HQ Pro-sTitcher User Manual
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HQ Pro-sTitcher User Manual

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Pro-Stitcher
HQ
®
The Future of Quilting Possibilities is Here!
USER MANUAL
© 2013 Handi Quilter, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. 09/01/13

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Do you have a question about the Pro-sTitcher and is the answer not in the manual?

Questions and answers

Kathy Santo
March 1, 2025

How to increase pause delay

0
1 comments:
Mr. Anderson
March 1, 2025

To increase the pause delay on the HQ Pro-Stitcher:

1. Select Inches in the settings.
2. Press the Plus Sign (+) to increase the number of inches Pro-Stitcher stitches before pausing.

This adjusts the pause delay before stitching stops.

This answer is automatically generated

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Summary of Contents for HQ Pro-sTitcher

  • Page 1 Pro-Stitcher ® The Future of Quilting Possibilities is Here! USER MANUAL © 2013 Handi Quilter, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. 09/01/13...
  • Page 2 September 2013...

  • Page 3: How To Use This Manual

    Quilter, Inc. assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear in the informational content contained in this manual. Handi Quilter, HQ Avanté, HQ Fusion, HQ Sixteen, and HQ Pro-Stitcher are registered trademarks of Handi Quilter, Inc. Printed in the United States of America. www.HandiQuilter.com 09/01/13 Table of Contents | 1.1...

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    To install the X-Rack ......................3.17 To install the Y-Rack ......................3.19 Y-Encoder Assembly Installation (HQ Sixteen only) ..............3.20 Install the power cord retaining clamp (HQ Sixteen only) ............3.21 C-Pod Replacement (HQ Sixteen only) ..................3.22 Set Up the New Carriage ......................3.23 To turn on and shut down HQ Pro-Stitcher ..............
  • Page 5 To save designs or projects to a new folder ................ 5.6 To duplicate a design ......................5.6 To view design information ....................5.6 To load a Pro-Stitcher software update ................5.7 To return a design to its original settings ................5.7 Create and use areas ........................5.8 To clear an area ........................
  • Page 6 Crop designs based on areas or start and end points ............5.16 To crop everything outside the defined area ..............5.16 To crop everything inside the defined area ..............5.16 To isolate and crop a portion of a design................5.16 Repeat Menu ..........................
  • Page 7 To set the stitches per inch ....................8.2 Control how Pro-Stitcher performs tie-offs ................. 8.3 To have Pro-Stitcher perform a tie-off at the beginning of stitching ........8.3 To have Pro-Stitcher perform a tie-off at the end of stitching ..........8.3 To indicate how many tie-off stitches Pro-Stitcher will perform ........
  • Page 8 Fusion machines only) ......8.6 To verify settings before quilting ..................8.6 Communications options ......................8.6 To stop communications between Pro-Stitcher and the quilting machine ......8.6 To reconnect motors......................8.7 To reconnect the machine ....................8.7 Calibrate options ........................8.8 To calibrate the Pro-Stitcher computer screen ..............

  • Page 9: Important Safety Instructions

    This machine is intended for household use. Disclaimer Handi Quilter and its Representatives are in no way legally responsible or liable for damage to the HQ Pro- Stitcher when used improperly or not in accordance with the guidelines stated in this manual or when used on machine quilting frames not recommended by Handi Quilter.
  • Page 10 Read these instructions before using the machine. To use the machine safely 1. Keep hands and loose clothing away from wheels, gears or other moving parts. 2. Turn the machine off and unplug the cord in the following cases: • when you have stopped using the machine • when you replace or remove the quilting machine needle or any other part • in case of failure when you use the machine • when you check or clean the machine...

  • Page 11: Congratulations On Your Hq Pro-Stitcher® Purchase

    Go to www.HandiQuilter.com for: • Updates to the HQ Pro-Stitcher software (provided free as long as you own your machine) • A full-color version of this manual that can be downloaded and printed •...

  • Page 12: Grounding

    IMPORTANT: In Canada, the use of a temporary adapter is not permitted by the Canadian Electric Code. Parts List This list shows the parts of the HQ Pro-Stitcher. Items A through Q are for the HQ Avanté (8-wheel carriage version) and HQ Fusion.
  • Page 13 C. 3/32-inch drill bit D. Emergency base-plate repair kit E. EZ Carriage F. Computer bracket G. Y-encoder circuit board H. Y-axis mounting bracket assembly I. Y power cord (10 foot) J. Adhesive cable mounting clips K. USB flash drive and lanyard L.
  • Page 14 N. Computer power cord O. Manual engagement/disengagement tool P. Harness cable Q. HQ Pro-Stitcher tablet computer NOTE: The model of the HQ Pro-Stitcher computer may be different from the one pictured. R. HQ Sixteen Y-Encoder S. Power Cord Retaining Clamp T.

