Has any one read this Quilting Blog

[KathG]

Hi everyone

I am just wondering if anyone of our APQS family have read the post

7 Reasons Why I Don't Want or Need a Longarm

on the link below

http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/2011/09/7-reasons-why-i-dont-want-or-need.html

I love what Leah does, but not sure what I think about the above.

I do think everyone has a right to make their own choices, but after reading some of the replies, I was beginning to wonder who the snobs are .

Not trying to cause a war, just wondering what your opinions are

[lisae]

Wow. I had a Juki TL-98 and quilted many large quilts on it. The wear and tear on my body made it worth every penny to invest in a longarm. To me, my longarm is a tool, and I bought the very best. And guess what...no more shoulder/back issues!

Men think nothing of buying expensive tools/toys, why should women be any different? And I only quilt for myself...

Not being a snob, I just know I made the right choice for ME.

[qltgurl]

Wow.

her opinion but if I was to post something like that for everyone to read I would end up with a longarm in the future and be trying to cover what I had said and rejustifying why I want/have one now.

I have a bernina that I do my quilting on and can rent time on a longarm at a local quilt shop. I like to finish my own quilts myself so until I can buy a longarm for myself I use what I got. But in my opinion I would rather use a longarm to quilt a large quilt than trying to push it around and I would never try to discourage someone else from using what they can afford or want.

But I guess too after hearing so many comments you just have enough so you need to stand up and say it once about how/why you feel this way. And having a blog that picks up new readers and comments everyday it probably gets to be the same ol comments over and over.

[quilterbee1]

I've followed her blog for a while now. She's just doesn't understand the freedom she would have if she invested in a longarm. She doesn't get it. But I betcha she'll come around in the next few years and she will have one. It just takes awile to get to that realization. Amie

[Primitive1]

To each their own....differant strokes for differant folks....she doesn't know how to use one and is happy with what she has....and seems to be very talented using her machine.

Just want to say that I love my millie!!!!

[Quilting Heidi]

Originally posted by Primitive1

To each their own....differant strokes for differant folks....she doesn't know how to use one and is happy with what she has....and seems to be very talented using her machine.

Just want to say that I love my millie!!!!

LOL that was exactly what I was going to say! I hated quilting on a domestic but I'm not a snob about you if you love too. To each their own.

[LauraJ]

So sorry if some long-armers rained on her domestic parade of great stitch ideas. She's young. I'm older. Did one quilt on my domestic and after my neck and shoulders unspasmed - told hubby that when we got the finances I was getting a LONGARM! Did it and am glad I did.

[carolinequilts]

To me, it sounds like what she is trying to say is that if you love working on your domestic machine and are getting done what you need to get done in a beautiful way, then there is no need to buy an expensive machine to do the same job.

It boils down to preference and individual choice. I started quilting on my domestic machine and LIKED it (even taught it for awhile), but didn't LOVE it. I loved the longarms when I first saw them at the trade shows and knew it was for me. Nobody 'convinced' me that I needed one - that was my own choice and I'm very happy with it.

Everyone needs to be happy with their choices and stand up for them. I think Leah is standing up for her choice. Maybe she just got sick of people telling her what she 'should do/should use' and she needed to vent. Isn't that what blogs are for?

I'm not offended by her post.

[KarenH]

Wow, Vicki you called it!! There is nothing worse that rolling and stuffing a full size quilt thru the throat space of 6 1/2"!! If i was doing something small it was ok, but anything else, no way!! I do feel that with anything, PPP is what it is all about. I have never regretted purchasing my Freedom SR, it has given me the freedom (no pun intended) to expand my quilting skills and I feel very liberated!!!!!:)

[quiltmonkey]

I think her point of view is very valid. I don't think she is a snob at all. In fact, she is just simply pointing out (and I emphasize her use of the word "I" in 7 Reasons Why I Don't Want or Need a Longarm). She is giving her views on the topic and they are true.

Before I got my longarm machine, I quilted on my Bernina for 4 years. Three of those 4 years I had my Bernina on a Grace frame. The first year, I freehand quilted like she does on her blog. I got pretty good at free motion quilting with my hopping foot while wearing the rubber gloves to grip the fabric.

Hey, bottom line here is we live in a day and time of this world where we have many, many choices and options and variety. Aren't we lucky? And we are all fortunate that we can make these choices. Lucky for all of us (including her) that we get to have fun and enjoy what we do, regardless of how we do it.

Happy Quilting Everyone --- however which way you choose do it. Even tieing a quilt with yarn (which I still do some times!)

PS: I think it's cool that she designed a way to reduce the amount of weight of the fabric while she quilts on her DSM. Good for her innovative thinking!

[dancingraisin]

I read alot of economics in the blog post. If you are just quilting for yourself, the cost of a good long arm machine can be an insurmountable barrier. I make a good salary, but a long arm machine will not be among my tools until my son finishes college. (Then what I spend for my share of his tuition and fees will be free to go toward my own machine.)

