I have no desire to quilt for others but I would like others (I know not you since you live in Florida) to try out and use my machine if they would like.

I bought one of the more inexpensive longarms 2 1/2 years ago. Life got in the way, so I have just now set it up and did my first quilt today. Ah yes, practice, practice, practice. Anyhow, I've been making quilt tops to practice on and then, of course, the "good" ones for later on. If I do all I have made, and do the ones I have fabric for, I will have roughly 60% of the cost back by not sending my quilts out. And I'm sure I will do more than just those quilts! I don't intend to hire out, because that all seems so stressful, but might rent the machine to some friends. We will see.

I bought a HQ Sweet Sixteen Sitdown and so far I love it. It isn't quite like quilting with a domestic machine, but I don't have to fight to get the quilt through the throat of the machine. I was never really interested in getting one with a frame. I think putting a quilt on the frame would be alot of work,plus I like to sit down to do my quilting. The Sweet Sixteen is around $5000. Everyone is different so a longarm may not be for you.

I can't afford it, don't have room for it, and don't hold interest in one area long enough to justify it. I'm happy with my current equipment.

I would love to try one out, too, but could never justify the cost. I don't want to quilt for other people and, as others have said, I could send them out since I don't make that many quilts.

****Maybe I should mention that I have 24 grandchildren that I should probably make quilts for!

I prefer to send mine out to be quilted. I do not have the room, the money, and I am too old to do that sort of thing anyway. I will continue to send them out to be quilted and keep my long-armer in business. As someone ask, they cost any where fgrom $10,000 upwards depending on how many bells and whistles.

Really loading the quilt isn't as difficult as you may think. I got Red Snappers and that really cut down on the time involved. I am in no way connected to Renae Haddidan.

http://quiltsonthecorner.com/inc/sdetail/204/4359

from a basic almost long arm of $5,000 up to a prima donna computerized one of about $30,000!

for me it was a matter of being the one doing all the work.

i didn't want my art to be a collaborative piece - this is also why i only do original designs and not patterns on the market.

i prefer to do everything from dyeing the fabric, to cutting it, to piecing, and finally quilting.