Jump to content

The Pictures...


APQS

Recommended Posts

  • 2 weeks later...

The price includes both the machine head AND the custom designed table.

BTW, Ricky Tims has been testing this machine for APQS, made some suggestions which were implemented and gave a big thumbs up! If Ricky loves it, I'm sure any "sit-down" machine quilter will too. If only his talent could be packaged along with the machine, I'd buy a dozen of them myself! :)

Look for George and Ricky at MQS in Kansas next week. WISH I was going to be there!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

Are there any updates in store for George? Can you tell me the dimensions of the table when it is opened up? How does it arrive, how much assembly is needed and who does it? Is there any way of getting a sample of the stitching? I love the look and concept but have lots of questions and no dealers near me.DB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Darlene,

I'm sure Ricky Tims will do some amazing things on it. I love his quilts! I was surprised to learn that his "super quilt seminars" actually teach many of the techniques he has used to make his blue ribbon quilts. They look like alot of fun too. ($199 for three days). There will be three more coming up, in San Diego, Richmond, and Omaha. Here is the link in case anybody wants to check it out:

http://www.rickytims.com/rtqs.htm

I recently heard him talk about his hand dyed fabric on a podcast with Alex Anderson, also alot of fun:

http://www.alexandersonquilts.com/podcast/

(Episode 33)

Kathy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi DB,

You must be REALLY interested, you have lots of questions:D

Okey-as far as I know, the only updates in the near future for George are a break-down version of the table to make it easier to ship. They've already done the one button up and down needle/tension release, the speed regulator and re-designed the table to make set-up easier and cleaning out the bobbin more accessible. George is really a pretty simple machine....which is good, because it means not much to go wrong.

The dimensions of the table are: 23" by 60" closed, and 40" by 94" with all his "flaps" up. You can do a combination of extensions, too---don't have to have them all up, all the time.

The table is shipped from Wisconsin, all together, at the moment, and the George is shipped from Carroll, Iowa. You drop the George into the well in the table, screw in two knobs underneath to stabilize him, slide the Lexan throat cover on, plug the light and the foot pedal into the machine and the machine into the wall---and you're good to go!

If I knew how to post pictures, I'd send you a picture of the stitching, but I don't:( sorry.

Hope that's helpful,

Snowquilter (Claudia Myers)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me again. Thought of more questions. What is the throat measurement?

I've noticed that most of the other sit-down machines have you sit facing the machine head, the way you do on a frame. Why is George positioned like a regular DSM? (APQS always knows what they're doing, so I'm sure there's an advantage. I just can't figure it out.) :)

Kathy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Kathy,

The throat measurement is 20" wide by 8" high. One of the most important measurements, however, is the height of the needle bar area.On any regular sewing machine, the case of the machine starts 2 1/2" above the bed of the machine, in the needle area. That's your "looking through" space, as you are machine quilting. The George case starts 4" above the bed, and the hopping foot is positioned off to the side, so you can really see all around and behind where you are going.

I really see the "head-on" position of the other machines as a disadvantage. Their tables are not wide enough, side to side, to accomodate a large quilt, so, to keep the edges of your quilt from snagging on the table edges, you wind up with all your quilt either bunched up in the throat space, as Joanne says, or in your lap. Besides that, most of us "sit-downers" have learned to machine quilt with the machine in the George position, so, it seemed an advantage to set it that way. Think about it---the George is 28" head to tail. If the George were set head-on, you'd have to reach back that far, everytime you want to change your thread. This way, everything is right in front of you and very accessible. You also have to remember that George evolved from a long-arm head, rather than from a regular sewing machine made longer. The other machines are similar to the old APQS convertable, which was trying to cover both worlds-longarm and domestic, so you could switch back and forth. Needless to say, it didn't work. Most of the other machines are trying to be mini-longarms, to be used with a frame, and just incidentally mounted on a table for those customers who want that.

Sorry to be so wordy, but I love my George, and I tend to get a little over-enthusiastic!!

