going on! I've so enjoyed looking at all the pics of your studios and quilts. I am completely new to this...never once worked on a long arm machine but you all inspire me and I will ppp until I come up with something that looks good enough to show you . At this point in time we are still assembling.... Cindy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 Welcome Cindy, glad to have you here with us. Just keep practicing, not moving fast at first, and never get discouraged.. It's taken me a long time to get going, though some of it was illness and pain. Now I'm doing much better mainly with feathers. If I don't draw or sew a spine, I actually make feathers look like feathers. RitaR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyonden Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 Cindy - View or not, I set mine up with the front of the machine closest to the wall. The reason being, the machine itself juts out from the table in the back. If the back is to the wall, you have to have more space because you and the machine have to fit between the table and the wall. I originally had my machine the other way and had to take it apart and turn it because the machine was in the middle of the room. I have more room with the front to the wall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogiquilter Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 I have the back of my machine facing the wall, but I have casters on my table so I can move easily wherever I want. They were well worth the money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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