Don't have a lot of $ but this one seemed affordable for me...any opinions -- good or bad?

I will be interested in seeing responses from actual users. I wish I would have looked more seriously at this machine before I purchased my current machine. It looks like a great machine.

My mom bought one from the MQX East Show in April and we LOVE it. I get to use it any time I want.

You can't go wrong!!

Which one did you get?

I considered this one. I contacted the company to find out when they would have a unit in my state for me to test drive. It's a good price point and if you have limited space, a good option. You move the quilt, like you would with a domestic machine. There is quite a large harp area compared to a regular sewing machine and a large table, but I decided I didn't want to wrestle quilts anymore, both to pin/baste the sandwich and then to quilt, so I got a Tin Lizzie long arm.
Contact the company to see when a rep will be in your State with a unit. Test drive one with YOUR large quilt, not just a small test piece to make sure it's for you!

Anywhere I can get a look at it? May in Jersey who is about to wrestle a twin size quilt through her Pfaff on a very hot and humid day.

Here's my dilemma...I don't have $15,000+ for a "real" longarm and I'm trying to teach this "old dog" a new trick because when I learned how to quilt all they were doing was handquilting, and try as I might, I can't seem to maneuver my quilts through my regular machines so I thought more space=an easier time? I also live in a teeny tiny house with absolutely no space for a long arm...

There have been several threads on this (try Search at the top of the page).

I got mine last November and I love it. I don't have room for a table/frame set up, so it was just right for me. There is so much room, I don't consider it wrestling the quilt under, just repositioning, and since I cant' stand for long periods, this is great for me as I can sit down, hence the name. No tension problems whatever, and I've used different threads, plus different on top compared to bottom and it took them all in it's stride.

That was my thought too.

I have looked at this one, but decided to get a Juki 2010 instead. $899 and even tho the arm isn't as long as the HQ it is much nicer than my Singer Futura that I was quilting with (7 big quilts last year) When I have room I am going to get a frame so I can stop pushing the quilt through the machine AND just drive the machine around the quilt.

I wanted the HQ Sweet Sixteen but my pocketbook said the Juki.
I have it on layaway with the GMQ Pro frame and I get to pick it up in 2 more payments.

I love my Sweet 16. The cost, space required, and the sit-down factor sold me. I had a Pfaff Grand Quilter already and was already used to moving the quilt so that was a no-brainer for me too.

If any would be interested i have a viking long arm 18x8 with the 10 feet imperial frame brand new in the box for sale. I live in California but it can easily be shipped. I am asking for $5500 and just to let you know i alreayd have another one that i am using and it is a beautiful machine. I already posted a pic of a quilt i did using the machine and i just finished another one yesterday and ready to load one more tonight.
Pm if interested

I know of a few people who have gotten them ... they got their's for price, size of throat/harp, and overall size of machine. All were glad they got their machines. They did wish they had more room in their homes and more $$$ for one of the newer bigger HandiQuilters.

ali

You can get longarm systems for a wide range of prices....several are between $5,000-$8,000. Go to a large quilt show and try out a few. They've all got their pros & cons.

Posted 3X!!!! Ugggghhh!!

I tried the Easy Quilter at a quilt show and loved it:
http://www.easyquilter.com/eq1.htm

Although sit-down, with the Easy Quilter you are moving the machine rather than the quilt. The one at the show was with a Janome 1600P (fast stitches per minute) that has a larger harp than conventional domestic machines and therefore can take the slightly larger table. The setup was very compact, yet very easy to use. I sat down at it, the seller said to simply floor the pedal, and it was amazingly easy to make loops, leaves, flowers, etc. right away!

For this system it's easy to spray baste your quilts (which I do anyway). For large quilts, you separate the batting into sections.

I'd probably get the Easy Quilter setup over the Sweet 16 mainly because it allows moving the machine instead of the quilt. Cost of everything new would be about $1500 for the Janome 1600P and $700 for the table-top frame.

I just got my sweet 16 and love it. I have quilted fairly large quilts on my regular machine and fought with them. On the 16 I don't have to fight and enjoy the free motion quilting. I have yet to learn how to use rulers but that will be fixed in a couple of weeks when I attend the Milwaukee Machine Quilting Show, I hope.

If you go to te HandiQuilter site you can see the locations of the stores in your area that carry them. The Sweet Sixteen is nice to be able to do the sit down quilts. I had the HQ16 and have upgraded to the HQ18 Avante. Good quality and lots of support from HQ. It all depends on what you like, space and $$$. Love mine.

