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Grace frame owners?


Patch

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Does any sewing machine work with the Grace frame? Will my Virtuosa 153 work with one? Does it matter which one? I know that gives me small quilting space, but it's better than nothing at all. Might be a great way for me to start out on this venture and PPP till I can get a real LA. Would love to hear from those of you who've done this.

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Yes, your Virty will work perfect on the Grace machine frame. I have had mine for over three years and quilted a gazillion quilts on it. I wanted to try something like this to see if I would enjoy "machine quilting" and let's just say I went way past enjoying it and I now I love it. So, next step for me is a longarm. I have learned a lot on my frame and even with the small quilting area, I have gotten very creative with how to topstitch designs on my quilts and have gotten down the motion and the speed so my stitches are pretty even all the time. It has been good practice and a good place for me to start.

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I had it and hated every second! could not wait to sell mine, there is a grace frame yahoo group you could proabaly find one used there for cheap. look around and try it first, I never cried as much as I did using that system--- but--- I have a dear friend who has one and loves every minute.

for me it wasn't better than nothing but just my experience and everyone has a different experience.

good luck

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That's interesting, Susan. I wonder if I wouldn't be just as frustrated. The reason I'm here at all is that I think it would be better for me to start with a real longarm machine, and one that is made to do precision work for sale, so I would not get frustrated and quit because I've started on a cheaper immitation. But I do know the Megaquilter is out there, much less the APQS etc., so I thought I could put up with any faultiness of the home quilting models while I learn, knowing there's something better to be had someday. That's food for thought......

Shana, I've been looking at the different models online and reading what people say. The Hinterberg seems highly recommended. But the price is much higher as well. There's always a tradeoff, it seems. I was amazed to see a Handiquilter for sale on eBay, quite close to me actually, for $225. Then I realized it was only a frame. I'd thought they were the machines too. Glad I figured that out! But it seems like a good price because most frames start around $600. Then I looked at the features:

Original Home Machine Quilting Frame has these features:

Quilts to Queen Size (king extension available)

For use with Home Sewing Machines

Overlapping 3/4" and 7/8" aluminum poles

Tape-on Leader System

Segmented Tracks - Taped Together

Pinned Side -Tension Ties

Designed to Upgrade to the HQ Sixteen

Some of those features sound very cheap to me. I wondered how on earth any quilting tool company could even THINK of TAPING a quilt to it's frame! Must have been designed by nonquilters for sure.

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Well, Patty

Mind for thought. I do have a Stretch Hinterberg frame and Voyager17. I have made my on leaders and bought zipper set to put on leaders. My frame is 10foot long and am able to quilt just about any thing I want. I do plan on putting the PC quilter program software on this setup. I did check out allot of brands including the Grace. I did find the Grace very floppy and bulky around the machine with wood , which would get in my way to do adjustment and view everything. As that said Now, I also have the Gammil Premier 12ft. The reason I went to this one is , if I purchase software for Hinty setup I can do freehand quilting with the other and give customers the choice and more percise motifs when asked to and will upgrade as my customer basic increases. Machines used keep the value and I know I will not have a problem with selling or trading up. But for now I am satisfied with what I got with my midarm and small longarm. Go to the shows around the country and test drive them all and do it again and ask those questions. I am sure that you will find out what you like and don't like. But do those testing drives, its important to know the differents. Good luck Nita

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Hi Patty--

I purchased a Handi-Quilter frame when it first came out--I think 2002? It was $500. I believe the "tape-on leader system" refers to the fact that you tape the leaders to the poles--you still pin the top to the leaders. Find out which year this frame is, as they improved them almost every year.

Mine worked OK---but with a short throat space no way can you do a king-size top. As the take-up roller fills with the quilted part, your throat space squinches down to a few inches. (almost rhymed there, didn't I!) Also, obviously, to do larger tops, you need a couple of tables pushed together. The tracks are firmly taped together and need to span that crack between tables--never used more than an 8 foot table, so I don't know how that would work.

I bet you could find a buddy in that new Portland group who would let you try out an APQS machine--or come see me in Olympia and we can have a play day!!!

