I purchased a Gammill Primier secondhand 10 years ago but was working 72 hours/wk until 1/13. I have now started quilting all the pieced tops from over the yrs and am so enjoying the process. I have quilted one charity quilt, many gift quilts and my own but have little desire to start another business. I have friends that quilt professionally and I certainly understand the working from home aspect; however, they have more stress than I want in my life at this point.

I keep practicing and practicing on mine, friends and family, but never feel quite ready to charge for my services. Does that make me a whimp?

I own an A-1 22" on a 12 ft frame and it's for me and me alone. I quilted something for a friend for practice but that's all I am doing. I have enough to keep me busy.

I looked for years .....my sister bought a quilting machine [ that had a limited amount of space you could quilt in not a long arm ] so i found one that i could do a 12 block on point ....love it ...bought it in 2010 ....so far i have quilted over 600 quilts most for charity a few for family and friends ...and just enough for others to keep me in thread....and now that i am writing this i don't think that i have even quilted one for me ....lol this could be the year ....

I have a Longarm, but I do mostly quilting for myself. I got tired of doing stitch in the ditch quilting, plus I do 3-4 commission t-shirt quilts each year and they are a bugger to quilt on a domestic machine. Having really bad osteoarthritis in my knees also makes it painful for me to sandwich my quilts on the living room floor these days. I've yet to attempt to do anything more fancy than a simple meandering stitch. I also make several charity quilts for Project Linus, and I much prefer using my longarm.

I have a Gammill and quilted for other for 8 years until my shoulders got too sore from the machine. There's a lot less stress by just doing my quilts now, and I have much more time to quilt/sew my own stuff. However, the machine is paid in full, so my husband can't complain, because I paid it off with the money I made from quilting for others. Just to let you know, I'm not the only one who as shoulder pain from the Gammill. They are heavy! I've heard of other LAQ who had to give up their business too because of shoulder pain.

I am ready to purchase my first longarm, I have decided on the Innova but torn between the 22" and the 26". What made you choose the 22" on the 12" frame.

What would you have changed knowing the shoulder pain in your earlier days of quilting on the longarm, I am looking to start for just myself but want to make sure I pick the right machine.

I picked the 12 ft frame for 2 reasons. Largest I could get in my room...and I dont' want to make quilts so big I need a 14 ft table. I picked the 22 inch over the 26 inch because my Gammill before had a larger throat. When I got to the back of the quilting area, I bent at the waist to reach. Every time I did that, I tweeked my back. I would rather roll more than not sleep well with a tweeky back. 12 frame w/ 22 in throat was right for ME. What will be right for YOU?


PS try as many as you can. My Innova, Jane, is very lightweight and I have no problems using what ever thread I like to try.

I only quilt for fun on my LAM. I do my own and for friends and family. On a rare occasion I will do one for commission.

I found I really didn't like the responsibility of handling other peoples work.
peace