You are correct, I will never give up on my dreams!! Just wish they could come true sooner than later :).


Monroe, as for a place in the area that rents time on a machine, I do not know of one, but then I have not looked either. I know that the three quilt shops that I have been to do not, so not looking good for me. Once we get moved and I get everything unpacked, I will be asking.

I think of the 'L' in lotto as long-arm machine and that is why i buy one ticket each time.....

of course i would need a big house with a studio to make a home for the LA machine and assorted Featherweights and treadles for fun surroundings.......

but in the present my 301A and BERNINA 1630 and serger....sew on and on .......................giggle

I dreamed and drooled for a long time.Now,I have a Gammill and am knee-deep with customer quilts.But,I am happy.But,I don't get to my own stuff.I think my hushband thought I would support our household when he retired.Well,I'm not responsable for what he thought.

Your story is why I don't even look at machines any more. I can't afford one with all the bells and whistles that I know are out there, and because of that have to be happy with the 4 machines I do have.

Anita in Northfield, MN

Too right! I got a brand-new Innova on a 12' frame 3 years ago for $7,000 (boy do I love her!!!) and last summer I bought a used (very lightly) Bernina sewing/embroidery machine with multiple hoops, over 50 DVDs of patterns, thread, and table with the flip-up on the back of the table to make it twice as big for $500. I only use the Bernina for embroidery because I bought a Jamone Quilter's Companion 2 years ago for $650 (list was $1,200) from a lady who won it in a shop hop and she didn't want it (it was still in the box!). I just "fell" into all of these machines, but I didn't hesitate when the deals were there. Yeah, I was fortunate to have some cash from the sale of my house, but my LA enabled me to start my own business working from home and I love it!!!

I'm guilty of drooling too! Even though I don't expect to be able to afford such things now, maybe in the future. Plus, in our house, there is NO WHERE to even think of putting a long arm. My sewing area is a tiny little corner of the living room, and that is it, unless I can evict all the kids away from the kitchen table for a few hours to use for quilting.

That's why I refuse to try one. I want a long-arm so bad I can taste it. I don't have the money or the space, so I refuse to let myself get depressed by trying what I cannot have. I will keep dreaming too.

Is this the price of the machine? Is it considered a long arm?

I have the John Flynn Frame and I like it. You can use any machine with it. It's very inexpensive and I can do any fmq as nice as I can on a long arm, just not as fast. The quilting space is limited to the machine throat space. I bought two folding six foot tables, sittng them end to end and have my machine sitting in the middle with the frame. It was awkward to use at first but after practicing and using it, it is comfortable to use. From my experience it isn't the frame or quilting table that is so important. It's the sewing machine used with it.

Well, now that you know what you want, why not plan for it. Set a timeline, set a budget and then savesavesave.