  • Page 15: Installation (Hq Fusion & Hq Avanté)

    Avanté) These instructions are for installing HQ Pro-Stitcher on the HQ Fusion and HQ Avanté (with an 8-wheel Precision-Glide carriage). Handi Quilter recommends installation by an authorized HQ Pro-Stitcher Representative if available. Tools required • Power drill • 4mm Allen wrench •...
  • Page 16 3. Use the carriage as a guide and align the blue Flexirack with the white gear along the length of the table (see arrow at right), removing the pink protective layer and pressing downward on the blue Flexirack while moving down the entire length of the table.

  • Page 17: To Install The Y-Rack

    CAUTION: Do not use the larger drill bit included in the emergency repair kit, as this is the wrong size for the Flexirack clamps. NOTE: As an alternative, use one clamp at each end. Slide the lip of the clamp over the last gear of the blue Flexirack, drill a pilot hole, and screw in place.

  • Page 18: Y-Encoder Circuit Board Replacement

    3. If the screws in the base plates do not have slotted heads and a nut driver cannot be fitted over the screw head, use one of the provided slotted screws as a replacement (see Parts List, item D) and use a slotted screwdriver to tighten the screws in place.
  • Page 19 3. Gently pull the circuit board outward toward the front of the quilting machine (the same direction the screw came out). 4. Align the new Y-Encoder circuit board so the five pins on the encoder fit into the five-pin connector on the circuit board and gently push into position.

  • Page 20: To Set Up The Hq Pro-Stitcher Carriage

    To set up the HQ Pro-Stitcher carriage 1. Place the Pro-Stitcher carriage on the frame system and untie the black twist ties that are binding the black cables in a loop. Drape the black cables over the back of the carriage.
  • Page 21 6. The black cables attached to the Pro-Stitcher carriage should be routed up between the rear handles and the quilting machine, toward the right-hand side of the machine (looking at the machine from the back). Attach the cable clips (see Parts List, item J) and route the cable accordingly.
  • Page 22 8. Once again verify that the y-axis gear engages the blue Flexirack for the y-axis. • Do this by looking from the back of the machine between the bottom of the quilting machine and the top of the carriage. If necessary, use the manual engagement/diseangagement tool to move the gears so they engage.

  • Page 23: To Attach The Tablet Computer

    To attach the tablet computer 1. Disconnect the front handlebar cable from the side of the machine’s head. Then remove the handlebars from the front of the quilting machine by removing the three hex-head bolts with a 5mm Allen wrench. If you’re having difficulty reaching the front handlebar cable, first remove two of the hex-head bolts and loosen the third bolt.
  • Page 24 5. The black cable has three connections – two 9-pin serial connectors and one barrel connector for power. Insert the barrel connector into the center jack located on the bottom edge of the black box that is mounted to the back of the computer bracket. Attach the two 9-pin serial cables to the appropriate ports on the back of the same box, making sure cable connectors are plugged into their corresponding ports...
  • Page 25 7. With the computer installed in the bracket, connect the USB short cable (see Parts List, item M) between the USB port, on the top-left side of the computer (position A) and the black box on the back of the bracket (position E).

  • Page 26: Installation (Hq Sixteen And Hq Avanté With 4-Wheel Carriage)

    The Portable Professional Frame (Pro-Frame) side arms have three sets of height-adjustment holes. The ideal setting for the HQ Pro-Stitcher is the middle set of holes. This should allow the quilting machine arm to pass freely under the idler bar while keeping the quilt as close as possible to the arm. Use the 7/16-inch wrench to adjust the height if necessary.

  • Page 27: If You Have An Hq Studio Frame

    If you have an HQ Studio Frame The HQ Studio Frame may already be adjusted to the ideal height for the HQ Pro-Stitcher carriage. After following the assembly instructions below, if the idler pole (the lower pole toward the back of the frame) rubs on the free arm of the quilting machine, adjust the side arms to the next higher position check again and adjust if necessary.
  • Page 28 4. Use the carriage as a guide and align the blue Flexirack with the white gear along the length of the table (see arrow at right), removing the pink protective layer and pressing down on the blue Flexirack while moving down the entire length of the table.

  • Page 29: To Install The Y-Rack

    To install the Y-Rack 1. Carefully lay the quilting machine on its power pod side. Underneath the base plates, near the wheels on the C-Pod side of the machine (the side with the thread tensioner and guides) there will be either two screws or two holes.

  • Page 30: Y-Encoder Assembly Installation (Hq Sixteen Only)

    3. Replace the old encoder assembly with the encoder which is provided with the HQ Pro-Stitcher (see Parts List, item Q), making sure to put the wheel back in place between the nut and the base plate.

