Vittumhill Posted June 9, 2006 Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 I was wondering why you all bought your APSQ instead of another brand. I am somewhat discouraged because my stitches do not look so good, loops ect...I have a friend that just bought a Gammil with all the bells and whistles and a SR. The quality of her stitches is really nice. Is it the machine? the quilter??? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieBrewer Posted June 9, 2006 Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 I bought an APQS because I wanted the thread cutter and after talking to several Gammill owners, I decided I didn't need a tempermental machine that didn't work if it was too humid. I researched features on many models and narrowed my view to APQS and Gammill as being the best. I have a Mille and am having a good time but few customers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grammie Posted June 9, 2006 Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 American Made. Lighter in Weight. With time this will matter a great deal. Customer Service is A+++++ My stitches are just beautiful with SR or MAN Customer Service is A++++++ Easy Maintenance Customer Service is A+++++++++ I like the Table better. Customer Service is A+++++++++ Myrna, Linda and Cheryl talked me into it. lolololol I love my APQS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calicoquilter Posted June 10, 2006 Report Share Posted June 10, 2006 Connie, I have an APQS Liberty and it glides like the proverbial "hot knife through butter". Other brands did not seem to be able to give me the smooth motion. I did not want to have to arm wrestle my machine. Colleen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LA Posted June 10, 2006 Report Share Posted June 10, 2006 Hey Connie, Please give "our" Connie at APQS a call first thing on Monday. I am sure there is a simple solution to what is going on. Can you tell us more of what is going on?? We are here for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted June 10, 2006 Report Share Posted June 10, 2006 I could say it was the great forum - lots of help and inspiration. I could say it was the web-site which just seemed to answer all the questions I had. I could say that it had all the features I wanted. Which, we all know, they do. But, I really didn't start thinking about getting a longarm until I saw a magazine ad that made me laugh. Some folks just take themselves too serious. Quilting should be fun. So I was influenced by the power of advertising. I have a subscription to the magazine Love of Quilting. There are several machines (including longarms) featured in the magazine. Some ads just show the machine, they don't even have people in the ad. Then there are ads with women who look like they just stepped out of the beauty parlor; well-dressed and poised. You know the machine I mean.... And then there are Marianne Fons and Liz Porter laughing it up and quilting on an APQS machine while George (the DH) is asleep on the couch wearing a shirt which is missing several patches of fabric. . The ad made me laugh. That is what made up my mind that it had to be an APQS for me. Hey, this is supposed to be fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadows4 Posted June 11, 2006 Report Share Posted June 11, 2006 I went to MQS, 2005, in Overland Park, Kansas. I tried out different machines and liked the APQS the best. The machines are great, but the people are the best!! Sue Patten sold me my used Ultimate 1. She was great, and everyone else I've dealt with at APQS have been wonderful. It doesn't matter if I call for help, and it ends up being something stupid that I've missed or done, they are great. Like when I called and talked to Mark because my machine wouldn't run suddenly and I couldn't figure out what was wrong..It turned out that I had accidently turned the speed down twice when I was getting ready to SID and had turned the speed to 0!! I've held on to the hope that they don't have caller ID! Boy, did I feel stupid, but Mark laughed with me and was really great about it. lololol The machine is American made, which is important to me. And did I say the machines and people are great???? If I had it to do over again, I'd buy APQS again!! Jeanne http://community.webshots.com/user/shadows4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted June 11, 2006 Report Share Posted June 11, 2006 Connie - APQS makes a fine machine, lighter and easier to move than your standard Gammill (not to mention WAY EASIER to thread! ). If you are having trouble, it sounds like a tension issue to me. Give APQS a call and they will help you out. Also, for reference, there is an article at Superior Threads under Education called Thread Tug of War -- it is a great thing to look at when you just can't seem to get the thread right. Here's the link: http://www.superiorthreads.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43&Itemid=100 I am assuming that, because you have a Discovery, you do not have a stitch regulator. That can be a help in getting your stitches to be a consistent size, but with practice, you can do that on your own. Loopies are a tension issue and oh so fixable. Best of luck to you. You soon will have stitches just as nice as your friend's Gammill. