Arm Length – Arm length, throat length, and harp all refer to the same general area. When we talk about how big your machine is, we’re usually referencing the measurement to the right of the machine needle.
Belly Bar – The belly bar refers to the frame rails or poles that are closest to you when you stand in front of your quilting frame.
Carriage – The upper and lower carriage assembly is where the sewing machine rides on a quilting frame, allowing smooth movement as you quilt.
Domestic (Home Sewing Machine) – Any machine made for general home sewing. We often call these short-arm machines, which typically have 10 inches or less of throat space. These machines usually run at 700 to 800 stitches per minute. The Juki TL-2010Q, for example, has a nine-inch throat and can stitch up to 1,500 stitches per minute, making it a great option for short-arm frames.
Floating a Quilt Top – Floating a quilt top means the quilt back is pinned to the take-up rail, but the quilt top and batting are either pinned or sewn directly to the quilt back.
Frame Backside – This is the side of your frame that holds the sewing machine carriage, often called the table side. When using pantograph patterns or template guides, you’ll be quilting from the backside of the frame. When you pin on a quilt, it’s pinned to the take-up rail from this side.
Frame Front – The front of the quilting frame is where you’re closest to the sewing machine needle. This is the best side to view your quilt as you work on it.
Harp – The harp of a sewing machine is the space to the right of the needle. The bigger the harp, the easier it is to work on larger quilts or blocks. Most domestic machines have a pretty small harp.
Leaders – These are fabric strips that attach to the frame rails (or poles). You pin the quilt to these leaders when loading it onto the frame.
Long-arm Machine – A long-arm machine is built specifically to work on a machine frame and usually has more than 18 inches of throat space. These machines are much larger and faster than domestic sewing machines and are typically used on commercial quilting frames. The Q’nique 21X Elite is the machine that Lynn uses, Kathy has a 21 Pro which is a generation older than Lynn’s.
Mid-arm Machine – Mid-arm machines have a throat length between 15 to 18 inches and are also made to work on machine frames. The Q’nique 16X Elite is actually a mid-arm machine but most people just call all sewing machines with over 10 inches of throat length a long-arm.
Pantograph Pattern or Panto – Pantos are long patterns that you trace with a stylus or laser. They’re usually placed on the back side of the frame and come on long rolls of paper.
Quilt Back Rail – This is the rail where you roll up the quilt back when loading your quilt onto the frame.
Quilt Top Rail – This rail is where you roll the quilt top when loading it onto the frame.
Shortarm Machine – Most domestic machines fall into this category. Even if they’re stretched to have a slightly longer throat, they’re still considered shortarm machines.
Short-arm Machine Quilting Frames – These frames are designed to hold domestic or mid-arm sewing machines.
Speed Control – Speed controls take the place of your sewing machine’s foot pedal, allowing you to adjust speed using knobs or buttons. While these controls let you speed up or slow down the machine, they don’t control the stitch length. Stitch length depends on how fast the machine is running and how quickly you move the carriage.
Stitch Length Regulator – Stitch regulators, like the Grace SureStitch, help you control your stitch length while quilting. They monitor how fast you’re moving the carriage and adjust the machine’s speed to match. If you speed up, the machine speeds up; if you slow down, so does the machine. This helps create even stitches. Most of the Q’nique Long-arm machines have built-in stitch regulators.
Take Up Rail – This is one of at least three rails on your quilting frame, where the completed quilt is rolled up as you finish each row.
Throat Length – The throat length is the area from the needle to the right side of your machine, also known as the harp. For quilting on a short-arm frame, you’ll need at least six inches of throat space.
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