cowgirlquilter

Best of luck with your decision. I will watch this thread as I am interested in the machine as well.

nhweaver

Look for one on Ebay, or craigslist type of resale. Alot of people bought LAQ setups and never used them. Let us know how this progresses. I would love to get a LAQ, but would have to rearrange a bedroom - my sewing room is an attic nook, and I love the cozyness.

IraJane

Yes, it is a long arm. I have mine set up at the full length of 10', and have a friend with her's set up at 8'. Neither of us did much quilting on our Bernina machines and learned to long arm in a shop with a commercial machine. It was hard to work in a time to go to town and quilt large quilts. We do a little quilting for others so earn a little back-helps buy thread and support the habit. We both had the space and figured with eventually pay for it in convience-should have kept track of how many items I've quilted and what that would have cost me.

G'ma Kay

One gal on here uses whole cloth printed fabric to practice on. Makes awesome looking baby quilts with her quilting accenting the prints. Just a thought.

Annaquilts

I have a Janome 6500 and have used an HQ Sweet Sixteen. Since you have the Janome 6600 I would use that. I made many quilts, including CalKing 10x10 feet, and quilted them on the Janome 6500. I like the feel of it better then the HQ Sweet Sixteen. Also you might want an longarm instead of another sit down model. I did and got a 26 in. Innova long arm on a 12 foot frame.

Annaquilts

Yes, I believe the HQ 16, mid arm with 16 in. opening on a frame, is no longer made.This is the one you do not have to baste your quilts.

The HQ Sweet Sixteen is a sit down model and fairly new and can not be used on a frame. It is a different type of machine then the plain HQ 16. You will move the quilt not the machine and you use it sitting down. It will be like doing free motion on the Janome 6600 but you have a much larger opening. You will still need to baste your quilts.

Many people that can not accomodate a long arm and frame might opt for this , artists with smaller quilts or people who are physically limited from using a long arm on a frame (standing).

Craigslist is flooded with HQ 16 on a frame and many people did not like the it but really like the mid arm Avante 18 in. or the long arm Fusion 24 in. made also by HQ, Handi Quilter. Both of the these are on frames.

From what I understand the inches in the opening determine if it is long arm, above 18 in., or short arm, 18 and below.

If you are going to spend the money on a long arm getting the bigger opening is what is more desirable but also will increase cost significantly.

As for holding its value I do not think the HQ16 on frame did but I think the HQ Sweet Sixteen will have a good resale value.

linhawk

I bought one without learning on my home machine. Love it, love the stitch regulator. Also bought the extension sides. It was a pleasure not struggling on my DSM.
No room for a LA but didn't want one anyway. I like to sit and quilt. It is a mid arm so the quilting is just like you would do on your DSM.
My quilts are just for family and some friends and they not perfect quilts.. but the receivers love them,
and I didn't want to put out so much money for a LAer if I could do it myself.
If you can afford it, I say go for it. And practice makes perfect.
Besides that it's FUN!

Annaquilts

I quilted for 8 yrs on my Janome 6500 and took like fish to water to the HQ Sweet Sixteen because the HQ Sweet Sixteen works similar to doing free motion on your sewing machine only it has a larger opening . Since my Janome is smoother in free motion I think it helped me. Also I do not need to stitch regulator on the HQ Sweet Sixteen and I like it better.

Now as for going from a Janome 6500 to a long arm on frame, it is a whole new learning curve. You use it differently and move the machine instead of the quilt. I just got my longarm and I am still learning. I do feel my experience on the Janome 6500 helped me tremenduously.

maggiek

I have the sit down HQ Sweet 16 and it is fabulous for those of us who don't have the space for long arm frame or prefer to sit down to quilt. It works like a domestic machine so that you move the quilt rather than moving the machine. There is now a stitch regulator available for it but I haven't tried it. It is so much easier to quilt when there is plenty of space to move the fabric around. I recommend trying it out and seeing if you like it but I think mine is certain worth the money.

Annaquilts

Definitely check out this brand if you are going for a long arm.