Hi All...Im hoping for a little advise.

Im very curious about long-arm quilting. I know the long-arms are truly expensive and a purchase like that is not to be taken lightly.

I would like anyone who has purchased and used a long arm to give me a little background on their level of expertise when they decided to take the jump and try it.

The reason im asking is that I am truly hooked on quilting! Yes I know I have only done two quilts, but I know myself well enough to know when I love something and this, is one of a very short list.

With that being said,
Did it take you long to learn it and what level of a quilter would you have considered yourself when you decided to buy it?

You might want to join the homequiltingsystems group on Yahoo. They are a large and active group, and all of them quilt at home on different longarm setups. The rule-of-thumb advice on that group is to research longarm setups for a year before actually purchasing one, as there are a lot of possibilities. Also go to every quilt show you can to try out various setups yourself.

LOL as if you are talking about me. I started quilting about 1 1/2 year ago and got hooked with the first block. I have done many crafts (cross stitch, knitting, crochet) for many years but this is my best and i am so passionate about it, and yes i am the proud owner already of a long arm machine. Not a fancy commercial one but it does the job and i am loving it and enjoying finishing my own quilts. The feeling after i finish each quilt is undescribable and i keep looking at the quilt day and night like 10 times the next day and the day after....just love it.

Good luck and go for it and follow your passion :)

I'm partial to Gammill. Ive used Gammill's for years and bought a brand new one in 2006. I used it to rent to customers who wanted to Long Arm. Ive seen many students go on to become wonderful quilters. I bought a second one used a year later. My Husband had to rent a truck and go pick it up bring it back and reassemble himself. Gammill staff answered questions over the phone even though we bought it used! We have been pleased with both of those machines. Recently I sold my original Gammill to an employee for close to what I paid for it! I replaced with a new Gammill vision. I also upgraded our 2nd one to the vision system. I also now have 2 Statlers. Stitch regulated Gammills with a table start at $8995. Gammill offers easy financing. If you have a dealer near you. I'd go look at them right away. If you want to look at used check www.LongArmUniversity.com Good luck!

I was the 'weakest link' when I purchased my long arm and I'm still the 'weakest link'. But, my machine is strictly for my own pleasure. I never intended to do quilts to please anyone except me.

Thank you for that info! That is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!!

:thumbup:

LOLLLLL, yes I have that passion too! Funny thing you mentioned "finishing" it yourself which is exactly what I want. THANK you for the inspiration!

Your quilt is gorgeous!

I've been quilting since I was 16, and I'm now 28. I love quilting, and began to seriously look into getting a long arm for about 3 years. I have tried all types of machines, and multiple times each. Every time I went to a quilt show, I'd try all the machines, and write down pros/cons of each. Then I'd go home and research more. I've joined quite a few yahoo groups, and talked to tons of people.

So, after 3 years of serious thought, and MULTIPLE try outs of the machines, I've decided on the Nolting for me. So I'll be saving up for one, and in 2 years for my 30th birthday (or earlier) DH and I will be buying one.

I have also used one of my friends Noltings to quilt two charity quilts, so although I don't own one right now, I do know how they handle, and can say that I have quilted on one.

You need to find the one that's right for you. The one that I want, may or may not be the one for you!

Thanks for sharing that info, good to know for sure!

Thank you for that great advise!

And that is the only way to be! Thank you!

i knew i wanted a longarm within the first couple of months of quilting.

i hated quilting by moving the quilt and was never going to let someone else quilt my quilts for me.

i like to have total control over the project instead of allowing someone else to put their artistic voice on my work.


it took me about 12 months or so to find a used setup that i wanted.

i was a beginner when i got it since it was my first time ever using a longarm.

at this point i would consider myself advanced or professional since i make my living thru quilting.

My only true hobby is genealogy and I have been doing that for over 20 years. I knew immediately when I started, that I loved it. I feel the same way about quilting. I have tried other things, but nothing even comes close.

Funny thing, I have very fond memories of my grandmother making quilts, but I never even tried to sew until recently! It truly bit me and I will follow this passion! Thanks for sharing!

I have an HQ Avante and love it! I had zero experience when she arrived but have been able to do some passable quilting to finish my projects off.
I now give lessons on her and also rent out time for quilters to come and finish off their projects so that they can say they did it all. It is really great fun!

Search the previous topics to get more opinions.

Just buy the good thread/ no cheep stuff the long arm will not like it.thread is 16.00--to 28.00 round about.batting isn't cheep neither it goes up all the time. :|

Check with your quilt shops. My friend and I took a class on using the APQS. We now have rented times to go and do our own quilting. I love it. I have quilted five tops and ready to bind. Three of these have been laying around the house for a year waiting for me to get them done. Just purchased a new Janome. Have to wait to purchase a long arm.

