Question about the Liberty's 20" x 8 opening

[MellisaHabeck]

I am preparing to buy and am considering a Liberty with Quilt EZ.   Is the Liberty big enough at 20" to do big quilts?  Its my first long arm and I just hope someone can tell me.

[zeke]

You'll get about 15" of quilting area. Try to buy the machine with the biggest throat that you can afford. Trust me, you'll thank me. Because one day you'll end up wanting a bigger throated machine cause you've out grown the 20"er you bought. Zeke.....

[MellisaHabeck]

Thank you, Zeke... good advice.  Think I'd rather have a 26" without a computer first then add the computer later.  

[jimerickson]

Zeke makes a good point.  However, there is another side to that argument.  The long reach of the 26" or 30" machines make doing detailed work more difficult, because some of it is so far away.  Now I suppose your could roll the quilt in shorter segments and keep the detail close.  If you intend on using a computer driven automated quilting system, the bigger the machine the better.  I don't really know what Quilt EZ is.  Is it like Intelliquilt or Compuquilter?

 

The table size is what limits the size of quilts that can be quilted, not the machine throat.  The machine throat limits how large a swatch of quilt you can work on without advancing the quilt.  You can quilt almost any size quilt you might run into with a 12' table.  The 14' tables will do them all.  If you go down to a 10' table you begin to limit the size quilts you can handle.  Get a 14 footer if you have room for it. ( I don't think the Liberty is offered with anything bigger than 12') 

 

I have both a 20" Ult 2, and a 26" Gammill Classic.  The Ult 2 has a 12' table, the Gammill a 14' table.  If I have a big quilt (something over 120" wide) I prefer to use the Gammill -I can do it on the ult2, but it's easier on the Gammill.  If I have a quilt that I'm custom quilting with a lot of detail, I prefer the Ult 2.  I don't often do pantos so I can't speak to size/ease for that application.  I know that in automated computer driven quilting, the frequency of "rolls" impact the speed in which they can be finished.  Thus bigger means faster.  I don't know much about the patterns offered by the computer systems.  I would expect that some would take advantage of the full 30" throat of the big Gammills, Noltings, and A1's.

 

The big machines do take up a bit more room - regardless of the table length.  The type quilting you intend to do will impact your machine size decision.  If computer driven production is your aim, then big is the answer.  On the other hand, if production is not what you need, the size convenience of the smaller machine might be the answer.  I however, wouldn't go smaller than 20" throat.  Your quilting "field" becomes too limited.  I hope these thoughts help you make a wise decision.  Regards.  Jim  

[eswindy]

I own a Liberty and have no problem doing large quilts.  I have finished King size on my 12 ft. table. Love my Liberty!

[sewingpup]

I have a 26 inch Lucey...I am 5' 4".  I like the big space to quilt but admit that the far reach...about the last 3 inches are a bit far ....and if I do detailed work, I will be rolling more...but .....I am glad I have the 26 inches...but you can do large quilts like said above with the 20 inch....I considered a 20 inch.....I was moving up from my little mega quilter with I think had something like a 9-11 inch neck and that was really a challenge when I was nearing the end and most of the quilt was rolled up under the neck and I had 3-4 inches only of space left to quilt...also I agree with the 12 foot frame....my 10 foot frame with the mega quilter was a challenge and I could not do really big quilts on it.....I love my 12 foot frame.  Even with the limitations of my mega-quilter though....I am glad I got her because I learned the very basics of long arm quilting and found I really like it so....got myself the Lucey as a retirement gift to myself instead of the traditional watch and cruise...glad I did...I have only done 10 quilts on her...but it is so much more fun now....I only quilt for myself...I really, really could not baste a quilt together anymore with pins on the floor...and now that I am retired...quilting is what I do for fun....glad I invested in the fabric and long arm cuz I got entertainment for several more years for free now!  Lin

[MellisaHabeck]

thank you, Jim.  You have given me alot to think about.

[MellisaHabeck]

Edie, I am happy to hear this!  Sewingpup, it looks like we have the same goals in mind and the same height !!!  All of this is invaluable knowledge!   Jim, the Quilt-EZ is a computer program I'm unfamiliar with, also.  I have had the opportunity to use an Intelliquilt, and liked it very much.   I think for now, the important thing to do is be sure the machine is big enough and the frame well enough quipped that I can add a computer later with a minimum of fuss. 

 

Think I'll go with a Millie or Freddie and a blissed 14 foot table with advance quilt.  I think everyone agrees APQS makes a work horse.  If its going to last, I'd better lay good groundwork. 

[Corey]

I bought a Millenium on 12 ft. table, I swapped my table for 14 with someone who needed a 12 ft. After 4 yrs, I upgraded to 14 ft Blissed table and been enjoying the freedom to quilt 120 x120 quilts for our king size bed. 2 years later I added IQ & it is so good to do custom freehand work as well as panto. I do 50/50 custom & panto. My longarm studio is 25 x12 feet.