Quilt Qua

Short-Arm Quilting Machines

By: Penny Halgren

 If you have been using your regular sewing machine for your  quilting projects and now find yourself considering a dedicated quilting  machine, here are a few things you should consider.

First, are you going short-arm or long-arm? You may be  wondering what the difference is. Other than money, the big difference is the size of the arm of the machine.

A short-arm machine looks more like your  typical home sewing machine. The long-arm machine stretches out to allow for  more of the quilt to be stitched without having to roll quite as much.

If the price is a big consideration, you will probably  choose the short-arm version. Lots of quilters use them and you can do a lot of  projects on them.  But with so many  affordable short-arm machines available, how do you pick one that is right for  you?

First of all, look for one with a harp space of nine inches  or more. The harp space is the area under the arm, between the machine  base and the needle.

Also, look for a machine that allows you to drop the feed  dogs. Otherwise, you will not be able to use the machine for any free motion  quilting.

Another feature you need on a short-arm machine is a needle  up and down button.  Some machines might  expect you to do this manually by turning the hand wheel, but not all machines  have a hand wheel that is easily turned.

Instead, opt for a button that is conveniently reached.  The up/down button is an important feature  because you will have to raise and lower your needle from time to time if you  quilt on a frame.

If you plan to use your short-arm machine with a quilting  frame system, be sure to get one with an industrial motor. These motors can  take a lot of abuse, not that we consider our carefully planned quilting  projects to be abusive. But if you quilt with a frame, the machine is doing a  lot of hard work.

Look for a short-arm machine that is compatible with a  stitch regulator.  This little attachment  will adjust the speed at which you sew with the movements you make.  The result is uniform stitching! Find a  stitch regulator that has sensors on the frame carriage wheels. These are  optional purchases, so be sure to ask if the machine is compatible and if so,  which brands the dealer recommends for it.

If at all possible, use your short-arm machine solely for  quilting even though many offer other options for other sewing and even  embroidery. While, yes, it is nice to get an added feature like an embroidery  machine, it is really best if you dedicate the machine to one purpose. So,  don’t spend a lot of money on features like decorative stitches or embroidery.

Quite frankly, you  will only use the straight stitch if you use your machine on a framing system  so all other stitches are unnecessary.

Save the money you would spend on all the extra stitching  features on more “toys” for your machine. There are products specifically for  short-arm machines, like templates, rulers, and pattern boards.

Shop around to see all the features that short-arm machines  have to offer. Look for a dealer that not only services after the sale, but can  also give instruction on how to properly use the machine.  Lots of times, these lessons are free.

They may even offer group instruction or quilting “clubs”  that would give you a chance to interact with other short-arm quilters. Buying  from an authorized dealer can really help give you more quilting bang for your  buck.

A short-arm quilting machine

Happy Quilting!