I am in a similar same situation as you are. I have have embroidery machines and wanted to combine embroidery with quilting but am now I am looking at the whole experience and that includes a long arm machine. My problem would be space though. I told my DH that instead of a sewing room I need a sewing suite. Keep us posted on your search.
Daryl

I recently bought an Avante and we are fast becoming friends. I have completed nine quilts on it and my skills are becoming better - even did a quilt for a friend. It is a big expenditure to begin with, you need lots of space and good thread is costly. BUT the satisfaction from completing the whole thing - PRICELESS

Check out the brands, test drive and get the one that suits you

Started machine quilting on my Pfaff Grand Quilter, bought a Hinterburg frame, used the two of them together for about a year, then purchased a Voyager 17 to use. Took a while to get use to it, but am very happy with it. I quilt just for me and don't plan on trying to make any money using it.

I have been researching LA for about 6-8 months now, have it narrowed down to 2 or three but not ready to decide yet!

I "tried" out a longarm at every quilt show that had one available. I also was able to rent from a couple of the local quilt shops before I purchased. If there is any chance for you to do that, I'd recomend you do that. You have to pay for a class on the longarm and that class pays for itself when you get your own machine because you will feel more comfortable and not be afraid to get started. I know a couple of gals that bought and then never used their machine because they didn't know what to do. They ended up selling.

That is awesome to have other young quilters out there like me. This is good advice. I will use it as well when I finally have room and a place to longarm

No matter which machine you purchase, the vender will tel you PRACTICE,PRACTICE,PRACTICE. If you do this, your level increases dramatically. Love my Gammil.

All these replies telling you to do the research are exactly right. I joined several yahoo groups for machines I thought were the best for me. One had post after post with problems that were ongoing and very little manufacturer support. I marked that one off first. I was still a novice quilter and had never used a longarm other than trying them out at shows. I checked them out at quilt shops and shows. I researched for 1 1/2 years, 7 months ago I purchased an 18" Innova on a 12 ' frame. A wonderful machine and the frame is the best I have ever seen. I haven't taken lessons which I am sure is a better way. I am learning from a few good dvd's I purchased, great youtube videos and info I learn on this board. I have done probably 10 quilts now, have much to learn but lots of improvement as I go. I have several health hurdles, quilting is my therapy that actually works! Good luck.

As Mandyk said, practice and realize there is a learning curve. I agree with you and others that the quilt I make has to be all done by me. Good Luck to you!

I started quilting in 2006 and bought my longarm (26" Innova on 12' frame) at the end of 2009. Before that I quilted in sections, and that worked well on most quilts. I had no experience on the longarm when I bought it, and I really have not practiced as much as I should have since then. I do not quilt professionally - just my own quilts and some charity quilts for the guilds.

I haven't found thread to be all that expensive. My Innova loves this thread - http://metroemb.com/ - and the big spools (5500 yards) are $2.25. I have also used cheap Star thread with no problems (although it creates a lot of lint). Superior threads are on sale at all the machine quilting shows, and a cone lasts a long time. This may be something to consider when you look for a machine - whether it's fussy about threads or not.

I agree that I also realized after a few months that I love quilting and disliked shoving a large quilt through a small machine (especially when I started making queen and larger quilts). I also like total control from beginning to end, even though there are some excellent LA'ers out there.

I learned to use a LA at my LQS, where they taught a 4 hour class for a fee and then rented out the machine by the hour. They started with a basic older Nolting and then upgraded to a Gammill (neither had a stitch regulator), so I had experience with both those brands. I then tried a HandiQuilter and a Tin Lizzie.

On the recommendation of my new guild president (we moved), I went and tried an Innova and loved it. Mine is coming today and I can't wait. For now, I will only be quilting my own projects and maybe offer to quilt donation quilts for my guild. Not really thinking of going pro, at least not for a while.

Machine choice is definitely a personal one. You can buy a LA, or a machine that can do both, such as a Bernina 830, which costs about as much as a LA, but definitely go out and try different ones in your budget level.

Hi,
I would love to know more about your set-up as it sounds like what I want.
I don't like to quilt with my reg. machine. I have rented time on a long-arm to quilt several small quilts & really love it but I don't think I can justify the big price of that long-arm. I have abt. 14 quilt tops I need to get finished.
Can you write to me off line.
Thanks
Tessa-Rie

That is soooooooo pretty and you did such a great job in the quilting which is what I,m trying to learn.

Good questions! Great answers! Sure to help lots of us who dream of long arming!

I ordered my Innova 9 months after I learned to piece, and that was almost 3 years ago. I love the longarm process more than any other part!!! I had my machine set up 1 week when I had my first customer quilt on the frame :shock: and I haven't looked back yet. After 2 years of quilting I did finally take some quilting classes at Quilting with Machines in Huron, Ohio and that was so wonderful!

