Investing in stitch regulator

[JulesG]

Hi, this is my first time to the site! I recently decided it was time to dive in to the home based business and am looking for advice!! I am hoping to go at this full throttle now that I have decided to go for it! My question is, is the stitch regulator worth the extra $5,000$? I want to get customers and get started as quickly as possible! If all else goes well, will the S/R help eliminate months of quilting practice that may be required if I choose to forgo the expense and invest in a machine without the S/R? I really don't want to have to wait months before I begin to offer quilting services!! My previous quilting experience has just been on my own short arm machine! Comments, Please? Thanks! Jules

[JudyL]

Jules: You've asked a loaded question!

I've never had a s/r but have a new machine ordered with a s/r.

If you don't want to spend the money on the s/r and if you have a quilting background and have been doing good work on your own short arm, then you probably will have a short amount of time learning to quilt without the s/r.

I felt fine without the s/r so long as I was doing "normal" client work. For over five years I've been quilting without the s/r and my quilts, as well as those for whom I've quilted, have won ribbons at shows. But, now I want to really do fantastic work . . Karen McTavish, Marilyn Badger and Sherry Rogers type work and I think you reach a point where you can't go any further without the s/r.

So, I guess if you have the cash to spare, I'd recommend going with the s/r. If paying the extra puts you spending more than you want to spend, you'll be fine without it.

How's that for saying nothing??

[Sheila]

I too am new. I've had my Millenium for about two months. Of which most of that time the s/r was not working (had a bad encoder), so I practiced without it, but now have it fixed. What a difference, now I can concentrate on getting my lines to flow without worrying about my stitches. It is one less thing to worry about while learning and believe me there is a lot of learning. But it is great fun (after the frustration wears off). Hope this may help in your decision making.

And "HI" Judy L. (Judy is a wealth of information and has been soooo helpful)

Sheila

[Guest Linda S]

Hi. I don't own a longarm yet. I've only done a few on my DSM, but I wouldn't think of buying a longarm without the stitch regulator. Why? Well, maybe it's just me, but I did one quilt on my DSM for my quilt group -- you know, something that wasn't totally my own -- I was a nervous wreck, worrying about how my stitches were coming out as well as how my pattern was looking. When it was finished, it looked okay, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist, and I thought they would all be upset with me for the way it turned out. Well, they ooo-ed and ahhh-ed over it, but I was in agony until they gave their approval. My aim in buying a machine is to go into a small business and I'd love to have one less thing to worry about!

Linda

[sue in Australia]

Hi Jules and everyone

If you have the money definitely go for the Liberty or Milli as it cuts down the learning curve and you will be able to quilt for money sooner.

The other thing to consider is what are other new quilters in your area buying or are established quilters trading up to sr machines. When you buy an APQS machine they are built to last so the only reason to trade up would be to get more bells and whistles.

Where I live, the majority of new machines sold have a stitch regulator. You could ring Carla and find out what people are buying in your area.

Good luck

Sue in Australia

[JulesG]

Thank you for the input...I think I had hesitantly decided for myself that it may be worth it since I do want to get off to a running start! But it is always nice to get the validation that one is not thinking totally irrationally!! Where I come from, we have one or two awesome LA quilters and quite a few that own longarms that pretty much quilt just for themselves and a select few others....I am in it for the long (arm)run;) and want to make sure I get off on the right foot!!! Thanks again!

[diane Bevans]

Next Thursday, I get my Liberty. I ordered a Machine with a stitch regulator because of the shortened learning curve.

[k8]

YES. No question about it. I'm sure there are those who say they are as good or better without a s/r but don't believe everything you hear!

The bar has been raised on what is "good" in this industry. If you want to be a longarm quilter - go without, if you aspire to be a CUSTOM QUILTER, don't even consider not having the stitch regulator.

[JudyL]

I know that you can be good without a S/R. I am not shy about saying my work is pretty darned good. There are pictures at http://www.SunshineQuilts.com. I've won ribbons and had my quilt recently juried into the Paducah show; my clients have won ribbons with my quilting. So, if there's a question of whether you can afford a regulated machine or not, don't do without a machine just because you can't afford the S/R.

Yes, it is so much easier to be good with the S/R and I'm sure my stitches will be better with the S/R (Millennium on order) but don't ever think you can't be good without the S/R.

The Millennium was always the machine in my dreams and I've worked my way up to fulfilling that dream. But I'd hate to see anyone miss out on the machine quilting fun because they couldn't afford to or didn't want to spend the extra money on the S/R.

Used machines are always in demand and if you get a machine without the S/R, I don't think you'd ever have any trouble selling it to upgrade.

But, if $$ isn't an issue . . go for the S/R.