HELP...looking for longarm quilt machine

[Racing Nana]

I am seriously considering a longarm? (18") machine. Not too savy in this regard.
My embroidery machine is a Babylock and I came across the Crown Jewel.

Any advice, info, do and don'ts out there.

I also can't find pricing for this. (it seems like a state secret) I know the prices in the US are different than Canada, but a ball park is good enough for now.
Thanks in advance for any help from those that have one of these.

[Jean Sewing Machine]

I think the BabyLocks are only sold in shops, and they are secretive about the pricing, because individual dealers can give discounts. I thought they were in the $10-12K range. I may be way off on that. I know I priced their sitdown model, Tiara, and the price I was quoted was near $8K--that was shocking to me.

You might PM fellow Canadian Denis, he is a forum member. He has a lot of experience with longarms and is quite knowledgeable. He helped me get my Pfaff up and running with great advice, the 10 page Xerox copy I got with the machine was scarce on details. My Pfaff is 2 years old, and it is a Tin Lizzy clone, along with several other badged brands, I think the Husquvarna/Viking is made by Tin Lizzy and one or two others. It is barebones, but has speed control, and does a decent job!

It was about $6K with frame. No computer, though.

[ilive2craft2]

I have a clone like Jean, mine is older that I bought used for $5K and it came with the qbot automatic quilting system. I bought mine privately from someone who was trading up. I just could not afford a new one for something I was not sure I would use a ton. It is a whole new world and learning experience.

So far, I have done a few things and been ok without the qbot, but it does take practice. Had not been on it in awhile and tried a new pattern without practice on some table runners and they are needing to be 'unstitched' and re-done. My fault, not the machines - the stitches are good, just where the stitches went is not! I do find it much easier than FMQ on my regular sewing machine. Moving the machine instead of the fabric makes so much more sense to me!

My best advice is to try a bunch of them out and see which one you like best for your price range. You can even get used ones from dealers who have taken them as trade ins. I found my lady by calling shops to see what was available and they knew someone who was thinking out upgrading. They took my name and number and passed it to her. She called me - Yay!!

Good luck in whatever you decide.

[Denis]

Why is it that everytime Jean mentions my name, I tend to be on the forum that day?...it's like we're connected somehow LOL.

Hi racer nana, it just so happens that I am a Babylock dealer and can tell you exactly how much the cost of a BBL Crown Jewel will cost you. As well, Mason's Sewing in Richmond BC are not only the Canadian distributors for BabyLock but also Canadian distributors for Handiquilter . BBL Crown Jewel is manufactured by Handiquilter and isthe identical machine to the Handiquilter Avante. The only difference are the frames. You can contact Mason's seeing as you are all in BC together.

You can also ask your Babylock dealer for this information.

[Jean Sewing Machine]

Why is it that everytime Jean mentions my name, I tend to be on the forum that day?...it's like we're connected somehow LOL.

Hi racer nana, it just so happens that I am a Babylock dealer and can tell you exactly how much the cost of a BBL Crown Jewel will cost you. As well, Mason's Sewing in Richmond BC are not only the Canadian distributors for BabyLock but also Canadian distributors for Handiquilter . BBL Crown Jewel is manufactured by Handiquilter and isthe identical machine to the Handiquilter Avante. The only difference are the frames. You can contact Mason's seeing as you are all in BC together.

You can also ask your Babylock dealer for this information.

We always know where to go for good sewing machine advice! Hope you are keeping warm up there! How is the quilt shop going?

[K. McEuen]

Almost any time I mention that "Denis would know the answer to that" you pop right up in the forum. Are you sure you aren't really just lurking?

[Denis]

No Karen, there was a period in the fall where I went quite a few weeks without logging on. Just too busy with life and the shop. Now, I dont doubt there were times I could have been mentioned but didnt see it (or "feel it"). LOL

[K. McEuen]

Well I hope since you mentioned that you are busy with the shop that business is good and it's going well for you. Nice to see you pop back here here lately.

[Pattycake]

My husband is very mechanically inclined, and after we saw demonstrations of about every longarm on the market, he decided that the Handiquilter was the best for my home use. I agreed. We wanted to buy it locally, but the dealer was too high. After spending several days calling HQ dealers we found on the Net, we ended up buying it here: https://whitlocks.com/
Although this dealer is located in Oregon and we're in Colorado, he is always available if I have a question. He stayed on the phone several hours with us when it arrived and we were putting it together, AND he was several hundred dollars cheaper than any other dealer. He's one of the top HQ dealers, and I see why. The kicker is if something happens to the machine, the local dealer has to repair it. When I told the local dealer I could get it at such a reduced rate his words were, "Do it", not believing me. If I should have difficulty with the local dealer, all I have to do is call Handiquilter.

Handiquilter offers fantastic support also. I've called them about the smallest, most insignificant things that were important to me, and they tell me step by step what to do and stay on the line until I'm satisfied. They have a technician who will call back in a short time and can troubleshoot any problem. He even told me how to set the tension to use metallic thread. After I'd had the longarm a year DH gave me ProStitcher (a computerized program with a small computer that fits on the machine). This allows me to have the attached computer do the quilting for me. I just select the quilting design, have the computer measure the width of the quilt, input the size I want the designs to be and push the button. It does all the work for me. I can also manually quilt or use the laser light with drawn designs or templates.

[Racing Nana]

Thanks for the info Denis.

I am a little hesitant to buy local when I found out I could have bought my Esante from Alberta brand new for the same price that I paid for a Demo model. hmmmm

As I am in Portland a lot at Portland International Raceways, it might be worth while to take an extra day an poke around. We are in Seattle a lot too...hmmmmm

I played with practice sandwiches today for FMQ. I NEED A LONGARM. FMQ is just not my thing. Brain says go right as my hands are moving to the left.

Well, I have some research to do.
Thanks all for the help. (I think someone's wallet may be a little lighter down the road)