The Little Machine that Behaves like a long arm

Long arm quilting machines are becoming more popular and many quilters are looking for a smaller more affordable version of these amazing but expensive machines.

Machine Quilting frames can provide the same freedom of movement as their long arm cousins, for a fraction of the cost. Quilting frames are designed to work with home sewing machines. But you have to use the right sewing machine. You need a sewing machine that behaves like a little long arm.

The space under the arm is super important, especially the height.

Notice the fabric pole that goes under the arm of the sewing machine. As you move through your quilt, all the layers of your quilt will end up wrapped around this pole that goes under the arm of your machine. If your arm is not tall enough it will not fit the larger king and queen sized quilts.

Lots of sewing machine companies are making the arm of the sewing machines longer but they’re not making them taller, and it’s the height that we need. The height allows room for the quilt to roll on the fabric pole. No matter how long the arm of your sewing machine is, if it is not also taller it will not work well on a quilting frame.

Get a tape measure

Measure the height of the arm on your sewing machine. The Juki HZL DX7 sewing machine I use for piecing, applique, binding and general sewing measures 10 1/2 centimetres or 4 inches. That is typical of most domestic or home sewing machines.

If your wondering if your sewing machine will work on a machine quilting frame, get out a tape measure and check the height under the arm of your sewing machine. If the arm of your sewing machine is only 4 inches tall it will not behave like a long arm. It will not give you the under arm space that you need to machine quilt on a quilting frame. Perhaps you have an extra long sewing machine. But if it is only 4 inches tall it will not work on a quilting frame.

The photos above show the space under the arm of my Juki TL 2200 QVP Mini straight stitch sewing machine. The throat space measures 14 1/2 centimetres or nearly 6 inches tall. Those extra 2 inches of height give me the space I need to roll my quilt on the fabric pole under the arm of the sewing machine. The Juki TL QVP Mini is longer too,  2 inches longer than most home machines. Notice that the increase in throat space is proportional – just like a long arm. When you add the length, you add the height too.

Have a look at the photos below. Most home machines will seem fine when you’re starting out. But as you carry on quilting, the roll of fabric under the arm will grow and grow. In the photo below you’ll see Emily starting out on her Uni quilt. Next, you’ll see her finishing. This was only a twin sized quilt but you can still see the difference in the size of the fabric rolling on between starting and finishing the quilt. Because of the extra 2 inches of height there is plenty of room for the large roll of fabric. The extra length under the arm of the Juki TL QVP Mini, gives Emily the hand’s width of quilting space that she needs to execute her quilting design. Both are necessary the length and the height.

Length AND Height

Most long arm machines will give you 2 measurements when they talk about the under arm space. They’ll give you the length AND the height, because the space under the arm is proportional. When they make it longer, they also make it taller. Look for the same kind of proportion in a sewing machine to go on a frame.  Juki machines have this height working for them. Perhaps it comes from their industrial sewing machine experience but Juki sewing machines are often taller than comparable machines made by other companies.

Just like a Long Arm

Here’s a fun see-through photo to illustrate the point. Notice the shape of the Juki TL 2200 Long arm in the foreground. See that the arm is long AND tall; 18 inches long and 10 inches tall. That’s 2 inches taller than all the other comparable long arms. Now peek through the long arm to view the Juki TL QVP Mini. Notice that the arm of the smaller home machine has the same shape, it’s long AND tall, 2 inches longer and 2 inches taller, just like the long arm. When we’re using a home machine on a quilting frame those 2 inches make all the difference.

Space is ACE!

That’s what makes the Juki TL QVP Mini the perfect sewing machine to put on a machine quilting frame. The Juki TL QVP Mini had the same proportions as a long arm. She’s only Mini compared to the Big One!

The TL QVP Mini has all the other features too. She’s powerful like a workhorse. Going 1500 stitches per minute, she’s fast too! The Juki TL QVP Mini only does a straight stitch. That makes her simple and easy to tension. The Juki TL 2200 QVP Mini has space, speed, strength and simplicity. She behaves just like a long arm, but smaller! The Juki TL QVP Mini is available from Franklins, the UK Juki distributors. Come and see how she performs at the Festival of Quilts STAND A 46.