Quilting with a DSM

[quiltermidwife]

Has everyubody here had lots of experience quilting with a DSM before progressing to a longarm. I love the finished product of quilting but absolutely hate the process of wrestling with a quilt using a DSM. I intend purchasing a long arm in the next few months and am convinced that I will just love using it but wondered whether I am alone in this or am I deluded!

Chris

[BethDurand]

Hi Chris,

I quilted for some time on my DSM, and was pretty convinced that I didn't need a longarm, I can do anything that they can. Boy howdy was I mistaken! I enjoyed the process of quilting on my DSM, just didn't like having to crawl around the floor to pin baste everything. With my longarm, I LOVE to quilt. I told a customer that I can't believe I'm getting paid for doing something I enjoy so much, and another that I was disappointed when I got to the last block on her quilt because I was having such a good time with it.

I'm sure that you are going to love having a longarm when you get one as well, but I would recommend that you try them out first. It's a huge investment, I'd hate to tell you my experience and then not have it be the case for you. Keep us posted on what you decide.

Beth

[Quilting Heidi]

Chris,

I was a hand quilter but time was not my friend so I tried quilting on a DSM...hated it. I found that I spent my time fighting the sandwich, basting, taking out pins and just did not enjoy the process. I even spent a lot of money on a nice quilting table so that I was set up appropriately. I purchased a streched machine and loved it. I'm upgrading to a Milli in the next couple of weeks.

Heidi

[gable428]

Chris, I also quilted with my DSM for years before purchasing my quilting machine. It can be done, but there are limitations. With an actual quilting machine, a whole new world is opened up! It's amazing what can be done that cannot be done with a DSM.

Gable

[quiltmonkey]

Yes, you can do it. I've quilted baby quilts, wallhangings and table toppers on my DSM but I did big bed quilts with my DSM and Grace machine frame. I had the grace frame for three years before I got the longarm.

Check out the amazing things that Diane Gaudynski, Harriet Hargrave and Sharyn Craig can do with their DSM! From what I've read in my books, these three are some of the people who were instrumental in the acceptance of machine quilting into the art and quilting industry.

[Mary Beth]

wow...this is like true confession time....I tried machine quilting on a DSM...1 crib, 1 twin, bought a longarm...All I did on the crib was SID, and the twin I did diagonal lines, probably 4" apart, that was enough for me.

It probably helps in you journey if you can quilt on a DSM, but not sure.

[PattyJo]

Yes, I do think this is true confessions. I quilted maybe 15 or so quilts on my DM and no matter how much I crawled around on the floor basting with pins, needle and thread or even the spray baste, I always seemed to get a pucker on the back. I was giving these quilts to grandkids and family members so I wasn't too worried about it, but then a friend wanted to buy one and I didn't want to sell it to her because of the pleat (showed her and she didn't care and bought it anyway). That is when I took a queen size to a local longarm quilter and had it done. I just couldn't wrestle the weight of the quilt under the needle and end up with a product that I was proud of. I tried 2 other longarm machines before I had tried my Millie, and I fell in love. And the best thing, I have had no pleats, no puckers, since. As Beth said though, be sure and try them out first. It is a huge investment if is isn't going to work for you. All of the people here can give you their story, but you have to go and try for yourself.

[Sandra Darlington]

Hi Chris,

I have been quilting on a DSM for about 6 years now. I am still saving for a LA, as I am convinced I want one. I have a Brother 1500S on a New Joy frame; bought it about 3 years ago now. I had sticker shock when I first looked at LAs at the quilt shows, so I bought the cheap-o model to get an idea if I wanted to quilt on a frame, or not. I quickly realized I loved to quilt this way, but that the set up I bought was not what I wanted. I sort of outgrew it almost immediately.

I love quilting small art quilts, for wall hangings, on my Bernina. Even if I get the LA of my dreams, I would probably continue quilting these small, intricate pieces on the Bernina. For anything larger I would want the long arm. I too have wrestled queen sized quilts through my Bernina, but I decided I will not do another one that way.

My advise is to try the APQS machines, the Gammils, and whatever other ones you have access to try. I took 3 classes this spring on a LA, and that reinforced my desire to purchase one. Decide if you like moving the machine, vs moving the quilt. Get an idea of what machine type suits you...your style, room space and price range.

Good luck,

Sandy

[quiltermidwife]

Thank you everyone for your input.

I know it can be done on a DSM and very many accomplished quilters use only this method but I perrsonally do not like having to struggle to get a quilt through a DSM.

I have been able to try the Milllenium and will get further opportunities at the Festival of Quilts in the UK and Houston in November .

Whilst using a frame would be a stepping stone, I think I would quickly outgrow it as I already have an appetite for a LA and know what I want.

