Control Your Speed Without a Stitch Regulator – Sit Down Quilting Sunday #3
It’s Sunday which means it’s time to jump on the Grace Qnique 14+ and share a new Sit Down Quilting Sunday video! This week I’m answering one of the most common questions about this machine:
Does the Grace Qnique machine come with a stitch regulator?
The answer to this question is no. This machine does not come with a stitch regulator when it’s set up as a sit down / table mounted machine. Only when you upgrade the machine to roll over a quilting frame will you get a stitch regulator.
This means that quilting on the Grace Qnique is exactly like quilting on your home machine without a stitch regulator – you have to learn how quilt by balancing the speed of the needle moving up and down with your hands moving the quilt under the needle.
The best way to learn how to balance your stitches and get the hang of speed control is to do a speed test. Learn how to do this in this new quilting video:
Click Here to watch all the videos in this series!
You know something funny? I didn’t even access the highest speeds of this machine! This sit down longarm could go even faster, but the question is – can I move my hands fast enough to keep time with it?
Probably not. This is why it’s important to run the speed test and spend a lot of time getting to know the machine and how hard you need to press the foot pedal in order to go any particular speed.
When quilting you need to be able to speed up slightly to quilt designs that you flow through very quickly, then slow down to control your stitches as you quilt in the ditch or travel stitch.
This ability to change speeds on the fly takes time and practice. While stitching practice sandwiches is helpful, it’s nothing like quilting a real quilt that you care about.
Next week I’m going to get a small quilt top basted up and begin quilting it on the Grace Qnique. Make sure to share any questions you have in the comments below and I’ll share new videos to explain how the machine works just for you!
Let’s go quilt,
Leah Day
Leah, good job explaining and showing… The hand-foot-eye coordination is hard to explain to people starting out in FMQ. The sounds of the machine is a great tool and you explain it really well. In your first blog on this machine, you indicated you made the foot pedal have responsive (not jump from slow to fast so quickly). WoiWoiuild you share how you did that? Also the open toe is pointed left. Is there a way to change it to open in front of you? Know the Q'Nique 21 can change the needle bar orientation….
Great suggestion! I had to double check a few things before sharing the foot pedal adjustment so that will be in a future video. I also have a new foot Grace has just developed that is open to the front. Unfortunately the Qnique 14 feet don't change position the same as the Qnique 21 so you can't rotate the feet on this machine.
I absolutely love this series, even though I am in no position to have a machine like this. I am betting this machine is great for someone who has severe rheumatoid arthritis. So who knows maybe someday lol. Thanks again for all you teach – love it all!
I fully understand; more than two hours or so and my hands are done for the day. Oh joys of growing older lol….