Originally Posted by Shelley
One more thing.... just because a machine has a big throat, doesn't mean you will use all that space to quilt. Your arms are only so long, and it is much much harder to quilt further away from you. Part of what you will find when you are 'test driving' machines is your comfort zone for quilting. You will not want to be standing on tip toes to reach the farthest areas.
And speaking of tip toes....the hydraulic lift is a BACK SAVER!! By adjusting the height to fit you, and occasionally adjusting up and down just an inch or two as you work, your back will feel much better. LA quilting is very physical work.
excellent point, shelley. i'm only 5'2" and the 18" is about my limit. any further would definitely be wasted on me. this is true from both sides. about the hydraulic lift, that really bumps up the price even though it's a great option. i've gotten used to manually lifting and what i never had i can't miss. (i can wish, though) altogether i'm happy with what i have and don't plan to ever go higher in quality/performance. it does what it's supposed to. as a professional, you neeeed it every day. or you'd have real back problems.