Doris, can't wait to see your quilt! My email address is edandjeanheck@sbcglobal.net. Happy anniversary! Jean

All of these are machines I would stay clear of esp if you don't have a good reputable dealer who is a machine quilter themselves. Many shops are selling these but have no experience in machine quilting. I refer to these shops as "Joe's Sew and Vac". Joe is there to sell the machines and not necessarily a user himself; so no training. The problems with these machines will either turn you off or make you a professional technician, and will show you how to be creative in coming up withyour own solutions. Having said all this, they are good if you are only doing it as a hobby, or plan on going into business knowing you will upgrade later on.

Good luck and let us all know what happens!
Denis

***my messge was way too long so I had to cut it down into 4 sections--- GEESH!!!! lol

I now have a Hinterberg Voyager (looooonnnggg story), and I am not happy with it at all. Too many shortfalls and too much McGuyvering (remember that show? lol). Thankfully the company was bought by Nolting (Funquilter people) and it is being revamped. Similar to the Voyager are the TinLizzie and its clones (Pfaff 18" Grandquilter and the Husq/Viking 18" Megaquilter- made by Tinlizzie and not Pfaff or Vking). These are new machines made from other machines that were cut and stretched (so was the Voyager).

As for looking at buying a longarm (or midarm), think of it as buying a car. Would you buy a car sight unseen? Would you buy a car without test driving it first? No, you wouldn't. These machines may not have a hood but look under it anyway; I think you know what I mean by this.These machine are not cheap as you know. My first Gammill Classic in 2003 cost much more than my Toyota Echo did back then. You're in Ohio so you have many dealers in or around you so it should be fairly easy to check them out. Do your research.

Hi Doris, you're very welcome. I enjoy being able to pass on information like this. That's what this kind of forum is all about. When I started quilting, I didn't have access to the internet and when I did get hooked up, there weren't many groups it seemed I could join to ask these questions. I'm glad to say there are tons now!!! Check out the Yahoo groups. All the brands I've mentioned have user groups on Yahoo. Some manufacturers have forum on their sites. APQS comes to mind.

Doris, I thought the same thing, and I thought about it for over two years. I went back and forth on putting my sewing machine on a frame and going that route, when I first thought about this, I hadn't even made one full size quilt top. So, since I've been able to produce some nice tops lately, and it cost me $200 to have it done at the MSQC, i rationalize it from that point of view. Contact Denis on the forum, he has a lot of experience and has owned a variety of machines, and is very knowledgeable, he might be able to steer you in the right direction.

OH busy as ever! I am looking into starting up a Bountiful Baskets group here in town so I am scouting out locations for it now. I am sleepy! I have been sick this week but feeling better now. I am having a yard sale this weekend so lots to do!

About Stars Aligned, if you watch the jelly rolls tut, Jenny mentions it during the presentation.

Dois, I used "Stars Aligned" pattern. I thought I could figure it out from looking at Jenny's tutorial on jelly roll stars, but 30 of the stars are made in blocks, and the 20 intertwined stars are made as part of the sashing. I couldn't figure that out on my own, so I had to purchase the pattern. That explained it all. It isn't that difficult, but you have to lay it out and sew your sashing together by carefully matching your colors. Or your stars won't align!

Hey Friend! Just wanted to check in on you and see how you are doing!