IF money isn't an issue I suggest you get what you want. It sounds like you would like to justify spending the money but, really, if you will enjoy using it, bring happiness to your household and those who receive your quilts, then don't let the issue of money get in the way. Its great to hear a story like this. Your husband wants you to have it; money isn't an issue, and you will use it well. Good luck and let us know how this works out for you.

I had a Gammill Classic Plus that I added the Statler Stitcher to last fall. I have a ton of money in it and I don't regret spending a cent of it and would spend it again without a second thought.

Maintenance expense is almost nothing. Keep it clean and oiled and it will run for years. The manual and other documentation are excellent and I just finished an all day class where we adjusted tensions, checked and corrected (if required) timing and all other mechanical aspects of the machine. Other than electrical, I can't see every having to have service on the machine.

You dealer and support network is the most important part of any system.

You can't take it with you so you should have what you want while you can enjoy it.

People spend that on automobiles, if they want them enough. I, too, wouldn't want to work on other people's quilts in order to justify a LA, so I wouldn't factor that in. If it were me and I decided to own one, I'd buy the 15K used one; you can always get lessons/set up elsewhere. But again, it's ultimately up to you. Not a lot of help, am I? Sorry!

Our local sewing center has the new Juki LA on sale for $8,000. Check around, find what you want, and there is always a sale.

I'd say go for it! You want one, and you have hubby's blessing. Tho do perhaps make a list of features you'd like to have, and look at a few machines. After you get one, you can do quilts for charity-they don't care about "perfect" quilting.
I bought a Handi Quilter, and I love it! Having it in my home helps with my stress levels and physical issues. I can walk away from the machine whether or not the quilt is finished. No guilt here!

It depends on what you mean by 'get my money's worth out of the machine.'

If you feel like you HAVE to make it pay in $$$ but don't want to quilt for others, then you may never get your 'money's worth' out of the LA.

If:
a) what you really want is the chance to be more creative, artistic, expand your quilting skills,
b) you have the patience to learn what you need to learn to do all that AND
c) you won't beat yourself up over the cost of the machine and supplies until the day you die

then, yes, you will get your moneys worth.

No matter what, though, you know your DH loves you, and that is priceless!

LAQ machine
 

You can pay a lot of people to LA your quilts for you and have a lot more time to piece. Just a thought

This is a good point. I have a long arm but miss the time planning and piecing that I lost to long arming.

I'm sort of going thru the same conversation with myself. Will I get my money's worth and enjoy the process. But unlike you money is an issue and at 62 I don't know if I will have the years to break even. I would caution you on renting time on your machine unless your willing to teach the renter and pay for repairs and maintenance.

Oh you do have a dilemma. I'm like you and would be hesitate to work on other people's quilts but that is where the money is. Good luck!

Live dangerously and get the new one, enjoy, that is what life is for.

I say when in doubt give in to temptation.

I agree with bjchad. Rental is a great way to go, if possible - see if there is a LQS with a rental machine near you. You will probably have to take lessons to learn the machine and, of course, pay the hourly rate, but then you quilt what you want and not have to worry about when it will be returned to you. You also don't have to worry about space or maintenance.

I enjoyed being able to rent, since I like to do mine start to finish. If you decide to buy, try the used one and see if you like it. Since it is an investment, even if you don't want a business, you need to enjoy using the machine and they all feel different.

I was fortunate to have both room and money to get my choice of longarm (Innova 26"), which I selected after learning on a Nolting, using a Gammill (neither of which had a stitch regulator), and then testing a Tin Lizzie and a HandiQuilter.

Good luck on your decision.

If you decide to buy one, do a lot of research first, figure out which one is the most popular or has the best resale value, so if you do decide to ever sell it, it will be easier to sell and you will the maximum amount of money from the sale. That may put your mind to rest a little, and you will have yourself a back up plan to reduce guilt. I personally think if you will use it and enjoy it and have the money...get one! What a blast playing with it! Whoever inherits it will also be able to enjoy it.

I jumped in and bought a Gammill Classic Plus (with the stitch regulator) cold turkey when we drove through MO four or five years ago on our way to Branson--I too have an understanding DH with money to spend as we see fit--and have not regretted it for one moment. I had the experience on a LA though, so my learning curve has not been so bad--this Gammill has the old one beat hands down as far as being user friendly. If you have never used a LA, you might have a bit of a learning curve--get the DH in on the fun, my son loves my LA as much as I do and he had never even used a sewing machine before my Gammill. He does a lot of my quilting now, and even quilts for pay occasionally. He is absolutely wonderful at the stippling game and has made several prize winning quilts. I will never for one moment second guess myself again on the purchase of a sewing machine--and I am really old, and none of my kids want or will want any of my sewing stuff/stash/sewing machines except for sentimental reasons. My DH even built me my own sewing room (16x40) out back because we don't have that much room in our old-timey farm house. He has his own shop building and I have my own sewing room side by side. I love it.

Keep us posted on your decision and the selection process. Good luck.

By holding the 'Ctrl' key and typing the 'b' will either bold your words or unbold. This can be used in many programs. It is a great short cut I learned and use all the time.

I had the same dilemma before I bought my TinLizzie. I only quilt for myself, but it has been worth every penny. I love it, it is so much easier getting a quilt on the frame and getting it quilted. I'm learning as I go on it and like the new challenges it brings.

I'm buying one next month. I love pantographs, I'm not artsy so I don't do a lot of freehand. I want to do my own quilts. Only you can decide if its worth the purchase, for me it is.

