Has anyone gone from a Longarm to a Sit-down Quilting Machine?
 

Has anyone traded in their longarm for a sit-down quilting machine?

In the interest of down-sizing, I'm considering going to a sit-down machine, so I was hoping to hear from anyone that has made the trade, and are you happy you changed, or do you wish you had kept your longarm?

Also wondering about the learning curve going from one to the other.

Thanks!

I had a mid arm for a couple of years and the difference between the two is the sit down you have to move the quilt as you do in a domestic machine.

I have a SS sitdown & am thinking about upgrading to a longarm! LOL We can change our minds often!

I love the long arm method of quilting. Just think of drawing - do you move the pencil or the paper? You always move the pencil. Well, long arm quilting is like that - you draw with the needle onto your fabric. Much easier for me to do than trying to struggle with the quilt moving it under the needle - no matter what kind of 'sit down' machine it would be.

I love my longarm, I would hate to have to downsize.

I don't have either one but I have used both. I like the sit down better because I do not like loading the quilt on the frame. I would have quilt tops piled up waiting for me to load them on the machine, I would dread that part and put it off. Now that I use Elmer's to baste I don't mind basting at all for a sit down machine. I am very happy with my Brother 1500 on two tables in the L configuration set up. I am interested in testing the new Gammill Allure sit down system.

I would NOT do it unless it is physically necessary. One of the things I like best about a LA is the fact you no longer have to baste a quilt.

I can pin baste a queen size quilt on the HQ 16 leaders in about 20 mins. We live in a very small house and have it at one end of the living room.

Sorry don't have either one, just my DSM, which gives me headaches which bunching up the fabric. I have a large HQ frame. I wish for one, cause I know it would be easier. I then say, in the South we don't utilize quilts long enough cause of our short winters ( okay this one was a b==ch). With that said, I would love to be able to go somewhere to just try it out. But even at the price, if I make 100 quilts and send to a LA at about 150 a pop (guesstimating). Then that would be the same as a purchased one. So since I know I'll never get my monies worth. I'll stick to my DM.

I've thought about it a couple of times,(running out of room), but then remembered why I got my long arm. I was never able to get the hang of FM.

I know some one that bought a sitdown one for the smaller quilts that she does. She says she will use them both. its not completely unheard of. I think she said she did to many quilts again and had to balance it out for tax purposes by buying another machine...