I quilt most of them myself: first on a DSM with a 6 1/2" harp and then starting three years ago, a Tiara II sit-down with a 16" harp. I was successful on the DSM doing meander and cross hatch grid, but the harp space made FMQing too dense for my taste. I love the Tiara and don't have the room for a long arm except the basement, and I feel like I couldn't justify the price unless I did it for a business, which would take all the joy out of it for me. Now that I am retired, I don't want the stress of trying to please others LOL I meet monthly with other Tiara owners at the shop I purchased it from and have learned a lot. I do a decent job and am happy with my progress and results. My husband installed a suspension system for me so the drag is minimal and I sandwich on a ping pong table in the basement with temporary adhesive. I still occasionally have quilts done by a long armer, but that is mostly due to time constraints or size.

At the prices charged here in northern Montana, I could buy a HQ Sweet Sixteen for the price of having 20 quilts done at a long armer. I bought the Sweet Sixteen and have taken several classes. Love it. It takes practice to get stitches even. I used to try do them on my sewing machine.

I've not done hand quilting, but I have machine quilted myself and I've also employed a long armer. I like machine quilting smaller pieces but anything else goes to the long armer as I just don't enjoy doing a quilt on my normal sewing machine.

I do all 3. Some I do on my regular machine. I have a longarm that I was given. I am not very good at it yet so I only do charity quilts right now. I have 2 longarm quilters that I use. One is less expensive and does a good job. My other longarm quilter is really good but costs a little more so she does my best quilts.

My first quilt was hand quilted (because I did not know any other way), then I send next few to be quilted, some beautifully done by Charisma. Then I discovered FMQ, bought Juki 2010 and now I do my own quilting. I do enjoy searching and figuring out a way to quilt. Still learning though. My quilts are for family and friends and my quilting is good enough for my quilts. Thinking recently of learning to do FMQ with rulers.

Before I got my HQ, I did smallish projects on my DSM.

I did have a few quilts sent out to be quilted too.

I hate trying to figure out what quilting would look good and that is why I have an amazing long armer that hasn't disappointed me yet. Also I'm a go big or go home kind of gal and most of my quilts are queen size or better.

I started out handquilting, then did a few on my domestic machine, then moved to a longarm and begin taking in customer quilts.

Normally I do throw size and smaller with my DSM and then it's only Grids on the slant.
I did do a grid on twin size for a Xmas present this past Xmas. Me too, never again.
My machine is 14 yrs old, per my service person the longevity of my machine is 10-15 yrs.
I do have a full size top done going to the long armer in a couple of weeks.
I probably send one a year to the L.A.

I’ve always quilted them on my own machine starting with a king size quilt, I quilted with a walking foot on my little 80s singer sewing machine. I didn’t know any better, so I just did it.

Now, I have a Janome 6600 and it’s a dream to use a walking foot or FMQ on it. Since FMQ is my favorite part of quilting, Last year I bought a used sweet sixteen sit down machine. It’s almost as easy as the 6600 and the large throat is a really nice. I haven’t decided yet if this was a wise purchase or not.

you can really save a lot of money by doing your own quilting. Walking foot quilting is easy to learn and produces good results. Leah Day has a new book and block of the month where she teaches walking foot quilting.

Good luck