So here is what I suggest, find a quilting friend to go with you, and book the machine together, That way you have help especially for loading and if you forget anything, it would be faster to spitball with someone else that standing there scratching your head.

I have done both, and with my physical capabilities anything over a twin pretty much would get tied or SID, which for some are okay, but having the use of the long arm has opened up a whole new ball of wax, and I save a lot of time doing it on the big one, no more sandwiching it (which I have a hard time finding the space to do especially with the animals around)

My mom came for a visit last summer and from what she saw of the machine to start with she thought it was a lot of work, she then helped load a couple and did the quilting on one of them, which was pretty funny to watch, she did a good job on it even though at the time she was using the machine she thought it was going to be so much worse, and after it she said if she was closer I wouldn't have to quilt anything ever again.

So for cost and time wise, things to consider, how would you do the quilt either way, and the different looks that they would give. which one will you be more happy with?

Cost of the quilting machine compared to how many quilts that you would be doing on it, it is a big lay out for the machine (not that everyone is buying one) to only do one or even two a month, so really is it that expensive to rent one? plus the space it takes up,

Time wise, which will take you longer?

If you were all closer I could give you a better deal to use mine, but I am also m=not trying to make a living at it,

There is a LQS near me that does this - same price for lessons, but they charge by the half day after that. They have two machines and when you rent your half day you can use them both. They insist you use the zippers. I have not done this, but watched and asked lots of questions, then went out a bought a long arm.

I own a short arm Gambill, it was used but does what I need it to do. I pin in the qult. It usually takes me 2 1/2 -3 hours to do a queen size and 45 minutes after pinning to do a baby quilt. I stipple. I'm in my element when I'm quilting.

Kathy, I'm with you on this. My LQS has a rental of LA and they recommended buying 2 sets of zippers. The zippers are a great idea for saving time. Time really goes by fast and you don't get
much quilting done in an hour or two.
I took a class and rented the LA for $30.00 an hour. My problem is that it takes more than 1-2 tries to get the quilting
correct. If the LA is temperamental then you're spending money and not getting alot out of the practice session.
Machines seem to know an inexperienced operator. The Pantograms are great for learning to quilt. Eiltcoq.

lots of great info here.

I own a Tin Lizzie LS18. We charge $65.00 for training and $15.00 per hour, so I think that's a little high. Do they also have fabric for sale, if so I would think their prices should be a little lower.

You actually create a project as you learn. From teh example they had hanging up, it looks like a whole cloth quilt with a simple all over design. the example in the shop was kind of loops with stars scattered in it.

Thank you. That sounds great! It will be nice to actually go home with something just created. I wonder how many people want to go back the very next day to do their own stuff? I'd be afraid I would lose what I just learned, so going back ASAP would be really good for me.

Expect to put in a full 8 hours at least on a Queen size excluding loading time with just a plain edge to edge panto.

Gammills are a lot different than tin lizzies.

Check out Linda Taylor's website and see what she charges.
I tried to charge $20 an hour and no fee for training but no business. Everyone out here prefers to fight with their domestics so I have sold my machine.