The difference between me and the blogger is that I cannot see going through what seem like impossible gyrations to quilt a large quilt. Although I am eager to have the freedom to quilt my piecing as I imagine it, in the meantime I will give my big quilts to my local pro, who does a wonderful job!

[peglu]

Ok, so she doesn't want a long-arm: I get it. But, does that make me a snob or any less talented because I have a long arm? I think that anyone who can quilt on a DSM is extremely talented. It is a lot of hard work. I highly commend them. As for me, I just can't do it. I feel that I have worked hard all my life and deserve my long-arm. It is the only way that I can quilt. Yes, there is a learning curve. But, are you kidding me? The learning curve on a DSM is tremendous. I do see her point. People around me do not understand why I spent so much money on a "sewing machine" But I do, and that is all that counts. I think the only thing that really bugs me about her posts is the use of the word 'snob'. I am not a snob, I am lucky.

Peggy

[lisae]

Originally posted by peglu

I think the only thing that really bugs me about her posts is the use of the word 'snob'. I am not a snob, I am lucky.

Peggy

Exactly my point, Peggy! I personally couldn't care less what type of machine anyone uses to quilt...or if they hand quilt or tie their quilts. But please don't refer to those of us who have longarms as snobs!

[Guest Linda S]

I think Leah rocks. I have the utmost respect for anyone who can comfortably quilt on a DSM. I quilted probably two queens, a couple of twins, and some wall hangings on my DSM before I got Eowyn. I was never so relieved as to not have to shove all that fabric through the small throat of my Bernina. But, there IS a learning curve. My brain preferred the longarm. Perhaps hers doesn't. I read her article pretty quickly, but I don't think she said anything generally disparaging about longarm quilters. I think she's a bit ticked about people trying to tell her what to do and that they think she is wrong (aka snobs). Think about it, wouldn't that pi$$ you off too?

[Borderline Quilter]

Me thinks the Lady protests too much!

[meg_marsh]

Different strokes for different folks - I have no problem with her opinion, but it concerns me that her venting is so adamant and almost (not quite) rude. I feel sad that she seems to feel that she is not respected by those around her for her expertise in quilting on the DSM. I think most of us enjoy going to her site to see all the different fills she comes up with. Personally, I have never given it much thought about her demonstrating on her DSM vs a LA. I go there for the ideas, not her machine. As I see it, there are many outstanding quilters - some use a DSM and others a LA - if it is gorgeous, it is gorgeous. Then there are the majority of quilters (I hope I am in this group) who do great work, love our machines (DSM or LA) and continually strive to do gorgeous work no matter what the cost - whatever we can afford.

If someone wants to talk about the snob issue - it wasn't that long ago that machine quilting wasn't considered quilting ......... Look at all the hand quilters who are now using machines ............. Then there is the issue of hand guided vs computer driven. More and more people are adding computers and finding that computers don't make the quilt but are just another tool. And of course, look at all the other wonderful tools out there - Circle Lord, QuiltaZoid, specialty rulers, etc - that we use to quilt that "perfect" quilt. In the end, quilting is quilting no matter what the process or what tool is used. Anyone who has done any quilting (no matter what tool or process used) has figured out that it takes time, patience, and PPP and the love of quilting itself to produce that which we treasure most - a quilt filled with love.

[meg]

her blog......her opinion.

she certainly shares openly all her information and talent. and she does beautiful work.

[LFQuilts]

It sounds like Leah got asked one too many times about owning a longarm. I don't blame her for getting tired of the question.

Like Dancing Raisin, I read some economic issues into the blog post. We all know that Leah does beautiful work and that many of us have benefited from her posts on different background fills. When I was her age, there was no way I could have justified the cost of a longarm machine. I was much older before I could even justify the cost of a good Bernina! So, she has wisely learned to do beautiful work based on what her space and her finances allow right now. She might change her mind later; she might not. It really doesn't matter; it's hard to imagine that her work would be any more lovely done on a different machine.

She makes a really good point about the need for PPP. No machine will turn you into a proficient quilter. You have to use the tool, whatever the tool may be, and practice as much as possible. (Even though I've had my machine for two years, I still have a long way to go on the learning curve.)

For some of us, the longarm is the right tool for how our brains and bodies work. Others can achieve magnificent results using a DSM. As Leah points out, who cares what you are stitching on as long as you are stitching?

Lynn

[ffq-lar]

At first, blogs were about personal expression. An on-line diary of whatever came into your head.

Blogs are now about financial gain as well.

Leah found a huge following by sharing her vast talent. She is very very very good at what she does. She encourages her readers to try the next step/design/tip/hint, etc. BUT, she sells stuff from her blog. She sells the sliders, gloves, DVD's, and other tools for successful DSM freehand quilting.