  • Page 31: Install The Power Cord Retaining Clamp (Hq Sixteen Only)

    Nuts Washers 9. Reconnect the three P-Pod cables and then reattach the P-Pod to the HQ Sixteen head. (Remember that the long screw should be in the bottom-left hole.) www.HandiQuilter.com 09/01/13...

  • Page 32: C-Pod Replacement (Hq Sixteen Only)

    C-Pod Replacement (HQ Sixteen only) Some kits will come with a new C-Pod. If the HQ Sixteen was purchased with the HQ Pro-Stitcher, there is no need to install a new C-Pod. Also, any HQ Sixteen stitch-regulated system running version 8.04 or later does not require a C-Pod upgrade.

  • Page 33: Set Up The New Carriage

    Set Up the New Carriage 1. Remove the new HQ Pro-Stitcher Carriage (see Parts List, item E) from the box. Place the carriage on the frame/table to attach the cables. 2. Plug the 10-pin connector on the end of the flat...
  • Page 34 3. The Y end of the power cord that is not attached to the P-Pod should be attached to the power supply at the back end of the Pro-Stitcher carriage. 4. Attach one end of the harness cable (see Parts List, item P) into the connector on the right side of the power supply.
  • Page 35 9. For HQ Sixteen only: Plug the Stitch Regulator Adapter Board (see Parts List, item T) into the Y-axis stitch regulator encoder.
  • Page 36 14. With the power cable unplugged, ensure that as the HQ Sixteen is moved in both the X and the Y directions that the corresponding gears are rotating as well.
  • Page 37 HQ Sixteen tilt-screen version) hex-head bolts with a 5mm Allen wrench. 2. For HQ Sixteen Tilt-screen Handlebars: Remove the adapter plate that is held in place with one hex-head screw and is revealed after pulling the front handlebar off the HQ Sixteen.
  • Page 38 6. The black cable has three connections – two 9-pin serial connectors and one barrel connector for power. Insert the barrel connector into the center jack (B) located on the bottom edge of the black box that is mounted to the back of the computer bracket. Attach the two 9-pin serial cables to the appropriate ports on the back of the same box, making sure cable connectors are plugged into their corresponding ports...
  • Page 39 8. With the computer installed in the bracket, connect the USB short cable (see Parts List, item M) between the USB port, on the top-left side of the computer (position A) and the black box on the back of the bracket (position E).

  • Page 40: To Turn On And Shut Down Hq Pro-Stitcher

    Ü IMPORTANT: If the Pro-Stitcher computer is left on for a long period of time, the screen may turn black and enter a sleep mode. Tap the screen or press the Windows button below the screen to turn on the screen again. It may be necessary to drag a finger upward on the start-up screen to access Pro-Stitcher.

  • Page 41: Getting Started With Hq Pro-Stitcher

    To use the USB flash drive • A USB flash drive is included with the Pro-Stitcher and is pre-loaded with more than 180 designs. These designs have also been loaded to the drive on the tablet computer, so the USB flash drive is the backup copy of the designs.
  • Page 42 Pro-Stitcher computer. IMPORTANT: It is not necessary to power down Pro-Stitcher to install or remove the USB flash Ü drive, but take care not to remove the flash drive while the system is saving to or loading from the drive.

  • Page 43: Hq Pro-Stitcher® Overview

    To get the most from using Pro-Stitcher, Handi Quilter recommends using the Pro-Stitcher computer only as directed to run the Pro-Stitcher software, the Art & Stitch software, and other software provided by or recommended by Handi Quilter.

  • Page 44: Enable Or Disable The Carriage Motors

    (as long as the levers on the carriage are engaged in the lower position) and allowing the machine to be moved around. If this button becomes gray with a lightning bolt, Pro-Stitcher is not communicating with the carriage motors. Press the button to reestablish communications with the motors.

  • Page 45: Panel Buttons

    drag your finger upward to slide the list up and reveal what is at the bottom. Touch and drag downward to scroll back up to the top of the list. Panel buttons Buttons for repeating Select a main menu designs horizontally option to see options for that function.

  • Page 46: Selected Vs. Non-Selected Buttons

    Jump (dotted line) Stitching end point Stitching start point Jump start and end points A large green circle on the loaded design indicates the start point, a large red circle indicates the stop point, and the small green and red circles indicate the start and end points of jumps within the design. Purple dashed lines connect the small green and red circles to show the jumps, or no-stitch, lines.

  • Page 47: To Get On-Screen Help

    Also visible at the top of the screen are the name of the current design file, the size of the design, and the position of the crosshairs. A letter appears next to the name of the current design file to indicate what type of design it is: (D) indicates it is a design;...

