I don't have a long arm but I do have a brothers Nouvelle 1500S that has a 12 inch throat for quilting. I roll half of the quilt and quilt the other half. I purchased it from All Brands for about $700. I am saving up now to but the table and frame where all I have to do is move the maching and not the quilt. Check it out on line at All Brands.com
Before I bought my machine I would quilt as you go, it was to hard rolling the quilt to fit in a regular machine. I felt like I was in a wrestling match but I did finally get the quilt finished.