I love my Innova! Easy to use, 24/7/365 tech support, can use any thread Superior Threads makes as a top thread (even the ones they don't recommend as top thread) and I don't have to match my bobbin thread color to my top thread color, only need to oil in 1 place, fabulous frame with a dead bar so I never have to change the height of my rollers, and 3 active yahoo groups for any question I have. Oh, and it is attractively priced!!!

I would certainly suggest you join all the yahoo groups for any longarm you are thinking of purchasing...you will find the good, the bad and the ugly of the machines. Also check out what Renae Haddadin's article on questions to ask about the longarm you are considering at http://www.quiltsonthecorner.com/ and put "shopping for a longarm" in the search box on the upper right. You "buy" it but it is really free and contains fabulous information that is not directed to a specific brand of longarm.

Also, try out every brand you possibly can. I know that ABM International (located in Houston and makes the Innova) maintains a list of owners who are willing to have interested quilters come and play on their machines. A show is nice but you really don't get much time on the machine. Not every machine is right for every person!

If you have any questions about the Innova, just PM me and I'll be happy to talk with you about it. I am not a dealer or rep, just a very happy owner!

Thank you so much for the great info!!

I absolutely agree with you. Renae's article also helped me to decide on the Innova as well as the two yahoo groups.

Mine just arrived today and it is fun right from setup. I am going to my dealer's training class in St George a week from Monday. I can't wait. In the meantime, it's fun time!!!

My machine is the largest Innova [26"] with their top of the line stitch regulator (lightening stitch). However, it moves so lightly compared to the Gammill I used to rent time on at my old LQS. I love it! Right now it is for personal use only.

Hi Barb,

Tons of good advice for you here already - try out everything you can, talk to all the LA's you can, find out what they love and what they don't about their systems. LongArmUniversity has a section on questions to ask when researching your purchase, lots of good info! (http://www.longarmuniversity.com)

There are Yahoo discussion groups (Machine Quilting Professional, plus the followers of specific makes) to wade through.

Definitely look at the YouTube videos available - especially by Sharon Schamber, she has some excellent free tutorials on LA techniques. Watch some of Karen McTavish for her techniques, and also be sure to check out Leah Day's blog - she is working on a domestic machine not a long-arm but lots of good ideas for creating designs (http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com).

I've been quilting for a number of years, have been able to do more in the last couple of years. Definitely a fabriholic! Two years ago I purchased the Pfaff GrandQuilter and Imperial frame. The GrandQuilter is a 'mid-arm' - has a 9" harp. I love the frame but was completely frustrated working with the small area. Moved up to a Pfaff 18.8 this spring, and love it.

There aren't any dealers near me who sell anything else! So it was a pretty clear choice - if I wanted service nearby, which I do.

There's also http://www.quiltfrog.com/ in Texas where they have a variety of systems set up, and they do classes. So you'd get to spend some quality time with different systems and would hopefully be able to make a really informed choice. I only wish I was able to do this, never could make it work for me personally.

And then, you might also look at the automated/robotic systems - I got the QBot when I upgraded, and having lots of fun with it! I am doing a variety of freehand, QBot and ruler work on the quilts I'm working with ... having tons of fun!

I'm trying to do some quilting every day, to build the muscle memory to do freehand designs without getting lost. For the days you don't/can't quilt, draw!

For some fun design techniques, check out Zentangles
(http://www.zentangle.com/index.php) - amazingly adaptable to quilting :)

Good luck with your decision!
Cheers,
Linda

I had absolutely no expertise in longarm quilting and was very much the beginner as a quilter. I did some research on machines..bought a Gammill 26" Classic + in 2004 and haven't looked back. I was white knuckle for the first few months but soon learned it was a sewing machine..albeit a really big one. I started doing customer quilts after about 3 months..(brave souls they were to trust that I'd not make a disaster of their quilts). I worked hard to learn, read, took classes, practiced and practiced some more. I still love my job, work out of my home (huge cost savings there) and continue to practice (a lot of it by drawing designs I want to perfect over and over again)
I totally love the look on a clients face when she/he sees their quilt after I've completed the quilting. Would I do it again..absolutely.
BUT and it's a big but, if you are considering buying a machine to do the quilting on your own quilts..you can pay a longarm quilter for doing a lot of your quilts when you consider the price of these high end machines. On the other hand, you may want to quilt for others as well as yourself. Do the research, how many other longarm quilters in your area, how many quilt guilds in your area where you may pick up new clients, can you afford to travel to major Machine quilting shows to take classes, are there fabric shops in your area (potential clients there)?
If I had it to do it again, I would not hesitate to buy a well kept used machine, go to those shows and test drive the machines. I was lucky, I got a great machine, have built a good business and after 7 yrs I'm looking forward to another 7 yrs.
Good luck, sorry to be so wordy.

I just bought the fabric yesterday to make this quilt. You did a great job.