  • Page 48: To Quickly Position The Design And Crosshairs On The Screen

    Zoomed in Zoomed out Darker lines show one-inch divisions Lines show one-inch divisions, but no and faded lines show one-quarter inch quarter-inch divisions. divisions. To quickly position the design and crosshairs on the screen The Refresh button centers the design and crosshairs so both are visible on the screen. Refresh does not reposition the design relative to the quilt.

  • Page 49: To Select One Or More Designs

    Then select Group to treat the selected designs as if they were a single design. Pro-Stitcher gives the group a name and a number and displays the selected group in black with a bounding box around it. If you have created multiple groups, select the Group button and choose the group you want to work with from the pop-up box that appears.

  • Page 50: To Name A Group

    • Select Name to enter a descriptive name for the group to replace the group number assigned by Pro-Stitcher. Use the keyboard that appears to enter a name and then select OK to save the name or Cancel to close the name box.

  • Page 51: Crosshairs

    Follow when you stitch a wide design because you can both zoom in on the design and always see what is being stitched on the screen. Pro-Stitcher automatically turns off Follow after you select a new design. www.HandiQuilter.com 09/01/13 Overview | 4.9...
  • Page 52 4.10 | Overview 09/01/13 www.HandiQuilter.com...

  • Page 53: Design Menu

    The Design menu functions open, modify, position, and save quilting designs. Much of what you will do with Pro-Stitcher will be from this menu. After you select Design, two clusters of buttons appear on the lower-left and lower-right corners of the screen.

  • Page 54: Baseline

    Baseline Pro-Stitcher has very flexible design capabilities. Each function you choose is reprocessed and reapplied when the next function is performed. For example, you can skew a design to fit an area and then rotate the skewed design. The design continues to skew as it rotates to keep it within the area.
  • Page 55 Machine Quilting Tip: Practical uses for Baseline Use the Baseline function to stitch a quilt with multiple, identical blocks. Mark the area of the first block, fit the design to the block using Skew or other functions to modify the design, and then baseline the design.

  • Page 56: To Work With Design Files

    To work with design files Pro-Stitcher reads five file types: .hqf, .hqp, .qli, .txt, and .tap. Pro-Stitcher cannot read encrypted files or .txt files that were created for computerized quilting systems with proprietary formats. Open, close, save, and duplicate design files To access recently used designs •...

  • Page 57: To Save A Design

    To save a group as a design or a project You can save a group of designs as a design or as a project. If you save a group as a design, Pro-Stitcher creates a single design. When you load it again in the future, you will not be able to work with the designs independently.

  • Page 58: To Save Designs Or Projects To A New Folder

    Resets the design to its original design settings. Loads Pro-Stitcher software updates you’ve downloaded to a USB drive. To duplicate a design • Select the design or group you want to copy and choose Duplicate.

  • Page 59: To Load A Pro-Stitcher Software Update

    Follow the instructions for downloading the latest update, save the update file to a USB flash drive, and plug the USB flash drive into a USB port on the Pro-Stitcher computer. Wait for approximately 10 seconds while Pro-Stitcher accesses the USB flash drive. Follow the instructions included on the website for installing the update.

  • Page 60: Create And Use Areas

    Create and use areas A quilting area is a portion of the Pro-Stitcher screen that represents an area on the quilt. Within this area, you can place designs, repeat them, stretch them, skew them, crop them, and so forth, knowing that everything within the defined area on the screen will match up with the corresponding area on the quilt.

  • Page 61: To Override The Width Or Height Of An Area

    2. A purple dot displays on the screen to indicate the first corner. Move the quilting machine so the needle lines up with the opposite corner of the desired area on the quilt. 3. Select 2-Corner again. A purple rectangle indicates the quilting area.

  • Page 62: Multi-Point

    3. Move the machine to a third point along the perimeter of the quilting area and press Multi-Point. Pro-Stitcher automatically closes the shape back to the first point when the third point is marked, creating a purple triangle to indicate the multi-point area.

  • Page 63: Rotate Designs

    Rotate designs • Select Design and then Rotate to see the options for rotating designs. Number box Flips the design vertically. Flips the design horizontally. Resets the rotation back to zero. Rotates the design Rotates the design 1° 45° clockwise or or 0.1°...

  • Page 64: 2-Point Rotation

    Design mirrored Design flipped In addition to using the rotation buttons, press the number box and enter a rotation value on the number pad. Enter a positive number to rotate the design clockwise or a negative number to rate the design counterclockwise.

  • Page 65: To Fine Tune The Angle Of Rotation

    3. Select 2 Point End. The design rotated to match the angle created by the two points selected in steps 1 and 2 The rotation angle appears in the number box and the design rotates to match the angle, 44.17 degrees in this example.