Chris

[Joy]

Hi Chris

I quilted my daughters 95inch x 95inch quilt with my phaff 2044 machine. It was a struggle but I got it done

Here is a picture

[Joy]

Here is another you can't see the quilting on that one

[Sandra Darlington]

Joy...beautiful quilts and quilting.

[LynnQuilts]

Beautiful quilt, Joy! Chris, I quilted for many years on my Brother 1500, then got a Hinterberg machine frame when they came out. I'd wanted a longarm for probably 10 years, and once I got the knack of quilting on the Hinterberg frame, I realized that yes, I really DID want a longarm. I love quilting on my Liberty. I don't do it for the general public, only myself and a friend and charity things. Try them all out if you can. Try to do more than a couple minutes, to see if you really think you'll like it. I can do way more on my longarm than I could on my sewing machine. I would never want to be without my longarm!!

[quiltermidwife]

Joy

Ditto, beautiful quilting. Well done you

Chris

[yogiquilter]

Quilting on my DSM is all I've known as well. I do prefer doing smaller quilts, because it is a pain cramming the big ones through the machine. I'll be getting my millie within 6 months or so. I'm pretty excited about my new possibilities when I get more range of movement;)

[magelio]

I certainly would have liked a Millie or Liberty, however space was my biggest obstacle. I was able to hurdle the space problem by purchasing George. I've had George since March and my heart still goes pitter-pat every time I quilt with him! ....George is just another option.

[pathutti]

Beautiful Quilt!!!

I love piecing Bed size tops. It is praticaly all I did. So when I mentioned to a co-worker (I worked at a Viking dealership) that I was thinking of getting a longarm she said " But you hate quilting!"

I confess I hated the basting and wrestling with the DSM but now that I have an APQS Discovery, I love quilting!! I just don't get to piece that much any more. I am taking a break so I can do my own quilts for awhile.

You will love a long arm too. If you are looking at low cost machine, look at the APQS Lennie. He is a great deal. I also teach on short arms but you are very limited in the quilting space (4 to 6" designs for bed size quilts).

Happy Quilting!!

Pat Hutti

APQS Discovery

So Portland Maine

www.huttidesigns.com

[Mary Beth]

Joy,

That is beautiful...great job...I really appreciate your work...that is not an easy task, but it looks beautiful.

[Joy]

Gidday

Thanks for the kind words

It was a lot of work but I was very happy with it

Thanks again

[Corey]

Hi Chris,

I've been lurking for a few weeks, during which the process of buying Millenium from APQS was finalized. I bought a late 2006 Millenium from the factory, delivered 2 Fridays ago, assembled by my husband and I have been quilting on my Millie every chance I can get. My dealer is Racquel Birch from Fresno, California, she came last Saturday to train me, we just went over some little things I want to know, otherwise, I used the manual that came with it and learned to quilt on Millie right away, did 3 baby quilts and 2 lap quilts (60 x 72) .

I am a devoted hand quilter for a long long time, then I took a machine quilting class from a local quilt shop, I liked it.

I have 2 to 3 years of machine quilting experience on Husqvarna and Janome 6500. January last year, my husband bought me the New Joy

Quilting Combo with BabyLock Home Quilting package, (sold it to a friend a months ago) it has limited capability but I did learn a lot that is very useful in transitioning to Longarm.

It is a lot of money and I beleive its time for me to make real business our of Quilting. I belong to a guild with 300+ members and I'd say we have at least 4 longarmers in town, that did not stop me from investing.

I'd say, Karen McTavis is very right, that was my way of thinking when I used to do custom bridals, I really dont see much difference except quilting is much more fun.

Corey

[Corey]

I tried an APQS longarm in Livermore, Ca, at the show where I beleive Cheryl Uribe was doing the demo 2 years ago. I liked it, never dreamed of owning one, but God is good, he gave me one through my husband.

I hear stories about other dealers and machines, I like my Millenium and the reputation that follows APQS.

Corey

[jmyhogan]

I quilted on a Viking 6570 for many years, many 70X80 personal size quilts, 2 queen sized and 1 king sized. What a job rolling all of that up and over my shoulder then feeding it through. After the king sized one I knew we Had to have a longarm. I looked at several but was felt that the Millie was what I wanted. After driving to Corvallis to see (name removed) demonstrate the Millie I was convinced. I am Very Happy that we got the Millie. Once I got through the "Tension Tortures" I have no regrets. The experience gets better and better.

[cherylsterling]

It can be done, it has been done but it is the difference between beating your clothes on a rock to wash them and using you washing machine. You can concentrate more on your quilting and less about the puckers on the back or getting frustrated with wrestling with the quilt. Quilting becomes a joy rather than a burden. You made the right choice believe me.

I had to use my dsm to finish up some blocks with monofilament thread yesterday and I felt like a complete novice because it has been so long, not fun.