To Longarm or Not to Longarm (Friday Foto Fun #86)
To longarm or not to longarm, that is the question I typically ask myself after I finish a lap size quilt or larger. And by longarm I usually mean quilt by credit card and ship it to a longarm friend/quilter. Lately, the question has been should I buy a longarm?
Last weekend Angela Walters of Quilting is My Therapy was putting on quilting classes both on a longarm or domestic machine. I signed up for a Borders and Backgrounds class that I really enjoyed learning about. However, I was most excited on playing with the longarms that were there for her class. Angela is a Handiquilter dealer and she had set up Handiquilter Amara's for the class.
After the class, I'm sold on wanting a longarm. I am very torn on what longarm I should actually purchase! Because I live so close to Angela's shop and therefore a Handiquilter dealer, I'm almost thinking I want to buy an Amara longarm! But here's where I'd like some advice if you would be willing to share. Thanks for your advice in advance!
- Do you own a longarm? If so, what do you own?
- What are some MUST HAVE features?
- If there was anything you could change on your longarm, what would it be?
- How important is it to have a dealer nearby?
The Kansas City Regional Quilt Show is in 2 weeks, so I'm planning on attending to try out more brands of longarms.
Because of all of this, I've also realized that I have more fabric than I can possibly sew and I am going to be destashing fabric on Instagram!
Destashing is a little bit of hard work on my part...not in the actual work in getting things listed and shipped, but in actually being willing to part ways with fabric I still find pretty. If there is anything you are looking for in particular, let me know! Otherwise, I'll be posting on the www.instagram.com/poweredbyquilting.destash account this weekend into next week! I need to trade my fabric for money to help fund my longarm!
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Well, I’m not surprised that you are looking at a long arm! Pretty exciting! I know nothing about long arms, but if you want to talk with a Gammill owner, I can connect you. Just let me know. I’ll be watching your Destash, but I really don’t need more fabric . . .
I have an Innova long arm sitdown machine. I really love it. I tried out all of the machines at the Houston Quilt Festival one year and this one seemed to be the most industrial and stable one of them all. However, I was only looking for a sitdown at the time. One of the other features that helped me decide was that there was a dealer a couple hours from where I live. Having said that, I was not impressed with the service. I live in the greater Houston area and she was outside that area so visiting her shop was less than convenient. I think you would get more support buying from Angela’s shop. Look on YouTube and see what kind of support you can find there also. I have had mine for about 5 years and I have mostly been on my own so I keep my manual close by. LOL You might even see if there is some kind of guild or something for long armers in your area. That is a big purchase and there is a whole, whole lot of learning to go with it. I hope this helps a little.
Congratulations on finally deciding to get a longarm! As you know, I have an APQS Lenni. I have my issues with it, but it handles really well and most days that’s enough to make me happy. My dealer is about an hour away, though I haven’t gone to see her since I bought it 3 years ago. My machine doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles and that’s just fine with me, so I think besides a needle up / down feature and stitch regulator, I can’t think of any “must-haves”.
As far as Handi Quilter, I’ve quilted on Fusion, Amara, and Avante, and I like the handling of Avante the best of those. Ultimately, try as many machines as you can at the show, you’ll find one that speaks to you.
I have a Gammill and I love it. I love he channel lock feature on mine. At work we don’t have channel locks, and I miss them.
Since you like so close to Angela’s shop, my advice would be to look at a used machine from the shop. Used can be a lot less expensive, but you will still have a local dealer for servicing.
When I started I wanted to be an artist, and I skipped the computer. When I began working with clients in a shop I realized that a computer was really a necessity.
Feel free to email me of you want to chat.
I have a BlockRockIt (same as Grace Q’nique). It has a smaller throat space than most long arms – just 14″. But, the price and size was right for me when I bought it a couple of years ago. Having a frame mounted quilting machine has completely changed my quits. I have more freedom in designing my quilts – not having to worry about the size and how I’m going to quilt it. It has added a new dimension to my craft as well. I love FMQ as much as piecing now!
A long arm sounds like so much fun! No advice here. My last quilting machine was a mid arm Juki, and I can say going from a standard machine was life-changing. So I imagine a long arm would be incredible!
I have an Innova 22″ longarm, which is now 5 years old – and I still love it! I previously owned 3 other machines from different companies, and Innova is by far the best. My must haves were a sturdy frame, wheels that glided, and great lighting. She’s a joy to use every time!
There’s nothing I would change, and I’ve had no issues with her in the five years. My dealer is around 4.5 hours away, and I’ve only called customer service once.
I suggest going to quilt shows and taking part in longarm classes to use all the different brands, and to test out on the show floor. Road to CA has lots of longarm classes. Take your time evaluating, as this is a big purchase. And purchase the best that you can afford. Email me privately (quiltfabrication at gmail dot com) if you want any more info. Good luck!
Sherry, you should definitely get a longarm. It moves quilt production waaay up. I have an APQS Freedom, 24″. But don’t let the throat space measurement trick you–ask what the actual quilting space is. My machine actually has 18″ of quilting space, and it shrinks with rolling the quilt. Not much at first, but it is noticeable if it’s a king size quilt and I’m getting near the end.
Must-haves: stitch regulator (Angela might disagree as I don’t think she ever uses hers, but I use mine all the time), 12′ length on frame, automatic forward and backward on frame, smooth gliding head. I don’t have a computer, but if I were to buy one now I would definitely get one. There are so many fun, modern pantos nowadays, and panto quilting goes a lot faster than custom. Having a computer do the work is a lot more time efficient.
I bought my longarm directly from the company. They offer phone help with any concerns, which I have used occasionally with success.
Best wishes! It can be overwhelming. But with time you’ll figure it out.
I have an Innova. This is my 3rd stand up machine. I started with a table top frame using my domestic machine. Then I went to a short arm which was an industrial machine on a 12 foot table. A used APQS came next with no frills but it was a workhorse. 6 years ago I finally got a new Innova with Lightning stich. I just added the computer Mach 3 last month. Loving it!
Try them all. Dealers take in trade ins of many brands you can get a good deal if you look around and are pacient. Innova has great service.
How cool you are getting a longarm! Have fun testing and shopping! 😊
I just got the Handiquilter Amara with Prostitcher (computer) and it’s been fun learning so far. When I was researching, I asked. I was told channel locks is a must. (Prostitcher has it). Stitch regulator is really important when you’re starting, especially if doing FMQ. Since I did lots of FMQ on my regular machine, I love how much better my stitches look now. The lighting is also really good. I got a 10ft frame, because that’s what fit, but I can get the extra insert later if needed. Handiquilter so far has been great about customer service but I need to call again tomorrow. My favorite machine shop is 2 hours away, and they are great. I looked at the prices for the other brands, and my shop had the best price for it. I’ve spoken to others, who have tried other brands, and keep coming back to Handiquilter, too. Although the Forte is bigger, the Amara was easier for me to use, and fit in my space. I do recommend getting Red Snappers for loading, it’s so easy. Have fun in your research.