  • Page 66: Rotation Of Repeated Designs

    Rotation of repeated designs Repeated designs can be rotated individually or treated as a single design and rotated as a set. To rotate repeated designs individually Before rotating, select Single. Then select one of the rotate buttons. Each individual design will be rotated (or mirrored or flipped).

  • Page 67: Crop Menu

    Treatment of loose ends Pro-Stitcher has two ways of handling loose ends, or jump points, that are created from a crop: Open or Closed. To perform a tieoff at jump points • Choose Open to perform a tieoff at the jump points in a cropped design. Select Tie Off Start and Tie Off Finish in Settings.

  • Page 68: Crop Designs Based On Areas Or Start And End Points

    Use Crop Start-End in conjunction with New Start/End points (on the Quilt menu) to isolate a part of a design for quilting. Pro-Stitcher crops any of the design before the start point and after the end point. 1. Load a design, such as the continuous bunny and stars e2e.hqf design.
  • Page 69 4. Select Design and then Crop. 5. Select Start-End to crop away the design before the start point and after the end point. Save the design to a new file name so you can use it again in the future. www.HandiQuilter.com 09/01/13 Design Menu | 5.17...

  • Page 70: Repeat Menu

    • Alternately, tap on the number box and enter the desired number of repeats into the pop-up number box. Then press Enter. NOTE: If the repeated design includes jump points, Pro-Stitcher preserves them when you save the design. To change the size of the gap between repeated designs •...

  • Page 71: To Stretch A Design To Fill An Area

    To calculate the optimal number of repeats for an area • Press Fit to have Pro-Stitcher calculate the optimal number of repeats in both height and width. Add more horizontal or vertical repeats, and then select Stretch Width and Stretch Height to fit them to the area.

  • Page 72: To Join Vertically Repeated Designs

    To join vertically repeated designs Repeated Baptist Fan design has been joined vertically and horizontally with Point 2 Point. • To link designs vertically, ensure the start and end points are at the same horizontal coordinate. Then select Vertical Point 2 Point to align the designs such that the end point of the first design matches up with the start point of the next design.

  • Page 73: To Wrap Rows

    To wrap rows Shifts every other row of repeated designs by half of Shifts every other row the width of the by 1/8 inch to the design. right or left. • To shift every other row of repeated designs (beginning with the second row) by half of the width of the design, select the 1/2 button.

  • Page 74: To Horizontally Wrap The Design Window

    To horizontally wrap the design window Choose from the options along the bottom of the screen to specify how to wrap the designs window horizontally. • To shift all rows horizontally by half of the width of the design, select the 1/2 button. Shifts all rows of repeated designs by 1/8 inch to the right...

  • Page 75: To Manually Wrap The Design Window

    Finish must be selected in Settings. For more information about the tieoff settings, see Control how Pro-Stitcher performs tie-offs in chapter 8, Settings Menu. • Select Closed to stitch along the border of the area between jump points in a wrapped design.

  • Page 76: Resize Menu

    Resize Menu • To open the resize options, select Design and then Resize. Choose one of the four height and width buttons and then press the Plus Sign or Height and Width Minus Sign to resize, buttons or enter a resize value in the number box.
  • Page 77 Blue line shows the This original width of original x-axis, or this rotated design original width of a was increased. rotated design. Select to adjust original width. • To stretch or shrink the design along the original X axis rather than how it is oriented on the screen, select the Original Width button (with the blue angled line) and then press the Plus Sign (+) to increase or Minus Sign (–) to decrease the size of the design.

  • Page 78: Skew / Align Menu

    After you create an area, use the skew and align options to fit the design within the area. These options with convex areas (e.g. triangles, rectangles, and hexagons) of three or more points. Pro-Stitcher does not skew or align designs to a concave area (e.g. stars and crosses).

  • Page 79: To Align A Triangle Design

    To vertically align blocks within an area Align Top: Aligns the top of the design’s bounding box with the top of the area (pictured). Align Bottom: Aligns Align Center: Aligns the bottom of the the vertical center of design’s bounding box the design’s bounding with the lowest point box with the vertical...

  • Page 80: To Skew A Design To Fit An Area

    5. Select the Vertical Alignment Align Top button. To skew a design to fit an area 1. Load a design and then create a diamond-shaped area. 2. Rotate the design (Design, Rotate) to fit the area. This design was rotated 45 degrees. 3. Choose Design, Skew/Align.

  • Page 81: Freehand Menu

    Pro-Stitcher can record the movement of the quilting machine. For example, record your own all-over background designs across the width of the quilt. Or record your signature so you can quilt your signature into your quilts. This screen also enables you to quickly switch from using Pro-Stitcher to free-motion quilting.

