The present invention relates to a quilting machine and more specifically a long-arm stitching machine, or stitcher. The stitcher includes handles that are used to trace a laser dot on a pantograph pattern located in front of the fabric being quilted. Tracing the laser dot ensures that the needle and thread associated with the sewing machine head duplicates the pattern being traced. In the present invention, the handles are placed to one side of the sewing machine head to allow an operator to remain upright when watching the laser trace the pattern or the needle and thread quilting the fabric.

A quilting machine includes a frame sized and configured to support a sheet of fabric and a tilting sewing assembly. The tilting sewing assembly includes a needle beam defining a needle beam longitudinal axis, and a needle head attached to the needle that translates along the needle beam longitudinal axis. The assembly includes a hook beam defining a hook beam longitudinal axis disposed separate from and parallel to the needle beam longitudinal axis, and an axis of rotation parallel to the needle beam and the hook beam with the hook beam disposed between the needle beam and the hook beam. The needle head is between the needle beam and the hook beam. The tilting sewing assembly is configured to pivot about the axis of rotation with the needle beam and the hook beam translating laterally about the axis of rotation to move the needle head relative to the frame.

A manually-operated sewing machine is provided. The sewing machine includes a manually-operated handle, a needle bar to hold a needle, and a direction control device. The needle bar reciprocates responsive to a reciprocating motion of the manually-operated handle. The direction control device controls lateral movement of the needle bar between forward and reverse directions. The direction control device is movable between a first position that corresponds to the forward direction and a second position that corresponds to the reverse direction.

A sewing machine comprising a sewing machine body, a needle bar, and a handlebar vibration dampener is disclosed. The sewing machine body includes a sewing machine head and a handlebar assembly coupled to the sewing machine head. The needle bar is attached to the sewing machine head and configured to linearly reciprocate relative to the sewing machine head along a needle bar axis. The handlebar vibration dampener is located between the handlebar assembly and the sewing machine head to reduce vibrations transmitted by the sewing machine head to the handlebar assembly during use of the sewing machine.

Implementations of a pattern practicing apparatus for longarm quilting machines are provided. In some implementations, the pattern practicing apparatus comprises a base, a first handle, and a second handle.

In some implementations, a method for using the pattern practicing apparatus comprises positioning the pattern practicing apparatus on top of a piece of paper or other surface, inserting a writing instrument tip into an opening through the base of the pattern practicing apparatus, holding the handles of the pattern practicing apparatus, and moving the pattern practicing apparatus by the handles across the paper to simulate using a longarm quilting machine free-hand.

Implementations of a pattern practicing apparatus for longarm quilting machines are provided. In some implementations, the pattern practicing apparatus comprises a base, a first handle, and a second handle. In some implementations, a method for using the pattern practicing apparatus comprises positioning the pattern practicing apparatus on top of a piece of paper or other surface, inserting a writing instrument tip into an opening through the base of the pattern practicing apparatus, holding the handles of the pattern practicing apparatus, and moving the pattern practicing apparatus by the handles across the paper to simulate using a longarm quilting machine free-hand.

A sewing control device includes in a sewing machine having upper feed function a control device which controls feed of an object to be sewn. A lower feed amount setting motor sets a feed amount of a lower feed dog and an upper feed amount change motor changes a feed amount of an upper feed dog. A feed execution range, in which the feed of the object to be sewn is executed by an appropriate feed amount while the object to be sewn is sandwiched between the lower feed dog and the upper feed dog, and a feed non-execution range, in which the feed of the object to be sewn is not executed in a state in which the feed dogs do not act on the object to be sewn, are present. The feed amount of the upper feed dog can be changed only in the feed non-execution range during sewing.

The present invention provides an embroidery frame having at least three sections. The three sections are base section, an alignment section, and a retention section. The alignment section is configured to be positioned on the base section prior to the positioning of the retention section thereon. The retention section is configured to be engaged with the alignment section such that the alignment of the retention section with the base section is determined by the alignment of the alignment section with the base section. At least one of the alignment section and the retention section is configured to be magnetically attached to the base section.

A sewing control device includes in a sewing machine having upper feed function a control device which controls feed of an object to be sewn. A lower feed amount setting motor sets a feed amount of a lower feed dog and an upper feed amount change motor changes a feed amount of an upper feed dog. A feed execution range, in which the feed of the object to be sewn is executed by an appropriate feed amount while the object to be sewn is sandwiched between the lower feed dog and the upper feed dog, and a feed non-execution range, in which the feed of the object to be sewn is not executed in a state in which the feed dogs do not act on the object to be sewn, are present. The feed amount of the upper feed dog can be changed only in the feed non-execution range during sewing.

The present invention relates to a method of operating a quilting or sewing machine. In the method, an operator may switch the modes in which the sewing machine is operating. The modes may be switched when the sewing machine is in operation or when the machine is stopped. The modes to which the sewing machine may be switched to and from may be pre-set modes as defined by an operator. The modes that may be switched to and from may include settings for stitch mode and stitch speed. The buttons may be physical buttons associated with the sewing machine's handles, or they may be digital buttons associated with a tablet device.