The quilting down is the thorn in my projects. I really like the designing and piecing phase, not so much the quilting. I had access to a friend's long arm for several years and now that I'm spoiled, I no longer have access. I find that I am much happier moving the head/myself on a long arm than I am moving the quilt around with a tabletop machine. I do have a machine with a lovely big throat (sadly it has to go the shop) and although it could, I don't want to do anything larger than a twin on it and most of my unfinished projects now are queen sized. For years I did simple grids and curves on queen sized projects with fancier stuff in the borders using my old vintage machine but I honestly just don't want to wrestle with fabric any more. Without a long arm, I just can't really get what I want out of my quilting with my skill set and my equipment.
Last year I ran an ad on Craig's List, chatted with a couple of people but it didn't work out. Was going to try again when all this Covid stuff hit and I don't see it happening in the Seattle area this year, but I am looking to rent time on a home long arm set up on a regular basis. I'm willing to pay, but I can't really afford shop rates -- I'm looking at 2 days per month at $100, and of course I provide all the necessary thread, needles, batting, etc. and no training by the owner, and they can supervise me if they wish/until we are comfortable. Ideally it would be a win/win situation, like someone who travels regularly and would like a pet sitter, I can do both at the same time. Or just someone who isn't using their machine as much as they thought/could use a few bucks they aren't getting by quilting for other people.
We are going to buy a freezer with our stimulus check and fill it full of meat and vegies. We're not sure if I will get one or not, we do file taxes jointly and I report a small amount of interest income but I haven't worked in a few years. If we get anything for me too, I think I'm going to pay to get a quilt or two done -- the question is, which one(s)? Wouldn't be more than 2. Ones that I want to give or ones that I want to keep...
Other than that, I keep trying to win the lottery so I can buy the house across the street and turn this entire 1200 sf house into sewing studio. Ahh... lottery dreams...