a local shop ...well two hours away, charges 10.00 dollars an hour, and requires a lesson to learn how to use the handi quilter for 25.00...I went to a shop closer to my house and they charged 75.00 to learn to use the machine and 25.00 an hour to rent it......

I feel very lucky-My LQS charged me 75$ for initial class, provided batting for practice sandwich, gave me discount coupon for one hour rental and only charges 10$/hr Only problem is can only go when one particular person is there so timing is tight(evenings and weekends). First quilt I did I took 3 hours including loading time and it was worth evry penny-only other charge was for thread I bought at store which was 18$ for spool. Guess I got a good deal after all and really enjoyed. Computerized auto stitch thing is additional class and fee Oh and I got a booklet with the idiots guide to setting up the machine with my class.

We have a local shop that rents a Gammill for $50 a day. 3-4 people go together and split the cost, we can quilt up to
2 king and a few smaller quilts in one day, we all help set up the quilt and help quilt it if one of us needs help. Some days the owner has fun classes and we join in, she also has a crock-pot night for a few dollars, quilting, fun and eating!! We drive one hour to get there and usually have dinner before we drive home. She is the only one in this area that does this.
I go at least 3 times a year.

before i bought my machine i went to a shop that charged a $50 (Certification Class) then you could rent time for $20 an hour-
i've been doing to the same thing for 8 years now-
the certification class teaches you to thread the machine, wind bobbins - adjust tension- clean- load the quilt---and quilt a practice quilt using the stitch regulator- and without it- using the stylus lazer pointer with a pantograph- using a stencil, doing free motion- marked and unmarked---it is a 4 hour class-
where i first did this the owner insisted you could easily quilt queen sized quilts in 2 hours (something i've never been able to do in 8 years)
i do have a few customers who have taken the class and every now & then come in and quilt a special quilt they want to do all them selves- it generally does wind up costing them less than it would to just pay to me to do it for them- and they enjoy it- they all still do pay me to do quilts for them too- just because they would rather just make tops- but every now & then they have one they want to be able to say they did completely start to finish.

$100.00 to do your own twin size quilt! goodness, i'd pay to have someone else do it for that much. well not really! that is too much.

My LQS is in Ephrata and she charges .99 a sguare inch and $1 per bobbin. No preclasses needed and it is on an Innova. My first time I did 2 queens in one day. Just a simple loop de loop.