Originally Posted by OdessaQuilts
Originally Posted by Boston1954
This is the kind of thing that keeps me from going to a professional. The other is that I cannot afford it anyhow.....
I have a friend who only charges a penny an inch; VERY reasonable for machine quilting, I think, and she does a lovely job. I wish I could get more business to her so she can make a profit. If not, the IRS will consider her business a "hobby" (a pretty expen$ive one, when you consider how pricey those longarm machines can get), and I don't want that to happen to her. It would just devastate her.
And I don't think you should be concerned about hiring a pro ... if you check out their work, you should be comfortable with the skill/quality you see, and be happy with the price, too.
HTH,
Odessa
I purchased a Grace Pinnacle Frame with a Babylock Quilt Pro Choice ... DON"T DO IT! ... The woman was snowing you, and not making good sense because it doesn't make good sense!
The price range is something like $3500 for the frame and the machine, and I can GUARANTEE that you can get a bigger mid arm machine and frame for just a bit more ... trust me (like someone who has done what I don't want you doing <g>) it is worth the wait to buy the mid-arm .... and the INNOVA long arm is only about three times as much as what I paid for my package ... the best thing you can do as you are looking is to actually sew on every machine, every size you can get your hands on (or make friends with someone who has) ... the more you use one (test drive them), the more you will know and understand about what can or cannot be done with the various brands and types of quilting machines and frames. <wave>