After I paid for my quilt to be quilted by someone else, DH decided that it would be more cost effective if I owned my own LA. He did the research and decided that I should have a Gammil Classic Plus. If I would have had to pay to have all the quilts I do quilted by someone else, I payed for the machine in 3 years.

I would love to be in the position to buy a LA but I think that will never happen. Paycheck to paycheck- someone said this is normal when you have kids.

If you enjoy it - and money is not an issue. Go for it. You can not take your money with you when your time on earth is done- so enjoy it NOW.

If money is no object. Go for it. Down the road if you don't like it or don't use it that much, you can always sell it, although I don't think that would be a good idea, once you have made the purchase.

Good topic! I was experiencing the same dilemma - lots of $ for a LAQ and very little "return on investment" for a hobby - yes, I'm an accountant by trade. Finally came to the conclusion, with a lot of help from my hubby that since this is my relatively new passion to explore to its fullest, we have the $, I should buy one. I retire in 8 months, so we'll be selecting and buying my new machine at this year's Houston Quilt Festival. I'm pumped! Bottom line, buy your LAQ, enjoy and look forward to your new adventures.

You have a lot to think about....How much is it to have a quilt quilted and how many quilts do you make....If you have a lot of money and don't care...go for it.....Sometimes it does not matter what something costs if you have the money and want it.....

I meant to post this with the original quote -- By holding the 'Ctrl' key and typing the 'b' will either bold your words or unbold. This can be used in many programs. It is a great short cut I learned and use all the time.

I have only been quilting about four years now and when I first discovered what a LA is, I thought I would never own one or be able to use one...well, thanks to my DH, I purchased one last year with a loan....I feel it is totally worth it and I am so glad I did...quilting is what brings me joy in my life (as opposed to work ...hahahaha)...I feel it is a gift to do what I love and have no regrets getting my LA....the happiness it brings makes it worthwhile...Let us know what you decide :-)

Since money isn't the problem, go for it. The challenge might be your personal achievement that no one but you can decide.

Sometimes we just need to do something for our self. I have a Tin Lizzie and love everything about quilting except getting the backing the right size. Definitely a learning curve but you won't regret it. Enjoy!

If your husband wants to spend $23,000 on you, and it can be done without having to eat ramen noodles for the next 10 years, SAY YES!!! Silly girl.

Tell me if you like your Tin Lizzie and how hard it was to learn to quilt with it.

I couldn't agree more! Go for it!

I think it depends on how many quilts you plan to quilt on it. I don't get enough quilt tops done in a year to justify even a $15,000 machine, due to health issues (mine and family members').

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> Go to the Houston Quilt show with DH and check out the Innova!
No oil leaks, 24-7 phone service, all the add ons you could want.
About 75 years in the commercial business of quilt machines.
Their support group are the best.
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He gave his blessing. Get what you want. Don't over think this. Want "new"...get new!

what are his hobbies??
sandy

Each one of us is getting older everyday, statement. Would the machine be an advantage in the future .? At present yo are able to find classes and I prove your skill. Is a second hand one what you want or would you prefer new. If I was offered I personally would say yes but let's look for a new machine as I feel I would love to use it and have a wonderful time. Making money on it. No way I keep my quilts I would hate to sell them but at 20 I loved to wear a mini skirt now I prefer a skirt to my ankles.we change our thinking as time goes by. I also think if pushing and pulling on a small domestic machine will it be too much in 10 -20 years.

If I had the money and the room for one - I am sure that I would do it. Quilting is an expensive hobby all of the time... the money I spend on fabric alone flabbergasts me. I will never get my money's worth out of my fabric. But I make the quilts because there's something inside me that has to get out... and quilting helps me do that. Then its nice when I give them as gifts.

I agree... its your money.. if men want their toys and buy them, why can't we buy our toys???

If you like the idea of having a quilting machine then buy one. You don't have to use it everyday or non at all. I never think how much will I use this if I buy it. I buy because I want it. It's so nice to be at the age of no kids at home and no debt so go for it.

You have said this so well. These are my reasons as well. I think women are not used to buying expensive toys; men are. I am planning to start small with a used Inspira frame and Pfaff machine. I have done FMQ on my Bernina 750 quilters edition which I love. Am wondering if I will find using a frame a help or hindrance, will I be able to do it?

There's more to consider when justifying a quilter than the direct costs of sending the labor out instead. You would have 100% control of your quilts and you would be able to get them done in your own time frame. That can be good and bad. Longarming is a labor intensive effort and it can be frustrating sometimes. The learning curve to being excellent at it is HIGH. Make sure you will enjoy it before spending so much for it. I saw a post on some board talking about how so many people have longarms just sitting in their basement that they never used. They thought it was such a good idea, now they have to eat much of the cost to sell it so it sits.

The top of the line isn't necessarily the top of your line. And the $15,000 machine may not be right for you either. Shop around, as other people have said. There's a show in Salt Lake City in May and another in New Hampshire in April.

The mechanical aspects of quilting machines live on forever, if you oil and clean the machine well. It's the computers that die, because they seem to frequently have extra cheap circuitry, so be careful about that, especially when considering used. (And I am not a computer-phobe. I work in IT).

I have a 30 inch Gammill longarm, all mechanical, that I bought used in 1994 for $3000, and it's still a gem. The frame is amazing. All of the mechanics are exposed so there is no mystery, no sending it in to some factory for a mysterious "spa treatment". I know exactly how it works and do all maintenance myself...and the maintenance is small since I only do my quilts.

Owning a longarm for yourself is a JOY. You just need to go in with your eyes open.