Originally Posted by
Sharonquilts
Interesting thread. But I have a question. Other than the obvious larger throat, why buy a long arm? I've read this thread and others on this board and everyone comments on how much work is involved with a long arm (i.e. how physically hard they are to use). I'm hoping this Fall to find a local quilt show and try a long arm so I better understand the advantages.
Thank you for sharing!
There are several big advantages for me. I don't have to make the quilt sandwich, so I'm not crawling around on the floor trying to pin or spray. Because you have such a large quilting area, your quilting can go much faster. I have found that my hand-eye coordination is much better moving the pencil (machine) compared with moving the paper (quilt). As far as the machines being physically hard, it's all relative. If you get a quality machine and an appropriate frame, I think it's
much less strain and effort to use a long arm as opposed to wrestling a quilt thru a domestic machine's harp. If the machine & frame are well balanced, it's pretty easy to move. But it is a repetitive motion. Doing any repetitive activity for an extended period of time is going to cause problems. Frequent breaks help. Also, learning that you don't really need to have a 'death grip' on the handles is a must. A light touch is really all you need. Most frames are adjustable, so you should have it set up at the best ergonomic height for you. Also you are standing, so an anti fatigue mat is a big help, and many folks use wheeled dental or draftsman's chairs.