My sweet husband said I can get a LA machine for our 30th anniversary! Yeah! Don't know where to start!! Any advise on machines - what feature you LA's like/don't like? Thanks!

That is just fabulous!!! What a nice hubby! HAPPY 30th and have fun!!
Sorry, I have no advice b/c I don't have one!!

That is exciting. Go to the quilt shows and test drive every machine they have set up. I have a Gammill Classic and it is a really good machine. I'm now looking at an
A-1 only because I like the drive better.

Do a search using the search feature above. There will be quite a lot of reading.

Kathy gave you good advice: Drive them all. This is like buying a car. What works for someone else, may not be a good fit for you. Here are features that I would insist on (and why) if I were to buy again.

Stitch regulator:speeds up the learning process and you get a great stitch from the beginning.

Handles that change positions: this will save your body. LA quilting is very physical.

Hydraulic lift: again, this is to save your body. Sometimes just an inch up or down every hour or so makes all the difference in the world.

Great dealers: they don't have to be in your back yard, just available by phone if you need them. Most LAs are user maintainable and repairable.

With this said, I LOVE my A-1 and would buy one again.

Go tst drive a few of them. I love my Tin Lizzie.

Join the yahoo groups for home quilting systems and read, read read as well as drive.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/homequiltingsystems/

There is a long arm show in Huron, Ohio next week. If you are able to go, test drive all the machines and see which one fits you best. It is call Quilting with Machines if you google it.

I have a HandiQuilter, and I love it! Do test some machines if you can~

I have a prodigy and it runs great. Definetly test drive them all tho if u can. I went to the machine show and they were all on display.