hi everyone. i'm curious how many here own a long arm, and how they like it. do you have buyers remorse or could you never part with it?
just curious here because i'm saving for a bernina 440. i want this baby so bad for the BSR and for the other cutsie bells and whistles.
but in the back of my mind i'm curious if i should save for a long arm instead. i know there is a significant price difference.
also, i have a standard janome that does all my piecing and everday sewing nicely, but without any bells or whistles. i can even FMO on it. but the BSR i think could easily become my new best friend!!!
what do you gals think?
oh, the only down fall in my books for the bernina 440 is that it isn't any bigger then a standard size machine.
again, would love to hear your thoughts/experiences.
:)

Well I work at my LQS. I use a long arm and my new INNOVA 26 inch long arm is being delivered tomorrow or Friday. SO I have been using a long arm at the shop for a discount...I don't think I could ever go back to quilting on my machine..and I could not live without one any longer....I hope that helps you. LOL

I have a Gammill Optimum and I love it. Sure the monthly payments are higher than any new car payment I ever had, but it is an investment for my business. I had bought a Pfaff Grand Quilter Hobby 1200 several years ago but it didn't fit my needs. The Gammill exceeds all of my needs and expectations. I hope to get the Statler Stitchery for it in a couple years after I have this paid off.

I have an Innova 18" on a 12' frame.had a bernina 440 with BSR-sold it to fund the longarm.BSR is great for small things but I do bed sized quilts.Longarm is the only way to go

I have a Bernina 430 and almost the only difference between your lusted-after 440 and my 430 was I had to buy my BSR and wlaking foot. However, there is no comparing a 440 and a long arm, as you could never do with the long arm what you can do with a sewing machine, and also a long arm is many times more $$$ than the 440. (I think right now the 440 w/embroidery unit is a little less than $5,000.) I manage to quilt just fine with my 430. Yes, I would love a long arm, but the kind I want is $20,000 and I think for that kind of money, I can get an awful lot of q1uilts quilted by a professional.

I have a longarm machine. I have sewn on the Bernina BSR that my friend has.....my suggestion would be, save your money....buy a medium priced Gammill or APQS machine. Learn to longarm and you will never have time to piece again! lol
But really the price of the Bernina BSR is well over-priced, in my opinion. (And I might add, she and others have had more problems with that machine than with their older Berninas.)

I have a Gammill Premier 18" longarm. Love it! Best quilting decision I've made so far! Would definitely do it again, it makes quilting just that much more fun.

If the only reason you are buying the Bernina is for the BSR, I would definitely call Hinterberg & have a Voyager 17SLR with their stretch frame delivered instead. Same or very close to the same in price-- a lot less if you can get a used one.

Now, the real question is do you want to sit & quilt while you move the fabric or would you be happy standing at the frame and moving the carriage over the quilt? Some folks compare it to moving the paper under a stationary pencil versus moving the pencil over the stationary paper.

My shoulders can't take moving the fabric under the needle so a frame was the only way to go for me. Others are perfectly happy to just piece top after top and use all those pennies they've been saving to pay the local longarmer to quilt.

I have the HQ Fusion. There are many stitch regulated HQ Sixteens on the market right now at great prices. For what the Bernina costs, I would look into a slightly used long arm.

I've had a Tin Lizzie 18 for 2 years and love it. I only quilt for myself, I've never been sorry I bought it.