Perfectly Tensioned Layers

Reason Number 1: A machine quilting frame perfectly tensions the layers of your quilt so you NEVER have to baste, pin, glue or tack again. Ever! When I was machine quilting sitting at the sewing machine, I hated trying to get all the layers of the quilt sandwich to stay together, steady enough to machine quilt without shifting while I was stitching. No matter how many hours I spent on my hands and knees and no matter how many safety pins I used, it was never quite right. Despite my best efforts, there were always some rucks and wrinkles on the back.

Our Machine Quilting frames tension each layer of the quilt separately so that the quilt sandwich is perfectly tensioned without all that hassle. No more hours pinning or tacking, no clouds of asphyxiating spray glue, no money wasted on gadgets that punch price tag plastic through your quilt. No more hours of doing something I really hate! A machine quilting frame is worth every penny just for this!

Brit Flag Quilt on our frame with the JUKI TL98 straight stitch

Loading the quilt on the frame just takes 20 minutes and when I'm finished, I know the layers will be perfectly tensioned and the back of the quilt will look gorgeous when I take it off the frame, with no rucks or wrinkles - even the first time! I hated the pinning part. My Machine Quilter frame lets me skip it!  By taking care of the parts I hate, machine quilting frames let me focus on the parts that I love...that would be the quilting!



If you're still wondering just how a frame tensions the layers of a quilt sandwich have a look at these links.

• Pinning the purple pumpkin seed shows how to load 3 layers on a frame; a quilt top, the wadding or batting in the middle and the backing underneath

• This Loading Fleece tutorial featuring Rosie's Uni quilt shows how to load a quilt with 2 layers on a frame

Come see for yourself at the Festival of Quilts.It all makes sense in person. We're with the JUKI sewing machine guys at Stand A46.



p.s. I just found this pie graph and I had to add it to the post. It's a response to an American quilter's survey. I'm happy to say that I'm in the blue on this one! Having a quilting frame is brilliant because I never have to baste or pin or glue. EVER! Get happy and join the blue team!

Saving for a Long Arm?

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Annette had been saving up for a long arm quilting machine. It was going to take a long time.  Then she stumbled across our website and realized that there was a simpler more affordable alternative. Annette already runs a business. She just wanted to quilt for fun,  for family and friends. After a look at our website, Annette ordered a copy of our Line Dancing DVD called La Mer

 Watching the DVD she realized that this was just the frame for her. Our Machine Quilter frames would be simple and quick to set up and easy to use. She'd have many of the benefits of a long arm for a fraction of the cost.

Annette ordered an 8 foot frame because she wanted the option of quilting larger bed sized quilts. She ordered the tabl Then she went to Franklin's  and ordered a JUKI TL98P and we made her a set of Nifty Grip speed control handles so she wouldn't have to kick her foot pedal across the floor. Annette was heading up to Nottingham so she decided to book a free demonstration and collect her frame the same day. It saved on the shipping cost and got her off to a good start.

After a lovely day sharing quilts and quilting designs and playing around with the JUKI on the machine quilting frame,  it was time for Annette to head back to Bristol. Fortunately, our frames are designed to be portable, so the 8 foot NEQ2 frame and JUKI Nifty Grip speed control handles fit easily into the car. Annette left a happy lady, excited to go home and get started on the new frame. She made a big savings too. Like the rest of us, she'd much rather spend the money on fabric!

Dear Martha

Last night I dreamt of bobbins …..and King Tut…. and patterns and shapes and chalkboard paint. Thank goodness it’s the weekend. I’ll be quilting on my frame in no time!

I’ve argued with myself for over a year now about WANTING versus NEEDING a long arm quilting machine and I had settled on and had started saving for a Gammill. So much money and the need for so much space combined with the calculations of how many quilts I would need to quilt commercially to make a long arm pay for itself began to erode my plans……and then I found www.machinequilter.co.uk . The perfect solution as all I really really want is to make beautiful quilts, at my leisure, for family and friends, with no pressure.

I had the most wonderful day on Wednesday. Thank you very much for all your time! I’ve learnt so much but most of all I came home with lots of new ideas like…..starting small…. lots of mini sessions….on mini quilts… trial and error borders on either side of my quilt tops….It was so inspirational to see all of your quilts. Thank you for sharing those with me.

I’ve read through the handbook you gave me. So helpful! I’ve drooled over the colour cards and put together a mega order – which I now need to pare down.  I’ve pulled out some odd fat quarters that suit some of the free Superior Threads you put in my goody bag and I’ll be piecing late into the night. I’ll send you some photos when I have something nice to show.

All in all – I’m so excited about my new toy and I’m so pleased that I met you.

I look forward to coming to one of your retreats in the future so I can build on whatever I learn between then and now. See you at the Quilt Festival in August.

Lots of love

 Annette