Can anyone tell me about the (sh!) Pfaff Grand Quilter?

[mrmquilt]

Patty, I was considering the Voyager 17?? with the Hinterberg

frame but wanted to try one first. Long story short I finally got to

try one at the last quilt show. I thought it was a fabulous machine

for the price, I couldn't believe how quiet it was and handled beautifully.

I already had my apqs set-up but wanted to try it to see what it was

like and to pass the info to anyone in my area that was looking for

a midarmish machine. There is a yahoo group that you could join and

see if there is someone in your area that would let you try it out.

Michele

[ramona-quilter]

Hi Patty,

Lots of options. My friend just sold her setup of Juki TL98Q which she had used for a while on a Grace frame. Though like a DSM, the juki has a 9" throat and stitches fast but all straight ahead, won't even zigzag. And they weigh a ton, shipping is not going to be cheap. And it is definitely a machine that you will not want to tote to classes.

She practically gave away the Grace frame, they do not hold their value at all. If you are looking for a longarm, that Lenni is a beauty. I have had 2 Ultimate I's which I bought used and learned quite a bit on. They hold their value pretty well.

Good luck with your search.

[Patch]

Linda Ramona, so you've tried out the Lenni?

Ok... waitwaitwait - was just rereading the post by imin2it, as she has the Pfaff, and those who posted afterward to her and me. Now, as I'm referring to a used machine I saw for sale on Longarm U, it comes with the Inspira frame. I've had a comment to me by someone who uses this set-up and says it works great!, so I'm wondering if some of you aren't laboring under a delusion that Pfaff Grand is a stationary machine in a table or something... The point for me is, it's financially accessible at this time, it has a larger throat space than my Virty, it moves on a frame like the longarms, and it's in Washington state, which is close enough for me to drive to maybe. It is small enough for me to think of putting up in my house right now, and maybe that's what I need to remember more than anything - WHERE would I put a longarm on a big frame?

The reason I keep "looking at" Lenni is he also fits all of the above criteria - except the very most important, and that is cost accessibility. I keep thinking I could get in some really good PPP while still saving for Lenni.

[LynnQuilts]

The lady at our quilt shop bought an HQ16 for her shop a few years ago and she really liked it. It moved very smoothly. Before I got my longarm, I had a Hinterberg setup that I used with my Brother PQ1500. If I'd gone straight to a longarm I would have saved $500, but I don't consider my Hinterberg a waste. It was using it that made me sure that I liked longarming, and I did go on to buy a longarm when I could. I would have hated to have invested much more money into a longarm and then decide that I didn't really enjoy using it.

[Patch]

That's exactly what the gal says who's selling the Pfaff I'm looking at right now (figuratively speaking, of course, I'm nowhere near it physically!). She said she bought it before she realized she didn't want to quilt as much as piece. I'm thinking it would be a great way for me to make that decision too, for about a quarter of the price of a Lenni. Yup. But I have to think more about it, and I'd have to visit it on the way to or from Innovations. Don't know if I'll be able to do that. Maybe DH would make a little road trip one Saturday afternoon soon....

[lizziesgirl]

Hey I have a great idea, instead of all of us giving our $.02 cents worth, we could give a few dollars worth and Patty would be on her way to getting her machine. Oh wait a minute our words our only worth a million in love and friendship. Hey Patty your a millionaire.....

Just tired and silly.

[Pam.Nagle]

Hi,

I sent you a U2U.

[Patch]

Sheryl, you crack me up! LOL!! :D:D

Thanks for the thought.... it's a very nice thought, I think... I sure wouldn't mind if you all decided to pass the hat. Only.... I'd have to send it to Sheryl, I think. Really.

[lizziesgirl]

Hey the subliminal (sp?) thing really works, send Patty money, seeeend Patty money.....

Is it working?

[Patch]

Ok, so now I know ex-act-ly what I'm talking about... I mean I went to see the Pfaff Grand Quilter at a shop in Beaverton, and boy, am I glad I did! I had thought from what everybody was saying about them that liked them that they were a mid-arm. NO-no-no-no-NO! It is a short-arm, which just has a tall throat. I can see how that means you can roll up more quilt under it, but for my purposes it's no better than my Virty. Looks like only 4-6" of quilting area there.

Thanks for all the tips, everybody. Save save save! But of course that assumes you HAVE something to save. I sat down with my checkbook and all the debits after two weeks or so (veeeeery bad Patch!), and if it weren't for my mom getting a hunch she should send me a little chunk of money for some unexplained reason (my mom's not rich), we'd have bounced this weekend! Ok, I had a lot of lattes and ate out a few times, for my piece of mind. I guess I'd better eat a little smaller piece of mind.... LOL! Yup. :cool:

[mxley]

Patty,

I'm so happy you came to this decision on your own. Your post actually had me off today to my LQS to check out the Pfaff system. I WAS NOT impressed, LOL.

Mind you, I adore my Pfaff sewing/embroidery machine. But seriously, as the owner of a first generation handi-quilter, used with my Pfaff - just don't go there. It was wobbly, it was limited, and it only made me salivate for a real long-arm system.

I now have a Millie.

Please hold out and save for what you both want and need! Lattes are just coffee and milk - make your own, LOL, and the money will pile up faster.

[PattyJo]

Patch, I sent you a U2U.

[jebm]

I just sold my Pfaff Grand Quilter about a month ago--helped pay for the wonderful Millie--which I would never have bought had I not started out with the GQ. "My" Pfaff dealer is wonderful and the machine and Inspira Frame just made me want more space to quilt. I think it also gave me a little more confidence and a little bit of a head start when I began working on the Millie. The other posts are correct--I didn't get my $$ back...but the experience was pretty valuable! I quilted lots of quilts--mostly smaller--and enjoyed it! So much I jumped right in! All I need is time! I have th 14' table--plenty of room in an unfinished basement--and the hydraulic lift is worth every penny--I have some back issues and the ability to move the table up and down as needed is lovely. I guess it's pretty obvious that I really really like the Millie! Jane

[robingnojek]

Patch

I just finished reading everyone's reply regarding your question. My girlfriend and I purchased the grand quilter and frame about 1 and 1/2 years ago. We only do quilting for our pleasure, not business and love this set up. Yes it would be nice to have alittle more room to quilt in, but if you roll it the lgth way, you have more room....took us a long time before we realized to put it with the 90" or so on the length of frame and roll the 70" or so. You also do not have to set it up the entire 10'. We started with the 5', but then went up to the 10' as we started making larger quilts. this set up cost us 3,500.00. Hope this helps you decide.