No I have no remorse I love quilting on my la wish I had done it sooner. sorry that you are having remorse and feel you need to return it.

well I am in Texas, so I can't help you in person. I suggest you post questions here and check out www.mqresource.com which is a machine quilting website. Lots of helpful folks on both sites

Thanks, I'll do that!

I started renting at a long arm studio and fell in love with long arm quilting. I'm just hoping I can afford my own some day. But I think if you have a place that rents near you, that would be the way to start. You learn to get comfortable with the machine and find out if you really would like to quilt that way. I know I would because I've experienced it first hand.

I bought my mom's Nolting when her health became an issue. I was a little intimidated at first too but mom was there with advice and encouragement. Now, I would like to upgrade the machine to one with a computer. It is a very basic machine but sews beautifully. I do understand how you feel. Nine years ago, I went to a Pfaff event at my Pfaff dealers store and came home with a Pfaff 2144. I let it sit for about a month and ten finally decided that I better learn to use it. The first payment came due and I didn't want it to become a very expensive paperweight. Now I love it and would like to upgrade this one too. Give yourself time and use your machine a little each day. You will get the hang of it.

This is the approach I am going to try. Luckily in my area there are two sources for classes and renting time on machines. I believe it will be most cost effective for me at this point.

I agree with every thing you wrote. I have had my machine for 6 years. You have to practice, practice, practice. I didn't get to take my class with the dealer till I had my machine for 2 or 3 years cause the dealer was 600 miles away.
I would load a long length of muslin on the machine, with batting, then a length of fabric. I would practice mostly on pantos, until I quilted the piece of fabric, then I would add another. I would keep quilting till I ran out of the piece of muslin. Then I would cut the length into pieces the size of lap quilts. Then I would bind them and give them to a nursing home. But after all this time I am still having a hard time believing that I do good work. I am just now beginning to do quilts for other people. My friends insisted that I was good enough to quilt for other people. So I decided to give it a go. I have watched lots of videos on youtube and they have really helped. There is a video on Craftsy that I think is free, that is really good. The lady stapled her quilt packs to the leaders. I have been doing that and really like the method. It is much better than pinning, IMO. But you just have to keep trying. I felt the same way about quilting on one of my own quilts. But I finally bit the bullet and did it. It becomes easier. I will never be as good as Charisma, who is on this board. She is exceptional. But the key is to keep trying.

LOL!!!! I love this! You're right. Your brother-in-law needs to start doing paid fishing tours so that he can pay for that boat! And that way, you'll have enough money to get the HQ Avante.

I figured I would have to make 42 quilts to justify the purchase of one (that's figuring that sending out 42 quilts to a
longarmer). Seeing as I'm in my late 60's, I'll be dead before I make a 43rd quilt to even come out even on the purchase.....LOL

I don't see why the machine has to pay for its self. I bought mine cause I wanted to quilt the tops I had made. I have just started quilting for others to make a little spending money.