MNQuilter

Karen, which LQS do you go to? I'm always looking to visit new ones and travel thru that area occasionally.

kbiederman

It will be an investment for sure, its not cheap. It is more designed for people that have multiple quilt tops that they would like to do. The first class is 25$, the second is 60$, plus another 50$ for your own zippers and a practice sandwich for your second class. Then, you schedule when you would like to rent it, and it is 40$ for the first two hours, and about 9$ for ever half hour after that. However, that is a small price to pay to not have to spend many many more frustrating hours trying to shove and manipulate it through my small machine! I go to my LQS is Silver Lane Quilters, wonderful people there!

sabrinaquilts

I learned to long arm with my LQS for the same reasons. I just got tired of not being able to solve the problem of so much puckers on the backing. Of course I always expect some but it seemed like with each quilt I FMQ the puckers kept increasing. I realize that it is my sandwiching process. I can't be on the floor anymore and clamping the layers to the table was the problem. My quilts are large. Unclamp and reclamp to unpinned areas were where most of my problems were. I learned on a Handy Quilter 16. Which long arm machine did you learn on Kbiederman?

Luckynumber7

That's great that you're enjoying it. I would like to learn someday. My LQS used to have a long-arm that you could rent by the hour after you took a class, but they sold it before I had the chance to learn. :(

Candace

Personally, I'd love to do this. I wish my LQS offered it, but all they have is a megaquilter, so they're not even set up with a long-arm:

DebraK

Wonderful! I wish I was with you ;-)

JanetM

Hi Karen,

I was just at my LQS and the owner was showing me her new longarm machine. She plans to offer classes to teach us how to use it. She will require that we buy the leaders for approx. $90. and the classes will cost approx. $110. After we do this, the machine will be available for rent for $15 hourly. Is this is line with the cost at your LQS?

How is it going for you. Easier or harder than you thought? I'm interested to hear about your experience. ;)

dsb38327

I think I would be nervous to use someone else's equipment since the machine is so very expensive. I don't know anything about them, it is just my thought.

franie

You are gonna love it! I can tell already!

lucylockett

I was just at my LQS and the owner was showing me her new longarm machine. She plans to offer classes to teach us how to use it. She will require that we buy the leaders for approx. $90. and the classes will cost approx. $110. After we do this, the machine will be available for rent for $15 hourly. Is this is line with the cost at your LQS?

How is it going for you. Easier or harder than you thought? I'm interested to hear about your experience.

JanetM,
I had my first longarm machine class today. The was from 9am-1pm and cost $50. We watched a video on Handiquilter and the shop owner stopped it from time to time and we went to her HQ longarms for some hands-on. I enjoyed the class and learned a lot! We will have to purchase our own leader cloth (in the long run it saves money when we can sew/pin our quilt pieces to the leader at home before we get to the shop). She charges $15/hour to use the longarm-same as your LQS. We also have to purchase our own needles and bobbins to use each time we come in. Finances won't permit me to make the plunge right now, but I enjoyed learning about it anyway!