It takes me longer than 2-4 hours to do a queen size quilt. Of course, if you're doing a large meander and either use large stitches or set the machine really fast, maybe it could be done. But there again, I don't tend to hurry through just to get it done and out of the machine. But this is just my opinion and my way of doing things.

We do our community quilts on a mid arm set up and it is time consuming to get everything loaded if you aren't using zippers. I have helped my friend with a quilt on her older Gammil LA and it took us probably close to an hour to get a King sized loaded and another 4 hours to quilt it following a simple fairly open pantograph. After working on these set-ups I now understand why our LAer's charge what they do. LA quilting is not a quick or easy process and there is definately a lot of learning involved.

Zipping your queen quilt on and doing a simple meander will probably take no less than 3 and no more than 5 hours. Well worth your time and investment to learn if you are planning on continuing to do quilts on the LA. Your skills will become better and you'll want to do more complex designs so the time element will most likely not decrease and as Charisma stated will take a full day or more.--you gotta take breaks too :)

It all depends on what size longarm, and design. My longarm is 18" so I have to roll more often. I also have it set up in my house so can take breaks whenever I want, which is too often. I use Red Snappers to load and absolutely love them, I bought zippers but hadn't sewn them on yet when I discovered the Red Snappers, so will probably never use the zippers.

If I were renting a longarm I'm sure I could get a queen done in 4-6 hours.

Our local quilt shop has the Gammill Statler machine's with the computer. While I am loading the quilt, the staff scrolls through the designs, I pick one and then it is programmed to do the design. Loading takes the longest portion of time. I have done queen-sized quilts in 2.5 hours, king-sized in 3.5 hours.

It sounds like something I would like to do for special quilts! Thanks for the feedback.
Janet

If you live in NH or Norhtern Ma Bits and Pieces rents out their long arm http://www.bnpquilts.com/customquilting.html - theirs are a flat rate and they help you...I think I am going to do my King there...110.00 seems so much but...if I bought a King size quilt it would be that much or more...or so I told the hubby...

I just did my first quilt on a rented long arm. The quilt was 52 x 65. I did a pano and it took me 2 1/2 hours. That was because I was fairly slow since this was my first quilt. The machine was a Gammill and I loved it. I really expect to get faster with practice.
Sue

O.k now you have all got me wondering if there is a LA in my area to rent. I have taken all my quilts to a friend of mine and she does great work but only meanders. Someday (or so my hubby said) i will get my own LA so this would give me not only different designs but experience as well..:)

We rent out our LA and customers have done a queen size with all over meandering and simple designs in 4-6 hours. We do not use zippers but do have the gripper rods so loading is very fast. We do make sure that we are always on hand just in case something does not go to plan (some quilts have more personality than others! lol)
Good Luck you will have a fab time and I am sure that having a quilt that you have completely finished yourself will only add to the experience