I think she just shot herself in the foot with this rant.

She has alienated a big group of quilters, even if it was "her blog/her opinion" and aimed at those she felt were offering her unwanted advice.

I think she was rash in posting such a negative article and we may see either an apology posted from her or this post might disappear in a few days.

I bet she regrets it already.....

[ffq-lar]

Another thought-- I bet she gets a huge number of hits today!

[lnieland]

I think it's all in how you want to take her comments. If you want to be offended, there are plenty of her statements that can do the job! If you want to read her comments as nothing more than her opinion (or rant!), then that's what it is. Remember, we don't have any idea what tone of "voice" she was using when she wrote her words. We might be reading them as being said in an angry or defensive tone, but that might not have been at all what she intended. Yes, some of the words she chose to use would lead us in that direction, but I really don't think she is putting longarmers down. I kind of think she was just asked one too many times why she uses a DSM when it seems (to some people) to be so much work.

Maybe I'm just sympathetic - I have a friend who has a neighbor who has a longarm, and "she uses a computer and does such beautiful work." When I say I don't have a computer and do all my work freehand, the friend says, "But you should get one." Well, maybe I should, but I don't do much quilting for others and I don't have an extra $13,000 or whatever to buy one - and I find myself getting defensive when she insinuates my way isn't as good.

[quiltmonkey]

Diane Gaudynski, award winning quilter, uses her Bernina to make her masterpieces. She is an amazing artist and is one of the main reasons I feel in love with quilting back in 2002.

By the way, we don't need to justify why we have a longarm and we don't need to justify why we don't have a longarm.

Do I see any men justifying why they spend thousands and thousands of $$ on guns, rifles, hunting gear, 4-wheelers, ATVs, hunting trips, sports cars, motorcycles, fishing boats, snow mobiles, wave runners, etc...... not to mention their trucks all pimped out with accessories like the big knobby 4WD tires, lift kit, glass pack muffler exhaust system, tinted windows....

:cool:

BTW, I own a longarm machine but I don't think I am elitist. And I don't think I'm a snob. I did not have to take out a loan or mortgage my house to buy my longarm machine. I saved for three years to buy it. I have a full time job. I saved my money and I bought it. I then saved another 3 years and just bought the Intelliquilter system. No loan, no mortgage. I worked and I saved for it and I bought it.

I love quilters regardless of how or what they quilt on. It's all supposed to be fun. Who cares what we drive as long as we're driving and we're having fun... it's the journey.

And sometimes when I'm at a retreat, or even at home, I still freehand quilt on my Bernina. I really enjoy it! It's like riding a bike... it comes back to me quickly.

And I love my longarm, too. Life is good.

[IBQLTN2]

Everyone has an opinion and should feel free to post or blog it if they wish. I get the idea that she is just tired of being made to feel machine quilting needs to be on a long arm. I know she does wonderful work and if I could do that on a dsm I would have not gotten a long arm. I tried it and maybe I didnt ppp enough as I surely never got the resuilts she and many others have gotten on their dsm.

We have a quilter in our guild who usually the past few years has taken the best of show and does fantastic, intricate machine quiting and it is all on a dsm. she has been juried into many national shows and I know she does not have any desire to have a long arm. I am quite sure if she wanted one she would have it. It is probably true that there are some that have the attitude about dsm, but as a whole I think we here are pretty open to all quilters regardless of brand or style of quilting. To me quilters are quiters and if they love it like I do then they are alright in my book!!

[Hawaii]

I really enjoy and am inspired by her blog! And the fact that she so freely shares her creativity is wonderful to me. Amazed that 1) - she is doing this quilting on a DSM and 2) - that she actually creates little videos showing exactly how she does each design. What a wealth of information for ALL of us!

Longarm/midarm/shortarm/DSM/needle & thread - a quilter is a quilter is a quilter!

[Ferret]

I largely agree with her. I would also have added there are some things which are easier on a domestic machine. I currently have a quit planned that will be quilted on my domestic for that very reason, it's small for me about 80" square. I seriously considered doing what she has to remove the weight of the quilt just before I got made redundant and spent the money on a longarm. A longarm is a huge investment in a hobby, if you aren't planning on going into business. My longarm cost more than any 2 of my vehicles, in fact I think it cost as much as my last 4 vehicles put together so to me and probably to a lot of others this is a huge expenditure that I would never have considered for a hobby, and bear in mind I did it as cheaply as possible without even the frame. Which brings me on to her size comment. I can't have an APQS frame, it doesn't fit in the house. Well technically it does, but you couldn't stand where you need to to use it.

We might love our machines, but they are not the be all and end all. They can be great, but so can other solutions. I find it very frustrating when people assume things can only be done on a longarm, or I can only do what I do because I have one. They make some things easier some of the time. Just another tool, just another choice.

Ferret