Tammy VB Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 I'll be setting up my Millie next week. I'm so excited. It's replacing my Lenni,(that is still for sale btw;)). I'm contemplating which direction to point the front of the machine. I usually work from the front. As my Lenni is set up now the front faces the rest of the basement but I have to walk out from behind it to do anything, usually that's to let the dogs in and out, which is all the time! How do you have your machines set up front to back, looking at the wall or out to the rest of the room? Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 i face the wall when i'm at the front of the machine. i'm mostly in the front - and when i'm quilting i'm not looking around anyway. it's easier than moving around the whole table everytime the phone rings or dog barks or nature calls.. plus, when i do a panto, i like to lean my butt against the wall. it kinda stabilizes me. but i hardly ever do pantos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 I too face the wall while I'm at the front and I keep going back and forth whether that it the right way to have it. There is a small basement window so I'm able to see a little light. Honestly I think this is the best set-up for me because I am able to get around very easily where if I had it reversed I would be more closed in. I don't have room on the other wall because there is a support beam on that side. How dare they ruin my space! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterfly Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 I look out at the rest of the room when I'm working from the front, which is most of the time. I like being able to see open space and glance out the window. It felt wierd setting it up that way but I'm glad I did. Jess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelleywa Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 I like to face out to the room as I quilt from the front, as I mostly do freehand all overs or custom, rarely a pantograph. Also think of light - get a quilt that is already quilted and let the light from the window fall on it, and move around. Sometimes it's helpful to get natural light falling to one side of the frame. Helps when doing background fills in a matching thread- you can see it better somehow! I also butt one end of the frame up against one wall to save room at the other end. Leave enough room to walk around the frame comfortably, and to put little tables or storage drawers so all you need is at hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeri Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 Working from the front it sort of faces the room. I like to be able to see my TV from the front as I love trying out techniques from DVD's that way I can watch, pause, quilt, re-wind, and do it again. My Millie is in a section of my quilting space that just has my MIllie and some bookcases with supplies, a huge chalk board and a wall of storage closets. Tammy come visit if you would like even though my remodel is not quite finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmcclannan Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 From the front I am facing into the room and toward my TV as well. When I'm at the back doing pantos I don't want any distractions so facing the wall from that direction works well for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 With my Millie, I face the room with my back against the wall while quilting from the front. I don't need to be surprised by my kids or anyone else while doing custom work. However, with my Liberty, I face the wall. I do not have any space to walk around it...I crawl under when I need to get around the backside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newellyn Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 I face out a big window with my back to the room. I almost always work from the front except when doing an RNS board. Never pantos. My room is oblong and my Millie is kind on the middle so I really have pretty good views to the sides. Plus anyone coming up has to use the stairs and I can hear them coming. I don't think I would enjoy having to walk around the machine for everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimerickson Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 Tammy: I have 2 machines, (in different locations), one faces each way. It really depends on the space you have. The one that I face into the open room with, is in a shared quilting studio, and there is a lot of activity and I don't like people getting in my way. The other is in my personal quilting room and I like facing the window, also the table end without the latches sits tight against the wall for space purposes. BTW I almost never do pantos-work from the front of the machine almost exclusively. The space and activities will probably dictate how you decide to face it. Good luck. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zora Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 My machine takes up less room if I have it positioned so that my back is to the wall when working from the front of the machine. I only need enough room to get between the machine and the wall. If the machine was the other way, it would need to be out further from the wall. It was a space issue, but also, I can look out into the rest of the room and basement, plus look out the windows and patio door that way. Its less gloomy and confining for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 I also face the wall. It works well for me because the cutting table and such is behind me and I can place my templates and such just behing me in easy reach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitomi Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 I face the upstairs rail. My Millie is in the hallway outside my bedroom. So it's facing the front living room. It all open beam ceilings. I have it on plastic sliders and if I need to move it out a bit to get in back for pantos, it slides against the carpet easily. Then, when I'm done quilting, I can easily slide it back towards the rail and that gives me more room when I'm not quilting. Sliders are great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 I face the wall when standing at the front of the machine. I have my cutting table very close and it is handy for the rulers, marking tools, etc that I am using. I just have to reach over to pick them up or lay them down again. When doing pantos/pattern boards, my back is to the wall, and it is a close fit. When doing pantos, I don't deed anything but perhaps a small pair of scissors which I keep in the empty spool holder on the right side of my Liberty. When working at the back, I can't see the TV unless I put on my distance glasses, so I can't watch it anyway, while I'm quilting. In fact, I have a hard time hearing the TV while I'm quilting. When at the front of the machine, I can stop quilting if there is something that catches my attention and take about 2 steps and then I can focus on the TV screen. I tend to listen/watch TV more when working from the front, as I am so frequently stopping to re-adjust a ruler, or mark a design. Anyway, this set up works well for me. If I had more space, perhaps I would have it arranged differently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anniquilter Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 I have mine sideways on to the window with the stairs opposite the other end. I don't hear if anyone comes up the stairs & that spooks me - and screw up my stitches! This way, whether I'm working from the back or the front I can see someone as they come up the stairs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankiequilter Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 Right now when I walk into my quilting room I walk straight along the table and I'm at the front, standing in the middle of the room and facing the wall. Against the wall are file cabinets and book cases, so when I'm at the back of the machine I have my back to those pieces of furniture, facing the middle of the room. Opposite the door into the room is a sliding door, which is to my left when I'm at the front of the machine. After we trade tables, the table will be turned 90 degrees and my back will be against the wall and the sliding door when I'm at the front of the machine. This will allow me to see my DH if he enters. I don't want him sneaking up on me! The panto side will be toward the middle of the room, closer to my stash closet. The table is great for spreading out fabrics and I use it when sorting fabrics when making selections for quilts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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