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I did a LOT of looking before I purchased my longarm machine. I looked on the Web and had the same problem - no comparison site and no stores that have different brands. After finding current longarm quilters in my area, I called them and asked them if I could come by and look at their machines. They all said I could, so I went to three or four places and actually tried out the machines and talked to the owners. I ended up getting a Gammill about 3 or 4 years ago and LOVE it. While it is one of the most expensive, it is well worth it in my opinion - you have a year and a half to save for it!! :) Also, the suggestion about quilting shows is a good one. I have been to several quilt shows that had different brands to look at. I liked talking to current owners though to give me an idea of how the machines actually worked rather than listening to salespeople!! Good luck!
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Originally Posted by CasaManana
Try these:
The comment I hear over and over is be aware of how the sides of the quilt are tensioned to the frame. Some frames seem to have really ungainly attachments, and it takes a very long time to get those sides hooked on. Other frames have figured out the problem, and getting the side tensions attached is very easy. These are from a quick google search - "Compare long arm and mid arm quilting machines" It is organized by Home Machine, Midarm, Longarm, ;Three videos about machine ... online and then get together over coffee to compare quilting notes! .... Crazy Quilt Embroidery: Crazy quilting is the type of embroidery I do the most of ... www.squidoo.com/sewing-machines We do the research so you don't have to. Sewing Machine Reviews www.consumersearch.com/sewing-machines |
i didn't buy a gammill 1. because of the price and 2. because of my age - i'm 73. would never have gotten it paid for. if i were 40 or so, then i would have. i think the tin lizzie will work ok for me. i think i'll rename her also, anybody have any suggestions?
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excellent point, shelley. i'm only 5'2" and the 18" is about my limit. any further would definitely be wasted on me. this is true from both sides. about the hydraulic lift, that really bumps up the price even though it's a great option. i've gotten used to manually lifting and what i never had i can't miss. (i can wish, though) altogether i'm happy with what i have and don't plan to ever go higher in quality/performance. it does what it's supposed to. as a professional, you neeeed it every day. or you'd have real back problems. Interesting. Because I'm taller and have a long reach, I don't believe I'll be limited with the size. That's if I can ever get someone to let me test drive the darn machines. :) |
i think it also should be mentioned that almost all the manufacturers will let you upgrade to a higher end machine. that is, take your machine back and give you credit toward a higher end one. what they do is bring your used one up to snuff and resell as reconditioned, but i don't know if you can use your credit toward a reconditioned one. you might have to put it toward a brand new one only. still it's something to think about for the future. you should certainly ask.
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Originally Posted by sewweary
When I retired and started to quilt, I quilted a couple by hand, then I tried quilting by regular machine,never again.I started looking for a quilting machine. I purchased a Mega Quilter with the frame.Not long after I started having trouble. The machine is difficult to thread with a quilt on the frame.The maching leaves jump stitches and you can only quilt 3 to 4 inches before you have to roll the quilt. I guess that was fine for me then but now I guess I have graduated because now I am looking for a long arm to quilt larger areas and designs. Yes I am sorry I purchased the mega quilter.
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Originally Posted by butterflywing
i think it also should be mentioned that almost all the manufacturers will let you upgrade to a higher end machine. that is, take your machine back and give you credit toward a higher end one. what they do is bring your used one up to snuff and resell as reconditioned, but i don't know if you can use your credit toward a reconditioned one. you might have to put it toward a brand new one only. still it's something to think about for the future. you should certainly ask.
donna |
Originally Posted by Candace
excellent point, shelley. i'm only 5'2" and the 18" is about my limit. any further would definitely be wasted on me. this is true from both sides. about the hydraulic lift, that really bumps up the price even though it's a great option. i've gotten used to manually lifting and what i never had i can't miss. (i can wish, though) altogether i'm happy with what i have and don't plan to ever go higher in quality/performance. it does what it's supposed to. as a professional, you neeeed it every day. or you'd have real back problems. Interesting. Because I'm taller and have a long reach, I don't believe I'll be limited with the size. That's if I can ever get someone to let me test drive the darn machines. :) |
Originally Posted by dojo36
Originally Posted by butterflywing
i think it also should be mentioned that almost all the manufacturers will let you upgrade to a higher end machine. that is, take your machine back and give you credit toward a higher end one. what they do is bring your used one up to snuff and resell as reconditioned, but i don't know if you can use your credit toward a reconditioned one. you might have to put it toward a brand new one only. still it's something to think about for the future. you should certainly ask.
donna |
I did research on the web, watched videos, and started looking for local dealers so I could test drive some machines. I found a quilt show that was carrying the machines I was interested in, arrived to the show early (before the big crowds), and tried them all!! You do have to be patient sometimes to get a turn on the machine, but it is worth it. You need to decide which features are important to you. Its a matter of personal preference. My top features were stitch regulator, minimal vibration and a big table, so I could do large quilts. Channel locks and thread cutters didn't interest me. Shopping at the shows is also great because there are always deals available, and you get a feel for the customer service. Good Luck!!
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