So I bought a long arm quilting machine….5 years ago now. Technically it’s a mid-arm since it’s only 16”. And I will say, right off the top, I love it. It works great, runs easily, no problems. It was easy to set up and I got a good deal. So why did I title my post that?
Ok, well let’s talk about how are you “supposed” to buy a long arm? According to all the articles and “experts”, you’re supposed to try many kinds, talk to many quilters, gather data, etc. And, yes, there’s value in all that. If you know you are making a huge investment in one of the larger machines, I would agree. Go to one of the big quilt show and try all of them. Not for like a minute, but go into the booth, try a machine, run it for 15-20 minutes. If you can take your own fabric and batting, do so.
If you can take long arm classes at a quilt show, do that! That’s a great way to get a lot of time on one and really get a feel for it. You may not get a choice on brand for the classroom because they don’t list that in the class schedule, but look at the classroom sponsors and you’ll at least know what brands you’ll likely encounter.
So what did I do? Well, I work off and on, for one of the big quilting companies at quilt shows and our booth was right across the aisle from HandiQuilter….for 5 years running! I watched them set up and take down a dozen machines; I heard them talk about all the features to customers; and I watched the machines run for 8 hours a day. When our booth got slow, I went over and ran them; all of them, over and over. In the end, I purchased the Simply Sixteen stand up model with a short frame. And yes, I do customer quilts on it. Yes, I would rather have a full frame, but that’s for another post.
Almost all the machines offer the same basic features, more or less. Once you have decided the features you want/must have and the space you have to work with…
Here are the two most important factors I would consider when buying my next machine:
1. How does the machine feel to move? I did take long arm classes after purchasing mine and got to try about half a dozen or more different brands and models. Some glide with just a fingertip; some need both hands. What is comfortable to you and your style of quilting? The first style sounds great, right? I know someone who has a machine like that; and it is great, until a heavy truck drives by and the vibrations move the machine. I’ve used the stiffer machines and felt like I could skip arm day at the gym. Even if you will be doing computerized edge to edge quilting, you will still need to move the machine by hand some, to set it up.
2. Where will you get support? Who will answer your questions at 10 pm on a Sunday night? How much are you willing to troubleshoot yourself? This is one of my biggest issues, and one that I will weigh much more heavily in the future. HQ offers telephone support from 8 am-5 pm on weekdays. There is an online forum, that they respond do during weekdays in one section. The other section are more active with other HQ users, and you can get help there sometimes. While I was still working full-time, I did most of my quilting on evenings and weekends. So if I called in, it would be on my lunch hour when I was nowhere near my machine.
I also do not have a dealer nearby. If I need to take my head for servicing, it will be a 2+ hour drive to a shop where I don’t have a customer relationship. Not impossible, just more challenging.
Maybe the second question here is less important if you’ve had a machine for a long time and are a more experienced quilter. If you are just starting out, know who your support network will be. Do they offer help in setting up the machine? ‘Cause let me tell you, my table without the machine on it, weighs 70 pounds, and again I have a half size frame.
Another wise option would be to look up dealers in your area first, and focus on those brands when making your selections.
Again, I’m really happy with my machine. I am mostly self-taught and had to learn by making a lot of mistakes, or finding answers via the web.
Thanks for reading!
I’m linking up at:
http://cheekycognoscenti.blogspot.com/2020/08/lal2-one-where-thoroughly-modern-millie.html
Batting in the Belfry 
You raise some really good points. You know, I tried to be thorough in my research before I bought my long arm machine 3 years ago. I had a spread sheet comparing the brands and models I was considering, all their features, which were included and which were upgrades, etc. I even reached out to quilters online to ask them privately whether they would recommend their machine to a friend. And of course, I test drove machines at shows — always with a dealer/salesperson looking over my shoulder at my god-awful quilted scribbles, telling me “You’re a Natural at this!” Haha — salesmanship! But I honestly could not tell which machine’s movement felt “better” to me, as a total newbie, and there were other things I didn’t ask about or investigate thoroughly enough. I’ve since learned that although most brands now offer a regulated/manual combi mode (I think it’s Cruise mode on your HQ?), they don’t all work the same. And “simple” things like changing the needle or the hopping foot is a lot easier on some machines than others. Test driving long arm machines when you’ve never actually quilted with one before is kind of like trying to test drive cars at different dealerships before you have your driver’s license — and before you’ve even had a driving lesson! I think that’s why so many quilters started on one machine, and then switched to a different machine later after they’d developed their personal quilting style, knew more about how they like to use a long arm and what they want out of it, etc. There’s no one perfect long arm out there for everyone, you know? I’m glad your Simply Sixteen worked out for you, even though it sounds like you had some rough patches in the beginning!
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…Oh, and thanks for linking up with Long Arm Learning! 🙂
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Very interesting post…thanks for sharing. I tried a few long arms at the shows but would not have a glue which one is better. I usually go for the company, it’s service and responsiveness. Just upgraded from the Sweet 16 to the Capri and am very happy with my choice.
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Thank you! A good friend and I was literally just talking about her getting a long arm. Just half an hour ago! I’m going to send her this link. I don’t have a LA but the same issue holds true for my DSM. I almost purchased a Juki mid-arm instead of my Elna. The main sticking point for me was that the nearest Juki dealer was 2+ hours away. Too far for general servicing and if I had a warranty issue, way too far. So the Elna won out with the dealer 5 minutes away (and he gave me a good deal, too). ~smile~ Roseanne
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