Originally Posted by
Morag
OK ! What is the difference between a mid-arm and a long-arm machine. I would like to buy a quilting machine but have no idea what to buy and then there is ...... mid- arm and long- arm to consider too!!!
A long arm is 18" or longer, while a mid arm is ~10-17" in length. It depends on what type of quilting you want to do and how much room you have. You can research both types online.
I personally have a 26" Innova with a stitch regulator (controls the stitches) and a 12 ft wide table. There are many brands of midarms and longarms. Decide on your needs and see what works for you. I used to rent time on a Nolting and then a Gammill at my old LQS, but when we retired and moved, I had room for my own and selected what worked for me. Some smaller midarms/longarms also come as a sit-down table system these days as well as being able to buy a higher end Bernina, which has a frame that you could put it on as a separate purchase.