  • Page 82: To Switch To Free-Motion Quilting

    • Manually raise the levers to switch from using computer-guided quilting to free-motion quilting. To return to using Pro-Stitcher, manually lower the levers. You’ll see the following screen if you have a newer version of the firmware running on your quilting machine (HQ Avanté...

  • Page 83: To Mark And Record Straight Lines

    A stitching line connects the end point of the design and the position of the crosshairs when recording begins. When adding to an existing design, Pro-Stitcher baselines the design and treats it as a single design when performing other design functions.

  • Page 84: Reposition Menu

    • Move the quilting machine needle to a position on the quilt where the design is to be quilted. If you positioned the needle at the top-left corner, press the top-left corner button. Pro-Stitcher aligns the top-left corner of the design with the position of the needle and crosshairs. The bottom-left corner, top-right corner, and bottom-right corner buttons work the same way.
  • Page 85 Positions the top-right corner of the design at intersection of the crosshairs. Positions the bottom-right corner of the design at the intersection of the crosshairs. Positions the bottom-left corner of the design at the intersection of the crosshairs. Positions the center of the design at the intersection of the crosshairs.

  • Page 86: To Reposition A Design Based On The Home Location

    To reposition a design based on the Home location The Home location of a design is the point in the design where x=0 and y=0. It may be the start point of the design, but other times it may be in the middle or any other point in the design. Some digital designers use the Home location for positioning.

  • Page 87: To Reposition A Design Up, Down, Left, Or Right

    To reposition a design up, down, left, or right • To reposition the design a specific amount in any of the four directions, enter a distance (in inches) in the Nudge number box and then press the appropriate arrow to nudge the design up, down, left, or right.
  • Page 88 5.36 | Design Menu 09/01/13 www.HandiQuilter.com...

  • Page 89: Art & Stitch

    Art & Stitch tools to modify the design however necessary. Art & Stitch automatically loads and runs in the background when Pro-Stitcher starts, so passing files from HQ Pro-Stitcher to Art & Stitch happens very quickly.

  • Page 90: Licensing

    Updating Art & Stitch Art & Stitch may need to be updated to the latest version for Pro-Stitcher to properly pass designs back and forth. To download the latest version, use a computer that is connected to the Internet and go to the Handi Quilter website: (www.HandiQuilter.com).
  • Page 91 Art & Stitch installation file again. 5. After the new version of Art & Stitch is installed, reboot the Pro-Stitcher computer using the Windows Start menu from the bottom of the computer screen. Select either Shut Down or Restart to shut the computer down and restart.
  • Page 92 6.4 | Art & Stitch 09/01/13 www.HandiQuilter.com...

  • Page 93: Quilt Menu

    • If you must immediately stop the machine while quilting, press Emergency Stop. Unlike Pause, which brings the machine to a gentle stop, the Emergency Stop button immediately stops Pro- Stitcher. To reduce the risk of a torn quilt in case the needle is stuck, Pro-Stitcher also disables the motors.

  • Page 94: To Verify The Position Of The Design's Bounding Box On The Quilt

    To verify the position of the design’s bounding box on the quilt • Select Trace Box and then Run. Pro-Stitcher moves the machine around the perimeter of the design, following the blue bounding box. Watch the needle position as the machine traces the design’s bounding box to ensure the design will quilt where expected.

  • Page 95: Move The Quilting Machine With Pro-Stitcher

    Or select the number box and enter a value (up to 50) in the number pad that appears and then press Enter. To move the quilting machine from within Pro-Stitcher • Press and hold an arrow button. The selected arrow button changes to a Stop button. The machine moves in the selected direction until you stop pressing the arrow key.

  • Page 96: Pro-Stitcher As A Horizontal Or Vertical Channel Lock

    Pro-Stitcher as a horizontal or vertical channel lock If you use the channel lock feature in Pro-Stitcher, you will be able to stitch horizontal and vertical lines that are perfectly square with Pro-Stitcher and the frame. To stitch a horizontal or vertical line with the channel lock •...

  • Page 97: To Adjust Commonly Used Stitch Settings

    To adjust the auto jump threshold while quilting A jump is a gap in a design where there is no stitching. If a jump is less than the threshold, Pro-Stitcher does not pause for you to cut the thread. If a jump is greater than the threshold, Pro-Stitcher pauses for you to cut the thread.

  • Page 98: To Adjust Stitches Per Inch While Quilting

    To manage the tieoff settings while quilting Indicate how to tie off the stitching at jump points and at the start and end of a design. For more information about the tieoff settings, see Control how Pro-Stitcher performs tie-offs in chapter 8, Settings Menu.

  • Page 99: To Change The Thread Pullup Settings While Quilting

    To change the pause delay settings while quilting After beginning to stitch and following a pullup, Pro-Stitcher does some stitches and then pauses for you to cut the threads. The pause delay setting indicates how much stitching to do, measured in either inches or seconds, before pausing.

