iIm not a long armer but I heard that machines are meant to go left to right, i took instruction at a long arm training center where I was able to rent a machine by the hour. I used a pantograph so just sewed in rows. When I got to the right side I clipped the thread and went back to the left and started the next row. That was my only experience with long arming. Decided I would continue to quilt by check!