I saw a new to me long arm sit down model at the Knoxville quilt show that you might want to consider. It was very affordable. It is the Empress and and you can see info here:
http://www.empressquilter.com/Sitdown.html
No affiliation just thought it was interesting and was told that it is made by Tin Lizzie. Ann in TN

I just bought the HQ Sweet Sixteen sit-down machine in May, and LOVE it! It was affordable, took up very little space, and gives me the throat space necessary to do very large quilts easily. It sets up in a jiffy - out of the box and running in less than an hour :-). I liked the fact that it can be converted to a frame machine if I ever have more floor space to do that. It comes with the table, and you can order the side tables if you need them. I know that other HQ Sweet Sixteen owners have purchased less expensive side tables from Ikea or used folding tables. With the computerized speed control (very user friendly) and a little practice you can regulate your stitches easily. Lots of good light built in, too. I could go on and on, but you get the idea - I call her "Henrietta" :-)

What is the price point on this?

For the money I don't think you can beat it. I bought one this summer - I have limited space and no way can I fit the stand up models in my house. The Sweet 16 is great - the machine sits flush with the table so moving the quilt around is a breese. I got the extended arms for mine so when I quilt I have 72 inches of space on the sides to support the quilt. The table height is adustable too. I'm very happy with this machine.

I tried this machine last month, loved the ease of use, and I am a longarm quilter. If I didn't have my longarm, this would be my next choice.

Is there a picture?

I tried out LAs for 2 years (all of ones at the Houston Quilt Show) before I decided. Then took several LA classes from LQS before I decided which one to buy. I also studied where local vendors were for repairs & maintenance and whether some of the LAs had local groups that might get together to trade tips and give assistance. Since I live in 2 states, I had 2 areas to deal with for my criteria. I have several vendors to choose from both places I live.

I ended up with Jewel (BabyLock). Besides getting the LA, along with the leader cloths, frame, channel locks, laser stylus, etc..., I paid $8900. BabyLock also offered classes 6-8 times a year on the Jewel machines in St. Louis which I am on my way to in September. the classes are for 4 days. You just need to bring your project.

I almost bought one at the Paducah Show. After testing it several times I pretty much decided that my needs could be served just as well with the Brother 1500S that I also looked at. The 16 was selling for $4500 and the Brother $800. I haven't been sorry with my decision. For the price they wanted for the 16 I felt that a stitch regulator should have been part of the package.

The show special for the sit down with table was $2999.00. The stand up model with stitch regulator and 10 ft frame set up in your home was $4999.00. That was the show price. If you were to order somewhere else or later it would be another $1000.00 each. I would find a show with a dealer and take a look if you think you might be interested. Ann in TN

I want one!!!!

Wow! That is a great price! I want...

I had seen the Sweet Sixteen at a quilt show and loved it. Unable to afford it and after research I got a Juki 2000qi and I LOVE it. In future I hope to purchase a frame. Have been looking into the Gracie Quilting Frames.

Quilting Possibilities in Forked River has one.

I rented time on their HQ Avante (18") last week...for me a better option than purchasing a LA machine. They were extremely helpful!

I have the Tin Lizzie sit down machine and love it. It is pretty much the same as the HQ 16 sit down. I got this one because I had a Tin Lizzie long arm (had to give it up because we moved to a smaller place) and I like the feel of the Tin Lizzie better than the HQ. If you can test drive both of them before you decide.

i tried the sweet sixteen but sitting that long is not for me and i really would want a stitching regulator. was trying to figure if it would still be stable if i put lifts under the legs

I'd keep an eye out for used machines; I got my Tin Lizzie for a really affordable price that included the frame.

I love the looks of that one. With my bad knee, once I start doing machine quilting, I will have to sit down to do it. Thanks for the link

Just a little reminder. The Tin Lizzie is a streatch maicheine. Thus the neck heigth of a regular machine. If your choose to go Handi Quilter, if at some later date you want to turn it into a stand up model, you can. and you will still have the heighth and length of a long arm. Good luck!

I like the handi quilters and you can get one for alot less than 15,000, especially if you don't go for the computerized machines. There seem to be alot of good used machines available. It is always cheaper if you can find someone that bought new and decides to upgrade to a bigger machine. I can't imagine trying to move a queen size quilt around under the needle... I would have a heck of a mess in no time.

My Tin Lizzie has the same height and throat as a HQ. And you can also upgrade it to a standard stand up model. I love my Tin Lizzie. It was way more affordable than the HQ and I love that I can do any maintanence on it. All of the components are plug and play. If there is a problem you simply call tin lizzie and they can usually diagnose it and send you the replacement part.Very little down time. I got mine at the Lancaster AQS show. I got the floor model so it was very reasonable.

The Empress which I was told was made by Tin Lizzy comes in either the sit down or frame/stand up model. The throat area is 6"X18". The thing that I liked was that it has double capacity M bobbins, which are larger than the standard home machine uses. Also comes with a built in bobbin winder. The frame model comes with stitch regulator. I have never seen a sit down model from any of the manufacturers that has a stitch regulator. I guess that is the difference between moving the quilt under the needle in the sit down opposed to
moving the head of the machine over the quilt on the frame.
Ann in TN