  • Page 100: Adjust Settings While Quilting Is Paused

    To pause quilting • Press the Pause button for the machine to come to a gentle stop. Pro-Stitcher places gold marker at the point in the design where you paused. To make changes to settings, select Quilt and then select Reposition, Status, or New Start/End.

  • Page 101: To See How Far Into A Design The Machine Has Stitched

    Stitcher to resume from the adjusted Start Point rather than the Current Point. To see how far into a design the machine has stitched After pausing the quilting, select Quilt and then select Status. Pro-Stitcher displays the line segment being stitched and the distance traveled (in inches).

  • Page 102: To Begin Quilting From A Point Other Than The Design's Start Point

    Drag the top scroll bar Drag the bottom to move the start point scroll bar to move the to a new position in the end point to a new design. position in the design. To begin quilting from a point other than the design’s start point •...
  • Page 103 Machine Quilting Tip: Recovering from a thread break or bobbin change If the thread breaks while stitching, press Pause. Fix the problem by rethreading the machine or changing the bobbin. Select the Quilt menu and then select the New Start/ End function.
  • Page 104 7.12 | Quilt Menu 09/01/13 www.HandiQuilter.com...

  • Page 105: Settings Menu

    Control how Pro-Stitcher handles jumps If a quilt design contains jumps, or gaps, in the design path that are not stitched, Pro-Stitcher can either move automatically without stitching through the jump point and begin stitching at the end of the jump or it can pause before the jump so you can trim the thread before it moves to the next starting point.

  • Page 106: To Set The Auto Jump Threshold

    NOTE: If Tie Off options are turned on, Pro-Stitcher performs a tie off at the jump start and end points, regardless of which jump method is performed. If the Pullup feature is turned on, Pro-Stitcher performs a pull up at the end of the jumps that exceed the Auto Jump threshold.

  • Page 107: Control How Pro-Stitcher Performs Tie-Offs

    Control how Pro-Stitcher performs tie-offs By tieing off at the beginning and ending of stitching, the stitches will be secure and will not come undone. The Tie Off feature enables you to select your preferred method for how and when Pro-Stitcher performs tie-offs.

  • Page 108: To Select The Method Of Tie-Off Stitch: Micro Or Tack

    • Select Settings, Pullup. To turn on bobbin-thread pullups • Press Pull-Up On for Pro-Stitcher to perform a pull up at the beginning of the design and at the be- ginning of each segment following a jump that exceeds the Auto Jump threshold.

  • Page 109: To Turn On Automatic Bobbin-Thread Pullups

    To turn on automatic bobbin-thread pullups • Press Pull-Up Auto for Pro-Stitcher to shift the quilting machine to the right a few inches after pulling up the bobbin thread so you can grab both threads. Press Resume to continue quilting the design.

  • Page 110: Advanced Menu

    • Press the button next to Thread Break Sensor on/off to turn it on or off. It is on when the button is dark. If the thread break alarm is triggered and this option is on, Pro-Stitcher pauses when the thread breaks. If it is off, Pro-Stitcher ignores the thread break and continues stitching.

  • Page 111: To Reconnect Motors

    If the Pro-Stitcher motors ever become unplugged or disconnected from the computer, it may be necessary to reestablish communications between the Pro-Stitcher computer and the motors. If the Pro-Stitcher computer cannot communicate with the motors for any reason, it will be indicated by a lightning bolt icon at the top right-hand corner of the screen.

  • Page 112: Calibrate Options

    Stitcher computer screen. Resolve this by recalibrating the touch screen. • Select Settings, Advanced, Calibrate. To calibrate the Pro-Stitcher computer screen • Press Calibrate Screen and follow the onscreen calibration instructions. NOTE: If calibration is so far off that the Calibrate button cannot be pressed, plug the keyboard/ mouse into a USB port on the computer using the provided USB extension cable and use the mouse controller built into the keyboard to click the Calibrate button.

  • Page 113: Logging Options

    To exit Pro-Stitcher but keep the computer running • Select Shutdown from the menu. Then select the Exit to Windows button. At times it may be necessary to close down the Pro-Stitcher software and use the standard Windows operating system.
  • Page 114 8.10 | Settings Menu 09/01/13 www.HandiQuilter.com...

