suzanna Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 Now that I can seriously consider a LA, I have been looking into the Lenni. It is a LA that would fit my needs for now. I have seen that the HQ 16 comes with a computer similar to GrammillStatler Stitcher. So, can the Lenni have something like that attached to it? I am thinking about the CompuQuilter , or am I "barking up the wrong tree"..... Your thoughts and wisdom will be appreciated.... ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 Hi Sue, Here are my thoughts on the subject. If the Lenni suits your needs and budget now, get it now. Get started learning to do all the things you can do without a computerized system. All of that knowledge will be invaluable if/when you add something like the CompuQuilter. The greatest thing about the Lenni is that it has the incredible APQS Stitch Regulator at an incredible price point. It is simply amazing, and as easy to use as an automatic transmission. There is nothing new to learn. Just put it in "gear" and drive! Fast or slow, it will keep up with your movements with perfect stitches; into points, out of points, around tight curves or long swooping curves. It will cut your learning curve WAY down. Once you know how you\'ll use the machine, and how much, you can always upgrade to a larger model. You\'ll get maximum usage out of a great tool like the CompuQuilter on a machine with a larger throat and a longer table. APQS machines really hold their value well for resale and I know APQS is very generous with trade-ins, so I wouldn\'t worry about selling or trading the Lenni in at a later date. When you say that the HQ16 comes with a computer system "similar" to Statler, or CQ for that matter, you really need to compare apples with apples. Do a comparison of what all the systems can do. They each have their own perks, and just like all sitch regulators are NOT created equal, even tho\' they are called the same thing, so it is with computer guided systems. They do NOT all do the same things. In fact some are very limited in what they can do. Some don\'t allow you to digitize your own patterns or even use any patterns other than what\'s included with the system. That\'s a serious short-coming in my opinion. The old adage "you get what you pay for" is pretty much true. If in the future you can see yourself with a computer guided system, start doing your research now. You can actually download the manual for the CompuQuilter and find out for yourself exactly what it can do. Software upgrades are free and the support is incredible. Try to get your hands on the manuals for the other systems so you can really start a side-by-side comparison chart. You simply can\'t go by the advertising that is out there. Get hold of the manuals and READ for yourself what the systems can really do, and how easily they do it. For example, YES, you can do stitch in the ditch (SID) with Statler & CQ (I don\'t know about the other systems), BUT it is faster to do it with a ruler. So if time is a factor in your business plans, then plan to get good at SID if you plan to do custom work. Here\'s the link to the CQ manual. You can download it for the APQS machines by choosing that link. Then you need to download the CompuQuilter Software Manual. http://www.sd-stitches.com/manuals/manuals.htm You\'ll be amazed by what these systems can do and if that\'s your ultimate goal, then start preparing now. If you can afford the Lenni now, that gets you into the longarming field with a great machine. Determine what your short-range goals are and what your long-range goals are. Spend a year with the Lenni and you\'ll know if you have a passion for this as a business or if you want to keep it as a hobby/obsession. Feel free to contact me privately if you have more questions and want quicker answers. I don\'t always follow up on my posts to the forum. eppd@telus.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzanna Posted December 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 Thank you Darlene for the information. I am leaning towards the APQS system simple because it seems to have what I need and I know that there is support with it. There are local dealers here in Duluth that are glad to help me if I need them. But, I know that I can come to this forum and get all of my questions answered in a swift manner. Have a wonderful 2008.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltermidwife Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 Suzannah I have sent you a U2U Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzanna Posted December 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 Thanks Chris for the information....I will check into all of the available LA\'s that one can check into...YIKES...there are a lot of them out there....the one thing that I want to make sure is that I have support and lots of it. That is something that I have noticed through APQS... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewfriendly Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 I have just ordered my Lenni. I did some research and asked questions at PCQuilter. They now have a SMPCQ (side mounted pc quilter) that works on machines with less than a 24inch quilting area. It probably isn\'t as extensive as CQ, but you can digitize with it. The great thing is you can make your Lenni a computerized system fo under $3,000.00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smorris Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 How exciting - Good luck - you are in for lots of fun. Sue in Australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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