I have had a midarm, a longarm and a new longarm. My one recommendation is for you to buy some muslin (or twin sheets at Walmart - $5.00 each) and some cheap batting and PRACTICE before you put a quilt top on. They take practice....I still do that and I've quilted over 1 1/2 yrs. I practice different designs.......I practice basic meandering at first. Now, I draw a block on or a sashing -- to size of the quilt I'm going to do and practice the design first.