  • Page 115: Troubleshooting

    There is no power to the tablet computer. Ensure hand side of the screen is NOT lit and the the power cord to the Pro-Stitcher is plugged into a Windows button at the bottom left-hand powered outlet on one end and the power supply under corner of the screen is NOT lit.
  • Page 116 Make sure the red stripe on the gray cable is Version X.X” facing up on both encoder connections. An older version of the “Y” encoder is mounted to the HQ Sixteen The HQ Pro-Stitcher begins to stitch but stops Make sure the “Y” or “machine” encoder, which is right away.
  • Page 117 Area or Reposition tools from the menu. Quilting machine stuck in a faster speed than selected by Pro-Stitcher Stitch length is much smaller than selected, Something has caused the quilting machine to lock up machine running faster than it should.
  • Page 118 USB flash drive, make sure the USB flash drive is plugged in securely to the Pro-Stitcher computer. Press Cancel if the Open screen is already open, remove the USB flash drive, wait about 15 seconds, and then press the Open button again.
  • Page 119 Problem/Symptom Corrective Measure Buffer Underflow If a message with the words Buffer Underflow appears while stitching, it is an indication that data is not getting to the motors quickly enough. This may be due to something in the computer tying up the CPU. Although it may be possible to resume quilting by simply pressing red X box to close the error message and then pressing the Motor Error lightning bolt button at the top right-...
  • Page 120 9.6 | Troubleshooting 09/01/13 www.HandiQuilter.com...

  • Page 121: 10. Warranty

    Warranty Exclusions HQ Pro-Stitcher - Limited Warranty ® HQ shall have no obligation for any claim under this Handi Quilter, Inc. (hereinafter HQ) offers a limited warranty if the HQ Pro-Stitcher has been misused, warranty on the HQ Pro-Stitcher (hereinafter abused, neglected, damaged in transit or has been “Product”) to be free of defects in workmanship...

  • Page 122: Specific Exclusions

    (3) use of parts, components, or accessories not authorized by HQ. In no event shall HQ be liable to the purchaser of the Product or to third parties for special or consequential damages, including, but not limited 10.2 | Warranty/Training Checklist...

  • Page 123: Warranty Claims

    Use small brush to clean out all lint, loose thread or obstructions from the bobbin hook each time you begin to use the HQ Pro-Stitcher and HQ quilting machine. Servicing is recommended for your HQ quilting machine annually from a qualified representative.
  • Page 124 This page intentionally left blank. 10.4 | Warranty/Training Checklist 09/01/13 HQ Pro-Stitcher User Manual...

  • Page 125: Warranty Registration Card

    HQ Pro-Stitcher Warranty Registration Card The HQ Pro-Stitcher warranty consists of two-year electronic/electrical, three-year mechanical and life- time software updates (see detailed warranty information in HQ Pro-Stitcher User Manual). Check with your local HQ Representative for details on service or making warranty claims.
  • Page 126 This page intentionally left blank. 10.6 | Warranty/Training Checklist 09/01/13 HQ Pro-Stitcher User Manual...

  • Page 127: Training Checklist

    HQ Rep. customer. Signature of Owner Signature of Trainer Note to the HQ Rep: Upon completion, please cut along dotted line and fax the signed copy to Handi Quilter at 801-294-3011. It is okay to photocopy this page. www.HandiQuilter.com 09/01/13...
  • Page 128 10.8 | Warranty/Training Checklist 09/01/13 HQ Pro-Stitcher User Manual...

  • Page 129: 11. Handi Quilter Printouts

    11. Handi Quilter Printouts A place for the latest information For news about Pro-Stitcher udpates, watch: www.handiquilter.com/prostitcher-download For tips and tutorials, watch: www.handiquilter.com/education/pro-stitcher/ See something you want to remember? Print it out and keep it here. www.HandiQuilter.com/ProStitcher 09/01/13 HQ Printouts 11.1...
  • Page 130 11.2 HQ Printouts 09/01/13 HQ Pro-Stitcher User Manual...

  • Page 131: 12. Tutorials

    12. Tutorials Tutorials from the Handi Quilter educators Go to www.handiquilter.com/education/pro-stitcher for lessons, tips and tutorials for using the latest software updates. Print them out and keep them handy in this section of your user manual. We write the tutorials with step- by-step instructions, so you feel as though one of the Handi Quilter educators is standing right by your side as you learn.
  • Page 132 12.2 Tutorials 09/01/13 www.HandiQuilter.com...

  • Page 133: 13. Designs

    HQ Pro-Stitcher and Art & Stitch designs Use your Art & Stitch program to organize and print catalogs of all of the designs in HQ Pro-Stitcher and Art & Stitch. Print Catalog is a powerful function to show and to print all designs of all formats on paper. This function will print thumbnails and file names of all designs in a folder.
  • Page 134 13.2 Designs 09/01/13 HQ Pro-Stitcher User Manual...

  • Page 135: 14. My Ideas

    14. My Ideas You know you’ll forget if you don’t save it here This is a section to keep pictures, tearsheets from magazines, printouts from the web. Anything you find inspirational should find its way here! www.HandiQuilter.com 09/01/13 My Ideas 14.1...

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