Have ya got a few minutes? I'll tell my story...could be a little long though. I bought my A-1 in 2006 when I was working as a nurse part time. I was going to have a business so when my part time client went off to Kindergarten, I would have the business from home. I was driving 104 miles a day to work and the idea of not doing that was very appealing. I lived on a ranch in East Texas and we raised goats. Surprisingly in about 6 months I had 10-15 clients. Many older people in town dug out their old (and I do mean OLD) quilt tops and had me quilt them. This was a little town of 2000 people but San Angelo was much larger and 52 miles away. I joined the Guild in San Angelo and had some clients there also. I thought everything was going according to plan until the morning my ex husband told me he had filed for divorce. I had no idea....I never saw it coming. I was dumbstruck to say the least. He could not give me a reason so you know what that meant...
So me and this 12 foot longarm had to move! I moved all the way to El Paso Texas because both my elderly parents were here. They have since passed away but I thank God each day for the time I was able to give them thanks to, of all things, a divorce!
Well...now I had to go to work full time because I had had to purchase a house! I did buy one with a room large enough to house my longarm though. I joined the Guild here and dabbled around at having a business but I was working 12 hour night shift and I didn't have much energy left for quilting.
In late 2009 I remarried and my husband wanted me to be at home if I wanted to be. Oh joy oh joy, it took me 5 minutes to turn in my notice! Now I went at it hard and heavy but it was such a slow go! Remember it takes YEARS to build up a clientele and also remember that it is feast and famine. One month I may have 15 quilts and the next month, none.
I am now saving up every penny so I can purchase a Gammill Statler Stitcher and my A-1 is for sale CHEAP! If it doesn't sell I will be trading it in. I really enjoy being in the business. Is it stressful? Yes. You have someone else's hard work in your hands and there are so many things that can go wrong. But the feeling I get when that top becomes a beautiful quilt is like none other. Of course I have a bout ten tops of my own that need quilting but you know what they say, "the cobblers children have no shoes". I have enjoyed reading everyone's stories here, thanks for posting! Michelle
Last edited by Michellesews; 06-09-2015 at 11:32 AM.