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giftedhands Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 Connie: Thead tensioning has been pretty easy with my APQS, but each case is a little different. I know it was a nightmare when I was running Coats and Clark Cotton in the top and bottom. It was horrible. Is your problem the tension or the way the stitches LOOK? Big ones, little ones, etc? Definately call support in the morning and talk with someone. Cynthia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltaholi_518 Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 If you and your machine are new friends, I hate to say it but it is probable operator error. I know I went months while Lily nad I got to know each other and I thought "Why have I done this???" but once I got to know her, and she me, we get along fine and make beautiful stitches together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 Hi Connie, I'm so sad to hear you are having tension problems AND that it is causing you to have second thought about your machine. I wish I were close to you to help you out in person. We do have Mary Dacey in your part of the country, look under find a dearler. Tension is such a simple thing on our machines. Start with one thing at a time. Are the loops on the top or the bottom? Is the machine threaded correctly? Is the bobbin wound properly. (make sure that you don't have a tiny TINY piece of lint stuck in your bobbin tension spring) That can cause you to pull you hair out with tension issues.Is you quilt top too tight , or too loose. What type of batting and fabric? If you would like to call me I will be happy to go through things with you to see what the issue might be. However I hope you have it corrected by now Myrna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 Hi Connie, first to answer your question, I chose APQS because of the quality of thier welding. Sad but true. I came to a choice between Gammil and APQS and I knew I couldn't live with looking at a less than perfect finish, so APQS it had to be. Since buying the machine it has put me through hell. I got to where you are and went and tried gammils. Frankly they just don't feel as good and I decided it was now APQS or nothing. Belive me at times nothing looked like a great option. However Myrna had words with my machine and now it is fantastic. I think it escaped the factory a little quick and then tried some acrobatics on the way to me so it was completely out of wack. On the bright side it was easy to put right once I had expert advice. Hang in there it will come good honest. Oh yes, my machine is a Discovey too You don't need the bells and whistles this machine can do it really. Ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bstucker Posted June 13, 2006 Report Share Posted June 13, 2006 Connie, You are on the right path because you are asking questions. In the beginning a lot of your problems are related to your inexperience with the machine. Try slowing the speed down and relaxing more when you practice. Play your favorite music. Once you understand how to adjust the tension, and what things affect the tension (like thread weight, type of batting, type of fabric, fabric tension, lurking lint etc) you will find it easier and easier to discover what combination of things is causing the problem. I chose an APQS because the sales reps were so friendly and eager for me to try the machine. I also loved how much quiter it was than the other machines I'd tried. But, I struggled with the same issues as you are. Pig-headed perseverance, and asking questions will win out, I promise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scq Posted June 13, 2006 Report Share Posted June 13, 2006 Originally posted by MarieBrewer I bought an APQS because I wanted the thread cutter and after talking to several Gammill owners, I decided I didn't need a tempermental machine that didn't work if it was too humid. I researched features on many models and narrowed my view to APQS and Gammill as being the best. I have a Mille and am having a good time but few customers. I bought my Mille this winter after looking around for quite awhile. I bought the APQS for the features but especially for the customer service. They answered my questions quickly and put me in touch with a rep locally. the gammill guy near me wanted $60 for me to come down and try the machine out. That completely turned me off. The A-1 people took forever getting back to me. So, it was an easy choice. I love it and am using just for myself at this point. I have not had any issues or problems (except those I have cause myself....leaving something on the table, loading wrong, having thread wrapped around the wheels - don't know how it got there...etc etc) no tension probs, loops or anything. I am actually amazed at how well it works. What a workhorse! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeanros Posted June 13, 2006 Report Share Posted June 13, 2006 Connie, I have had my APQS Mille since last fall and love it. I too had a few hard times with the stitching giving me loops but I just didn't have the tention set right. Since I have gotten use to how to adjust it the tention, I am having a great time with my Mille. So just hang in there and get use to each other and I know you will enjoy having a APQS machine as much as I have. Jean from Co Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LA Posted June 13, 2006 Report Share Posted June 13, 2006 I just had a thought that may help some of you. If any of you have not had your free beginners class with your new machine, please call your closest Rep today & get one scheduled! The things that are covered are a wealth of information, & tension is a newbie thing that can make or break your day with the knowledge you gain in class, things will all come together! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv2kwilt Posted June 14, 2006 Report Share Posted June 14, 2006 Hey Connie, I started small a year ago with a machine that was super basic. I wanted to see if I would be able to get the business or not before I spent a ton. As I looked around at shows, and tried out all the different brands, I knew that if I could ever afford it, and had the business to support it, I would buy APQS for all the reasons everyone else has said, but mainly because this is a business, and you want to be the best you can, and you are going to get the best stitch with an APQS. People all around have Gammills and some of their stuff looks nice, but you can definately tell the difference between the machines. You get many great features on the Gammills that come with their machines, but the things that are really nice you can't get with a Gammill--thread cutter, motorized feed, movable handles, and well, the best stitch. Keep trying, it can be frustrating at first, but in a short time you will