armybandvet

I've been quilting for others as a part time business for a few years now. I've been using a Handi Quilter Simply Sixteen with mostly hand guided pantographs and some light custom work. I've realized that I've done a substantial amount of quilting in the past year and I'm thinking I'm at the point where it makes sense to consider robotics/software to help automate and speed things up where I can. My personal quilts are utility quilts meant to be used and loved. I can't speak for my quilting customers, but as far as I know, their quilts are also utility quilts. I don't enter shows or fairs and I do not promise "prize winning" quilting or anything like that.

For what it's worth, I purchased the long arm for my personal use as I have physical difficulties which prevent me from pin basting and wrestling a quilt through a domestic machine. My options were to buy and use a long arm for my quilts, pay another quilter to long arm quilt my quilts, or stop quilting entirely. I'm stubborn and want my quilts to be the result of my own efforts from start to finish, so I chose to buy a long arm. If I had to give up long arming for others, I would still use it quite heavily for myself. The part time business aspect has really been a pleasant bonus, and something I enjoy in addition to my own projects. In short, I'm not depending on potential quilting income to finance or justify the additional expense of an upgrade.

Would anyone be willing to share their experience with Pro Stitcher or any other computerized quilting options that can be added on to an existing machine and frame? I'd be willing to upgrade from the Simply Sixteen if necessary, but the 12 foot frame I have is the largest frame I can set up in the space available to me.

I think I'll probably love it once I bite the bullet and do it, but it would be wonderful to hear about others' experiences. Is there anything you wished you would have known or thought of but didn't? How steep was the learning curve? What are the "must have" features for you, and what things are nice but not really necessary? How about Art & Stitch or other add-on software? Do you know of any great links, you tubes, or other resources for training or learning? What was your experience if you went from hand guided quilting to computerized quilting, regardless of the specific machine/frame/software combo? Anything else I'm not thinking of? Good, bad, or ugly, I want to hear it all!

Thank you in advance for sharing with me!