Originally Posted by MNQuilter
I might add that their machines are computerized, whatever that means!!! They seem to have a nice little set up. I'll probably keep an eye on it. Right now I don't even have any tops finished to quilt, so it really isn't an issue! :oops: I was curious. I do live in the metro area, so everything is more expensive. :shock: In my former town, rent on a 2 bedroom apt was expensive at $650/mo, here that would get you a trash house!
Computerized means that the machine will automatically stitch the quilt designs you pick in the size and shape you want it.
What we do here for an all over design, is to measure the area to be quilted, say border to border, and we put that info into the computer on the machine, then we tell it the height we want it to stitch at (if the design repeat is 15" wide and 10 inches high), we can adjust either size (if it doesn't distort the design, so loops would work, but flowers might not). Then we figure out the number of repeats needed, put that into the computer, position the machine on where to start, take a stitch, pull up the bobbin thread, and let the machine do the stitching without our help. At the end of the row, you tie off, and repeat the procedure for each new row to get an overall design. Blocks and borders are done the same way, but size and number of repeats would differ. That is the simple answer because there are variables, but the computer tells the machine what to stitch, and you don't need to do anything!
After reading all of this thread, it has made me appreciate the price being charged by those who do the quilting for you on the long arms. Between the price of the machines, loading quilts onto the frames, the price of cone thread, bobbins, measuring, setting the design(s), loss of space in their homes, etc., they deserve every penny they make!
Housing costs? A two bedroom where I live is about $1200/month, Boston is 20 miles away at over $2000/month, NO UTILITIES.
Diane