I would go for the HQ or the Babylock Tiara. The 6600 is a great machine (I have one.), but it it much easier and faster to FMQ on the HQ or Tiara. I have used the Tiara and the HQ and love both of them. The Tiara is on my wishlist.

Go for it!! I did!! Decided to learn on the Tiara instead of regular machine. I got a good deal. I Decided to not have the frustration of the small machine and learning. I'm getting better everyday !

I have a long arm sewing machine, I checked out all the prices, Most of them are pretty pricey. I bought the Bailey's Home Quilter. It is all manual, except I bought the Sew Control stitch regulator after I had it for a few months. My biggest problem I had with it was remembering to put the pressure foot down, I finally got it in my head, and don't have problems with that now. It takes time and practice to get the motion of different designs. I don't feel like I'm that good at that but am determined to get good at it, and I think I can. It just takes time. I put mine in the garage, I live in Florida and don't have any basements If I had one, it would be a good place to have it, that is if you have a dry basement, I'm talking about all the problems with storms we've had lately.

I didn't read all the responses, but I have to tell you, 9 years ago when I decided I wanted to learn to quilt, I bought an HQ16 BEFORE I made my first quilt. :)

I later sold it as I joined hubby in our RV fulltime for 4 years. Afterwards, I bought another HQ16. I later upgraded to an APQS Millennium. It's soooo much easier to quilt on a longarm. Go for it!

I learned to piece quilts 9 months before I ordered my Innova 18" and I have never regretted it for one second! I love the quilting process with my longarm. It took me quilting 4 placemats on my old Elna to convince me that I would never do it again! If you are considering a longarm, do check out Renae Haddadin's website - http://quiltsonthecorner.com/ - and look in the lower right hand corner for her free article "Shopping for a Longarm Quilting Machine". It contains many things you need to consider before you put out the money for a machine. Even though Renae has an Innova, when she wrote the article she owned a different longarm and the article is not brand-specific, just gives you information and questions to ask and think about. My only advice would be to get the largest throat you can afford, have room for and can handle easily. Do try out every machine you can get your hands on, join the yahoo groups of all the machines and find out the truth behind the advertising, find quilters around you who will let you come to their studios and try out their machines. Do your homework so you won't have a very expensive fabric hanger!!!

Consider a used machine if you can find one. People upgrade, downsize, move, etc. I would recommend doing enough FMQ on your 6600 to get the hang of it and start learning your personal preferences. A huge advantage of frame quilting is eliminating the basting, though some pay a longarmer to baste for them. Best of luck as you learning and quilting!

I would definitely buy the HQSS, if I had the resources on hand (old rambling house....constant renovating arrgh). I have been researching quilting machines for some time and the thing I liked about this one, was the simplicity of design. I like the fact it's a sit-down type of machine, because of the design simplicity, less moving bits equals less scope for repair/dramas and from what I have been told backup and service is easy to access. The last bit is important to me, because I live in Western Australia and the tyranny of distance is alive and well. I don't think you would regret the purchase and to be quite honest, I have never seen one advertised here second hand, so I'm guessing people hang on to them. Let us know what you decide and of course show us your tops quilted. Happy hunting and ultimately....quilting:)

I donot know the frame you are talking about. But could you go on a course or even personal guide through the frame? By course I mean showing everything doing all that the machine can do . Take some quilt tops and use one. I know one lady before buying her long arm machine went for a 3 day course. I have a frame and when I purchased. Had a day lesson and was told of one lady who would ring her up ask if she she had a free frame for a day and would pay to use it and quilt her own top. If she had problems help wasa available. This lady did not buy the machine asa she had no room to put one. The First Lady did buy and has a waiting list.