Every sewing machine manufacturer has at least one model that caters to quilters’ special needs. Some manufacturers have targeted the quilting market with accessories and additional quilt sewing products. Pfaff and Bernina have developed some ingenious technology for quilters.

Many Pfaff machines have what they call IDT, which is Integrated Dual Feed technology. These machines feed top and bottom layers of fabric evenly; the feed dogs are on the bottom layer, and the IDT foot that is synchronized with the feed dogs is on the top layer. Only Pfaff has this, and it is very popular with quilters. Pfaff also has a “Qbot,” which is a standing frame with a cradle for your Pfaff machine and a computerized stitch pattern screen you can program to have your quilting design automatically (hands-free) stitched onto your quilt. The cradle also allows you to use your machine like a smoothly sliding longarm for free motion design work.

Bernina machines feature a BSR, or Bernina Stitch Regulator. The stitch regulator is used with free-motion quilting, and it makes every stitch the same length by speeding up or slowing down to match the speed that you move the fabric under the needle. This advanced feature is a Bernina specialty available on some models. It has quickly become a favorite with quilters who do free-motion quilting.

Besides using home sewing machines for quilting, there are also longarm quilting machines. Most of these come with 8-10 foot quilting frames, with extensions up to 14 feet, so lots of floor space is required. The longarms are the professional choice, with their hand operated and computerized moving sewing mechanism and large throat areas available for professional results at home.