Linda Rech

U2U me or email if you like

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Hi Linda, thanks for the invititation. I'm hoping to get down to Corvallis in the not-too-distant future to meet Linda A. and take a gander at her machines. Yes, Beth has offered to let me try out her machine, and I might one of these days. It seems LAers are very friendly and willing to let strangers use their babies, for which I am very grateful. :) Right now our finances are taking a huge hit because of my hubby's travelling to So.Cal to be with her mom, and I will probably go down there later for a while. All of these airplane trips have to be charged on our Visa, already too high for me. So all I'm doing right now is gathering information. Everyone is being so helpful. Thanks!

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Hi Patty,

I've just read all the responses to this post, as well as stuff about the Liberty vs. Millenium. I'm wondering why you'd invest money in a frame instead of saving that money towards your longarm? My dad and grandfather had a saying that "There's no such thing as a good, cheap tool, and I'm afraid for you that this is what you might get with a frame. Granted, I've never quilted on one, so that's just my opinion. As someone said in the Liberty vs. Milli post, what's another $2000 when you are spending this kind of money? I did machine quilting on my DSM for several years before getting my machine, granted, only a few were commissioned quilts for friends, mostly just gifts for people, or fund-raisers. However, I think it gave me good practice towards free hand designs, and helped make the transisition to my millie that much eaiser.

Let me know when you want to come and play on my girl, and I'll see you on Wed.

Beth

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Thanks, Beth. Yes, it is the quick fix idea, I guess. But $225 is a far cry from $12,000 or whatever the wonderful APQS's might cost. I was thinking of buying the Megaquilter, which would be $3,600 or something like that with stitch regulator. The idea about the frame was that I could just use the machine I have and try my hand at this thing, but then I started thinking how I'd have to move the machine from the frame to the table to sew with it, then back to the frame to quilt. I don't like that, as I often do quick mending jobs on my kids' clothes etc. and it would keep me from being able to be so spontaneous. I like spontaneous.

I have always believed your dad's saying, and that's why I'm here at all. But I've been married to this guy for 25 years who doesn't believe in spending money, and gets sick when he has to spend a lot of it for anything, even if it's something we've saved up for and he wants. He can always find a cheap way out. I asked for a Kitchenaid I saw at Costco one year for Christmas. It cost $225, and had all the bells and whistles. I'd wanted one for a decade at least. He found a cheaper version at Fred Meyer and swore it was the same thing. I didn't have the heart to tell him to take it back, so I've lived with it ever since. I don't want to do the same thing with this, though, so am researching all possibilities first so I can educate him.

Ok, enough from me. See you Wednesday!

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Patch - I have the MegaQuilter with the Grace Next Generation Frame since Oct and found it very cost effective model to learn the ins and outs of machine quilting. I have quilted as large as (96' x 120") King Size quilt to a wall hanging (36" x 36") on the system. I have done some custom work - but mostly I enjoy free motion continuous line patterns. For the price it has been a great investment and I have already paid for it with others quilts let alone with quilting of my own quilts.

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Hi kso, I am also still looking at the Megaquilter, as there is one in my other LQS. But some have mentioned thread tension problems and other snags with it, and I wonder if that was just because it wasn't adjusted right or they hadn't learned the machine or the machine is actually inferior..... Your input is very helpful, thanks.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have had the Mega Quilter since December 2006 and find it an okay system. The thread tension is a concern at times and I found that using Signature size 40 Mercerized cotton gives me absolute beautiful work. Polyester and Cotton can be a bit frustrating. I have my system for sale if anyone is interested, moving up to a Liberty. Have done about a dozen quilts on my Mega Quilter. Would like to keep it, but space does not permit it.

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  • 5 weeks later...

I have had two megaquilters. Both are lemons. Big tension problems. I think there is a flaw in the machine design. I am not a happy customer and they have banned me from contacting them. I have the second machine in the shop but I have little faith it will work. I have quilted a total of 5 quilts with nothing but problems. I would not recommend this machine. Keep your money and invest in a better top end machine!!

Just a side note:

I do like the frame that was in the megaquilter package. Also I have the huskystar 219 sewing machine that I have been happy with. I do wish they had better customer service. I am dissapointed that the company did not reply to my emails. I sent 3, the 4th was returned as spam mail and now I am blocked. :( It was a lot of money to spend for a machine I cannot get to work right.

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