a little trick I discovered while quilting with my short arm machine. (The bobbin case broke)
It was that I could sew baste it by hand and then take it off the frame and free motion quilt and it worked great!
If you have a LQS in your neighborhood, they may lit you use the long arm frame to sandwich and then sew baste (by hand) then you wouldn't be using their machine. Maybe they won't charge you a whole arm and leg!