meg_marsh Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 Am getting close to making a purchase. Just took my first all day lesson on a Millie. Fantastic. Of course it had the lower thread cutter. Due to space limitations, am leaning toward the liberty. Is it a big deal to be without the thread cutter. For those who do not have a thread cutter - any advise?? Thanks. Meg Marshall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 I do have the thread cutter. I use it off and on.....depends on what I am doing. Mostly I use it to cut the bobbin thread if the top thread has broken....... You could probably do without it if space is an issue. You wouldn\'t miss it....... Just curious.....how much space difference is there between the Millennium and the Liberty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheryll Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 My thread cutter worked when the guy from APQS set it up but hasn\'t worked since then. I haven\'t missed it I guess. The space difference on the two machines isn\'t that great. If money is an issue go for a lightly used Milli so you will have more quilting space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgene Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 I have the thread cutter on my Millenium but I don\'t even like to use it. I much prefer cutting the thread with blunt point scissors or pulling the bobbin thread to the top by making a stitch and tugging on the top thread. Sometimes the thread cutter tugs on the stitches when it cuts. And sometimes it doesn\'t even cut at all. I would often have to activate it 2 or 3 times. Which is why I don\'t like it. The ONLY time you might need the thread cutter is when the top thread breaks in the middle of the quilt, but it\'s just as easy to reach under the quilt and cut the thread yourself. That\'s what I do. Most of the time you\'ll be near the edge (either side) of the quilt and the thread is easily in reach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoriasews Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 Nope, don\'t use it. It sounded great when I got my Millie but after a few weeks of using it, I stopped. Half the time it wouldn\'t work, then I\'d have all those tale to go back and cut or bury. It is more of a pain than useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 I have both a Millie with a CQ (thread cutter removed) and a Liberty. I never used the thread cutter so I removed it and made the machine 2 lbs 12 oz lighter. Just a thought on the Millie vs. getting the Liberty. The main difference is the weight of the machine and sewing space. The Liberty only has about 11 inches of throat space and the Millie about 17 inches. The larger throat space makes it easier to quilt larger blocks or larger pantographs...sometimes this is important if you are in business or thinking of starting a business. There are LA\'ers that run a business on a Liberty very successfully. They like the lightness of the Liberty. I use my Liberty for custom quilts because I can have the CQ quilting a pantograph at the same time. If I could only have one machine it would be a Millie or Freedom (same head as the Millie) because of the quilting space. I am not trying to sway you...but for me quilting space is an issue. Cheryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 I wish I could quit using it:) It leaves a thread tail of about 3" that I have to go over the quilt, when I unload, and trim. If I could break this habit of using my thread cutter I would pull the bobbin thread up and clip it when I am ending a line of quilting. I\'m trying really hard not to use it, but the thread cutter is winning:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 I personally like my thread cutter and use it all the time. I like to bury my threads so I cut the bobbin thread and then pull it to the top and tie off. I know there are many that don\'t bury threads but I don\'t like having the backtracking. For me the added throat space is the bigger selling feature. I always needed more space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veg-girl Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 I use my thread cutter a lot but if I didn\'t have it I wouldn\'t miss it! If I\'m burying threads then I like to bring them to the top and deal with them later, its easy to bring them to the top. If you use the cutter and leave long tails on the back you risk quilting them into the work. If you cut with the cutter you get a short tail you then have to trim off later. I use the cutter mostly when I\'m quilting off the edge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinaCollins Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 I personally never use it... I always pull up my bobbin thread to the top.... Maybe I am just lazy though??.... Because when I take the quilt of the rack, I do NOT want to go back and trim any thread tails!! Just my (humble:cool:... LOL!) opinion that it is just simpler and quicker to pull the bobbin thread up while I am already there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matildanme Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 I agree with Heidi, I like to deal with the threads then and there so I too cut the bobbin thread, bring it up top, tie and bury. I love my thread cutter cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinaCollins Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 I must be dense tonight ( and every other night too:) LOL!).... I don\'t understand why you are using the thread cutter to cut the bobbin thread and then pull it to the top to bury. I just pull my thread up at the last stitch and leave long tails on the top side as I cut both threads at the same time. I keep self-threading needles stuck in the hem of my quilt top leader (since I don\'t use this either), and bury MY threads right then. If I am quilting for a customer, then I am not burying their threads because I get paid to quilt. Instead I keep a roll of painter\'s tape on my front laser spindle, and tape both threads to the top for the customer to bury. The tape acts as a flag, as well as securing the threads until THEY can bury them. Time is money....:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg_marsh Posted March 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 thanks for all your comments. Just had an all day lesson - learned 2 things. Practice, practice, practice!!! and I am definitely leaning toward the larger machine. I agree with all of you that the larger quilting space is more than worth the extra room in my sewing room and the extra money. As to the thread cutter - I guess it is what you get used to and I do agree that bringing the thread to the top is a good idea.......... Again, thank you to all. Meg Marshall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinaCollins Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 Meg, Let me say that I LOVE my Millie!! I am about 5 Ft, 3 inches tall, so I may not use all the quilting space when I am doing intricate freehand work as my arms are not long enough for me to be accurate in the back of the sewing field .... or Maybe, it is that my eyes are not accurate enough for me to see that far away without my granny glasses??? Regardless, I do use the entire area lots of times when doing large overall freehand patterns and when the computer is running the machine. Besides, the ergo-handles are well worth buying the Millie just in themselves. Did I tell you that I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Millie?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.