look back and wonder what all confusion was about! Good luck! ~Love my Milli~ Sincerely, Luv2kwilt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted June 14, 2006 Report Share Posted June 14, 2006 With Kim's permission I am coping this post from her . I second everything she stated. I might also mention that I love My Millie too;) I had a Gammill Classic for over 6 years, and loved it. That thing was an absolute workhorse, and I swear you could have dropped it off of a second-story roof and it would have kept on running. It was like a great big Energizer Bunny in that it took a lickin' and always kept right on ticking. However, early last September I switched to an APQS Millennium, and I am absolutely 100% over the moon in love with it. While there was nothing about my Gammill that was bad, it's just that everything about my Millie is better. Way better. It's lighter and more maneuverable, which translates into my being able to spend many more hours working without pain or discomfort. It effortlessly runs any and all specialty threads without me having to do anything more than the most simple tweaking of the tension. It runs quieter and has virtually no harmonic vibration whatsoever. The stitch regulator perform flawlessly, requiring absolutely no change at all in how I move the machine. No long stitches coming out of points, no nothing. Just smooth, beautifully regulated stitching. The stitches themselves are much prettier, and are always consistently formed, meaning that I do far less frogging than I did before. The handles, while seeming strange and unwieldy at first due to the fact that they are set up at an entirely different angle than the Gammill handles, have virtually eliminated the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome that I was beginning to notice when I stitched for long hours with my Gam. All in all, my only regret about my Millie is that I didn't buy it sooner. Carol Selepec and I talked this morning, and she asked me to give her a list of which 'emergency extra parts' I keep on hand for my Millie, and I have to admit that the question totally stumped me. With my Gam, I had a number of items that I always kept on hand. With my Millie, there is so little maintenance required that all I need to keep on hand is an extra bobbin case in the event that I drop the current one on the floor and bend it, a checkspring (not because I think I'll need it but because I'm so used to having one that I feel like it would be wrong to not have it), a flashlight, and a screwdriver just in case I ever feel the need to take the machine apart in the dark, I guess. The point is, I don't need to fix this machine. Ever. You don't need a laundry list of extras, you don't need an 800 page manual, you just need to hit the 'on' switch and start quilting. I love it. Did I mention that I love my Millie? Kimmy Brunner APQS Millennium Farmington, MN Goose the Moose Quilting ?(?)? http://community.webshots.com/user/kimmyquilt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susanri Posted June 15, 2006 Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 quality fist!! customer service, website and they are really easy to thread:) and use Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vittumhill Posted June 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 Originally posted by Vittumhill I was wondering why you all bought your APSQ instead of another brand. I am somewhat discouraged because my stitches do not look so good, loops ect...I have a friend that just bought a Gammil with all the bells and whistles and a SR. The quality of her stitches is really nice. Is it the machine? the quilter??? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vittumhill Posted June 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement, this forum is very helpful, I will call technical support as soon as I get home early enough to give them a call. Thanks again;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted June 16, 2006 Report Share Posted June 16, 2006 Connie remember there time zone is behind yours;) Myrna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pathutti Posted June 18, 2006 Report Share Posted June 18, 2006 Hi Connie, Sorry to hear you have been having stitch problems. "All the bells and whistles and a SR" won't help with tension issues. I'm sure you'll will get it figure out soon with the tech help. Give me a call or email me if I can help. We Discovery girls can stick together. I love my APQS Discovery. My mom keeps asking me why don't I have stitch regulator. (She thought that was why I traded my Ultimate II) Nope I don't need one and don't even want one. (I'm not saying they are bad for those of you that have them) There are some great quilters that do not use aSR. I do have the needle positioner and the one stitch which was the main reason for the trade. With out a SR you do have to do a lot more practicing PPP. If a SR is not in the budget don't feel you can't get an APQS. If I can do it anyone can. So I know you'll have great stitches in no time Connie. Pat Hutti APQS Discovery South Portland Maine www.huttidesigns.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizziesgirl Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 Hello, I am still looking at machines and today I was told by a group of Gammill lovers that it was the best way to go because it is easier to do the maintance yourself. They also said that there use to be a sales rep that worked for Gammill and is now working for APQS but still considers the Gammill the better of the two machines. Now I'm really confused. Still my heart is saying APQS because more award winning quilters use APQS, right? Any use to be Gammill owners out there that live in Michigan where it has all the weather. Thanks, Sheryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 Follow your heart! AQPS machines are easy to take care, no fuss no muss. I did when I change machines and have never looked back. Myrna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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