Claudia

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Claudia, Thank you for all the information, measurements, etc. Yes, I am very interested in the George machine. I have seen and played with some of the stand up long arms at quilt shows and they were wonderful but I just don't have the space to devote to one. I have a large collection of quilt tops that I have made from table runners to wall hangings to full sized bed quilts that keep crying "quilt me" every time I go by them. I can easily quilt a table runner or a small wall hanging on my DSM but a large bed quilt is a different story. I've done those before and it just wasn't pretty. Trying to mush a giant quilt through a 7" throat is just a nightmare. You end up sewing 3", push your quilt a little, sew 3", push your quilt, forget it. By the time I finished one quilt I already had a grudge against it. So I am hoping to find a George that I can check out because so far this looks like my best option. I am glad to see that you are so enthusiastic over your machine. Can I just ask how long have you had it, about how many quilts have you quilted on it and how long did it take you to get used to the machine? Thanks again for all the info. DB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi DB,

Since I had the prototype George, I've had one (or the next step up) for over two years. I have quilted three large quilts and numerous wallhangings on my machine at home, but, since I demo George at the shows for APQS, it seems like I've clocked many more hours with the machine than that! Truthfully, there wasn't much to get used to. I just let out a huge sigh of relief the first time I pushed a large quilt through that lovely 20" throat space.

Where are you located?

Claudia

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Claudia,

Are you an authorized dealer? My sister-in-law and myself would like to go in together and get a George. We also live in the Duluth area. We tried the George at the Quilting on the Waterfront Show and were very impressed. Are there any used models available or payment options? We have a Juki Super Quilter and we are not happy with the set up.

Sue and Anna (thus suzanna)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Claudia, Thank you again for the info. I live in Ma. near RI. There is a machine quilters expo coming to Manchester, N.H. but not until April, and I was thinking that I might see some machines there. I just received the catalog for the show today so I don't know if there will be a George machine on site. I really feel strongly about first having my hands on a machine before jumping into purchasing one. This machine would be for myself, so I am also hedging over the price and hoping that used/demo machines might start coming on the market. I've noted that some stand up long arms on this site are advertised for the same or less than George and would love to get one of those but don't have the room. I do know that I need a better way to finish my quilts, I have a pile of tops sitting here that are crying to be finished. I've done the quilting on my DSM and would rather have root canal therapy before quilting another top that way. I have the greatest respect for anyone who can quilt a large quilt on a DSM, have it come out decently and still have hair in their head. If you know of any dealers in Ma. or RI. even eastern CT. I would greatly appreciate your input. DB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Sue and Anna,

No, I am not dealer-just the instigator/demonstrator. I believe Kelly J will be the dealer in our area, after January. If you NEED George before then, you can order him from Carla Riley, in DesMoines at the APQS Showroom. It's a snap to set George up, not anything as complicated as the Longarms.

The table comes in four large pieces, you put them together. George comes in his own box---you drop him into the "well" in the table, screw in the stabilizing knobs on the bottom, plug everything in and slide the lexan top under the throat area---ready to sew!

There are not any used machines out there, because George has only been available since the Chicago Show-March. Also, I'm betting you won't see many in the future, because he will be "the answer" for so many quilters. The company does have financial arrangements with a bank in DesMoines that you could take advantage of---again, Carla could give you that information. I think it is a teriffic idea to buy it with someone else, since none of us "sit-downers" quilt all the time. We have to be piecing or applique-ing SOMETIME. At the time of the Houston Show, there was a waiting list--time out about 4-6 weeks. You just need a small down payment to get on the list.

I'm thinking of having some classes on my George, in my home, in the future, so keep that in mind.

Let me know if there's anything else.

Claudia

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear DB,

I agree about the root canal part-I burned up a nice old 830 Bernina quilting a queen-size quilt, a few years ago!

You need to get in touch with Carla Riley at the DesMoines Showroom and ask about dealers. We had a lot of dealer interest at Maket, so there will be new ones beyond thse listed on the dealer page here. She will also know if George will be at the Manchester show.-carla@apqs.com

It's a great machine---I'm sure you would love it.

Claudia

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Claudia, Thank you again for the info. I sent an email to Carla last week at your suggestion, I hope to hear from her soon. Currently there doesn't seem to be an APQS dealer listed in New England which is quite disappointing. I was recently at one of my favorite quilting stores where they happen to have a milli set up and of course it was wonderful but I just don't have that space to devote to it. DB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...