glide

[Toni123]

Has anyone had the new glide attached to an older machine? If so are you happy w/it. I get frustrated w/the drag when I am doing small work. Machine is oiled, wheels are clean,......Seems I have done everything. When doing small work I have to put milli on manual because stitch regular just doesn't do the job. I am thinking about purching the glide but want to make sure that an additional $1200 is worth it.

[Hollyrw]

How old is your machine? I think it only works on machines that have come out in the past couple of years. It's all about the electronics under the hood.

[witha'K'quilting]

I have a green millie purchased in late 2008 and it is NOT able to have the glide installed. So, you better check with the factory on which machines can be retrofitted with it. Holly is correct, it is dependent on what is under the hood!

[Quilting Heidi]

Holly is right. I think it changed in 2009. My machine is a 2008, 3 months prior to the change! This would be a feature I would have used. Oh well.

[LinneaMarie]

I think you are right Holly. My Big Baby is now one year old, and I do have the quilt glide! I love it for teeny tiny stuff; not that I do that much of it!

I know they say turn the SR way up, it goes fast but you can move easier.

Call Amy at APQS. I know she has the answer!!:P

[cjtinkle]

I don't have an older machine, but I do have the glide... and I'm pretty ambivalent about it yet. I seem to like either the stitch regulator on or off, but the glide.... eh.

[CindyT]

I, too, wish my machine would be glide able but it's too old. I tried one at the quilt show in Oklahoma City in January and the difference was unbelievable! It would be well worth the investment if it only fit.

[Toni123]

My machine is 2008 and I was told by Dawn that it is a good canidate.

[Katydids]

You can have quilt glide put on a 2008 or newer model. 2008 is when they changed the electronics inside, and the lighting etc. You can ship your head back to the factory and have the quilt glide added. The cost is $1250.00 plus shipping.

I don't remember for sure the exact time of the change, if it was in the beginning of "08 or somewhere in the middle. I have machines from sept. 08 and they are capable of the addition of Quilt Glide.

Quilt Glide came out on the '09 models, but it will work on '08's as long as they have the new wiring.

[meg]

tony - why dont you see if there is a dealer or someone in your area that has a machine with guide on it and you can try it out? $1250. is a lot of moolah if you're unsure.

[mswings]

I added the quilt glide to my 2008 when I bought it from the factory. It had just come out and was an option so I bought it. I think I will like it when I become a more experienced quilter. I only quilt for myself so I have a slow learning curve. I need to get the accuquilt studio and cut up a bunch of fabric and make a bunch of quilts to have something fun to practice on. I did have Marilyn B. demo it for me at a show because I didn't know how it worked. I liked it better after that.:D:D

[Guest Linda S]

Make sure you try this before you buy it. I tried the Quilt Glide at Portland Quilt Expo last year and, to tell you the truth, I couldn't tell the difference between manual and Quilt Glide. Nice idea, but I couldn't see the justification for the expense.

Linda

[Mary Beth]

I tried it and I liked it...My machine is not upgradable so it won't be happeing for me.

[Zora]

I truly love my quilt glide, but I like doing the small stippling, etc.

The other thing I like to use it for is securing threads at the beginning of a line of quilting, such as piano keys. I use it in conjunction with my Quiltazoid for doing Baptist fans...securing the threads at beginning and end of each arc. You can easily do the tiny stitches to secure the ends, then when you begin moving the machine head faster, stitch regulator takes over. It may not have been intended for that purpose, but it is working out for me! I almost never use manual mode thanks to my quilt glide.

[Gator]

Tony, the ladies are correct, your machine must be a 2008 or later. If you're serious about the glide, you can trade you Millie Head in for a newer model. You'll be surprized at the price!! APQS machines devaluate very slowly. I used the glide for the first time at a show last week and was amazed with it.

[KDquilter]

I have the glide, and it works good. You get a very smooth motion in stitch regulated mode with the glide on, but not quilt as free as non stitch regulated. I still opt for non stitch regulated when I do small micro stippling and really small mctavishing. I would tell you to try it out, and I mean really try it out before you spend $1200 on having it added to your machine.

[Merryjo2003]

I have 2 tricks to help my machine act like it has a "glide". Mine's too old to upgrade, but I wouldn't trade it for the world! First, with small work, I turn off the stitch regulator. Runs very smooth. Next, I have an on board bobbin winder, which they no longer put on the machines. If I'm reallly desparate, I turn it on (it's a separate motor) while I'm in stitch regualated mode. The slight vibration while it is running causes the machine to sense that it's moving and it slowly fires stitches. :D Works for me!