How many people use a long armer?

I thought about using one when i first started quilting but just couldnt justify the price if i could do it myself, im too cheap lol. and it seams most of the quilts ive seen that were sent off are more of an open design with quilting being and inch or more apart, does that make since lol. i like my quilts heavily quilted so i just jumped in there and learned myself. i have a mid arm and hoping to get a frame within the next week. just finishes a queen size and had no problems at, it was a breeze. the weight wasnt that hard because the extension table i had really helped.

I have never been able to afford a longarmer, so I do it myself and am happy with the results...but most of my quilts are made to be used...not artworks!

Not yet. But if I ever do anything bigger than twin size - and even that is probably pushing it - you bet I will. My machine is little, it's just not worth the headache.

If I ever get the confidence to do my own quilting I would like a long arm-at this point I rely on the talents of others to finish my projects. You are lucky to have such a great piece of machinery.

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Originally Posted by Hulamoon

That's not cheating! I didn't even know you could rent them to take home. The long armer I took mine to goes to someones house to rent. What a racket. lol

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No, you can rent them to use in the shop. They give you the lesson right there and stay in the vacinity to help you if you need it while you run the machine. I would go here because they are wonderful and 10 minutes away. The website is horrible but will be getting a make over this year. Anyway, http://www.bnpquilts.com/

I have a long arm and it's been a true Godsend. I design and do commission work, so the cost was justified as I quilt about 3 quilts a week on average. I bought groovy boards to do edge to edge designs but haven't even used them yet, I'm happy doing free motion designs. I have a broken spine so quilting on my domestic machine became an impossibility. Had I not broken my back I would never have bought a long arm, tho it does make life easier. For those sending them out to a longarmer please don't look at it as cheating. Maybe choose a longarmer who does everything free motion instead of computerised to avoid the too perfect mass produced look. I'd never computerise my longarm for that very reason

Cheers, Pami

Never in a million years would I send a quilt I made, out to have it finished. I machine quilt some and also do hand quilting. To each his own though. I just couldn't claim it as my entire creation if someone else quilted it. IMHO

My longarmer lives about a mile from me and I took three projects to her yesterday. I only machine quilt small items like table runners and placemats. I used to hand quilt everything until arthritis moved into my quilting hand. I don't think of sending my quilts out for quilting as cheating...I consider it a treat after all the quilts I've made totally by hand.

When I was a little girl and lived in the country with my grandparents and great grammy, we would go into the cotton fields and pick sacks of cotton and it would be processed and used as batting in many of the old family quilts! I can feel a few cotton seeds in some of the battings. This is pretty common with old quilts that were made in the south.

I only wish I could send mine out! So far the expense exceeded everything I've made - BUT if I ever get around to making my own California King to keep, I'm sending it out! I have a new 10" harp machine so can do most myself (just echo and SID), don't know FMQ yet... and I recently updated my sewing room with a 5' table with another side table for the weight, and fat styrofoam to lift the quilt up to my machines needle.

I say go with whatever works for you! I love piecing, the batting and the backing and the quilting - but I also know my limitations so anything bigger than a Queen is going out :-)

Just my nickle's worth

:-Debbie

I s end all my quilts out to be quilted. I enjoy making the tops but not sandwiching them together, I don't have a large enough space to lay them out. I have machine quilted smaller pieces such as table runners though.