Over the years I've been asked several times if I send my quilts out to be quilted. No.
The next question is always do you have a longarm? No.
So today I'm going to share my secret tool. I quilt my quilts on a Bailey Home Quilter 15 Pro, on a Hinterburg Stretch frame.
My frame right now is covered in fabric, well really the entire studio is a disaster zone. So here's a pretty frame picture borrowed from the internet. However that is not a Bailey Machine. This frame has been discontinued but is still available. I don't recommend it, with all the great frames available right now. If I were buying one now I would purchase a Grace Continuum Frame.
Here's my monster, she's not pretty but she gets the job done. I've made several "adjustments" to her over the years. Would I recommend this machine? Sure if its all you can afford. This machine and frame can often be found used for around $2000. I love this machine because she allows me to do what I love a little quicker and easier. Would I love to have a big fancy machine, you betcha! But I can't justify the purchase. $20,000 to quilt my own quilts just doesn't make good money sense. The Bailey is a good machine, a workhorse and I can service her myself. She's been a member of my studio for 8 years, give or take a year or so. Not one trip to be repaired. Most of my machines I maintain myself. As you can see in the picture below I've "adjusted" a few things to make her work well for me.
Here's what a Bailey looks like brand new. Now you know why I call mine a monster.
Most who see my quilts think they have been done by a bigger and better machine.
I can't stress enough you don't need a $20,000 machine to make pretty quilting. You don't even need a frame quilter. Quilts win shows everyday that have been quilted on a domestic machine. What it does take is patience and a lot of practice.
I get a good chuckle when a longarmer asks me what brand of longarm I own. The look on their face is usually priceless.
The reason I purchased this monster is because I love the look of quilts that are quilted to death.
But in the last couple of years I've been quilting them a little less. I've no clue how to quilt a panto design. I've never even tried. The waves on the quilt below was done by drawing the first wavy line and then I moved down 2 inches and my best to mimick the stitched line above. Sometime this year I would like to tie one of my quilts. I tied one for a friend a couple of years ago and I tell you what...I LOVED IT! It was so soft and cuddly. So I'm curious, what's your favorite quilting style? Hand quilted? Quilted to death? Or Tied?
#baileyhomequilter #framequilter # midarmquilter #podunkpretties #quiltittodeath
I have always admired your quilting. I’m a beginner quilter and I just quilted a quilt. It was all straight lines on my HQ and it was the second quilt I’ve done. What do you mean by tied? I haven’t heard that name being used. TY
ReplyDeleteThank you. Here's a video about tying a quilt. It's easier to show you than to explain it. It's an old fashion method that is rarely used these days. No machine required. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdQZ8c6PX9g
DeleteQuilted to death ?? NO way for me. I love my quilts to be quilted enough to hold together through many machine washing/drying. If I wanted a quilt to stand up in a corner by it's self, I would get a piece of cardboard and draw a quilting design on it. :-) You do beautiful quilting--award quilting--just not my style or wants. I should also tell you that I "quilt by check", and that I make sure that my longarmer knows exactly what I want in the finished product
ReplyDeleteYou are so right! they get very stiff and not something that can be cuddled. The lighter quilting is ideal for snuggling.
DeleteI love the 'show' quilting and can admire the time and talent that goes into it, but I am one who likes the lesser quilting for the comfy/cuddly use of a quilt. I have a long arm - still in the box - and a gifted very old Gracie frame that we found is missing many parts. I haven't even bothered with them as I love to quilt on my home machine.
ReplyDeleteI still like to quilt on my domestic machine sometimes. Especially with smaller quilts.
DeleteYour quilting is incredibly beautiful! I bow to the queen! I wouldn't even know where to start on something like that....but I sure love looking at yours! I'm more a mini-quilt girl, something I can do on my regular machine. I so admire your talent! Thanks for sharing your pictures, I am learning so much from your posts!
ReplyDeleteI really like my Hinterburg frame, I have the smaller one, because I can sit down to quilt. It works with my midarm and my very simple quilting. Your quilting is amazing! Only wish I had the time to practice more.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I worked so hard to learn to quilt like that, and now I would rather have them lightly quilted. Crazy!
ReplyDeleteBailey machines were really popular a few years back and then I didn't hear much about them in recent years. I had no idea you had one! I agree you don't need a big expensive machine to do wonderful work. Mine is the Nolting Funquilter 17", the perfect size for me. Sure once in a while I wish my machine had just a bit more space but not going to trade. I love quilting to death but also enjoy freehand spacing out a bit too. Panto's not so much, don't like being on that side of the machine:)
ReplyDeleteyour quilts look pretty but too much quilting for me. I hand quilt and have always done so. Occasionally I will machine quilt using my domestic machine but I just do straight lines and keep the quilts soft and cuddly - I have never tied a quilt but have seen them of course - I don't really care for it but it would be soft I'm sure. I too can not see spending $20,000 on a long arm just to do my own quilts I often wonder why people spend that much!
ReplyDeleteLea Anne I agree with you whole heartedly. Your quilts are amazing. Thank you sew much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHugs
donna
Wouldn't that machine be considered a mid arm? I wouldn't mind quilting something to death if I had a machine such as that one. Working with my domestic machine with large throat space, I quilt as minimally as possible.
ReplyDeleteThese are all very lovely! I quilt all of my own quilts on my domestic machine, using my walking foot. It works for me and I am now trying other designs. I really do not want a longarm taking up space in my house and I want to say that I have made the quilt from start to finish.
ReplyDeleteSometime you have to post a video showing how you actually quilt with this machine. I can't quite work out how you do it, if this isn't a long arm. You can't be manipulating the frame can you? It looks way to big and stationary.
ReplyDeleteI hand quilt small things, but have one queen size one in progress... put aside when cats attacked the batting and now living in a 5th wheel travel trailer have not gotten it back out. (no cats at the moment) When we were working I could afford to have the big ones machine quilted by check. Now tops are piling up, slowly, remember where I live now? Before I really knew what I was doing quilt wise, I tied comforters. Now that is only for gifts to people who do not realize the time, money and effort that went into a real quilt!
ReplyDeleteHand quilting for me.
ReplyDeleteI greatly admire the workmanship on quilts that are “quilted to death”, but it’s not what I want for my quilts that are mostly for my family. I really prefer the fabrics and pattern to shine, so as good as I can quilt on my domestic machine, is good enough for me. I’ve done lots of meandering and stippling (it’s still a favorite), loop-de-loop, straight-line, wavy-line, spiral (whew, that one tried my patience), geometric stipple, flowers, hearts ... all freehand, except for baptist fan which I marked first. Thanks for sharing your process. Candy
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI love "quilted to death" for the beauty of the workmanship, but I prefer a softer quilt with a little less dense quilting! You do beautiful work, Lea Anne! It does take practice, practice, practice!!
Delete