There is definitely a learning curve with a longarm and they can be intimidating, but I guarantee that you will get better with each and every quilt you load. I have a small Gammill (Vision 18/8 on a 10 foot frame) and love it. I do quilt for the public and have more business than I actually want. I would recommend attending the two day course that came with my machine even though I had to travel and stay in a hotel. It was well worth it and got me off to a good start.