Sharon Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 Hello, I'm new to the group and purchasing my 1st longarm an APQS Freedom. I need your sage and collective opinions in this very important question. I can have a 10, 12 or 14ft table . Initially, I said I wanted a 14ft, but whenI laid it out for my room, it was going to be a closer fit than I anticipated. I could still walk around but it would be very close to the steps. Hubby says, let's do the 12 footer, but I'm hesitant. When say you my new friends and experts? Who amongst you have a 12 footer and wished for a 14 footer or vise versa? If you have a 12 foot table, have you had to decline business because your table is not wide enough? Please share your thoughts and sage advice. I must make a decision by Friday. Thanks again in advance!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 if you get the fabric advance, it adds at least another 9" to the length. i had a 12' and swapped for a 14'. love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 sorry, i forgot to add my welcome to you. Good to have you join us here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delld Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 Room was not a question for me, as my studio is 14 by 39 feet, I bought the 14 ft table so I would have room to work on my machine (if Needed) when a quilt was on it. Remember the 14 foot table with the fabric advance will be 14 ' 9"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heritage Keepsakes Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 Welcome to the forum!! I am only relatively new to long arming myself, so can only offer good advice I was given. And are no expert. I have the 14ft table. I don't see myself using the entire 14ft to quilt a quilt for a very long time, if at all that often. But I have it there if I ever need to, because I have the space. Have fun with your new machine when it arrives.:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 I have a 14ft and I've never once regretted it. I have it against the wall on one end and then I walk around the other. I found that I never went around both sides anyway. I'd say buy as big as you can comfortably fit. I could easily fit the 14 ft. and opt to have the one end against the wall even though I have the room not to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 Welcome to the forum! I too have a 14 ft table and have just enough room to walk around one end of the frame but have had about 5 quilts that filled it up! I got the business because no one else could quilt a quilt that big - you won't use it all the time but it is nice to have the space when you need it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 I went from a 10' to a 12' and am so glad I did. I have the Circle Lord and the extra space is great for setting it up to quilt from the front. I love my Freedom! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterfly Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 I have a 12 foot frame and would never switch to a 14 foot. I have had quilts that fill it up pretty good but have never had a quilt too big for it yet. I've done several king sized quilts with no problem. I think that getting a quilt thats too big for a 12 foot frame is going to be a rare problem. I'm sure when it happens, I won't mind saying no to the customer. I really think it will only be once in every great blue moon. Jess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 i have a 12 foot table on my freedom and have never had a quilt that i couldn't fit on it. i am not in business, but do have a king sized bed that i have made a couple of quilts for - and my friends bring me quilts, too. i just measured my leaders - it's a usable length of 129" on my 12' table. i can't imagine a quilt larger than that in both length and width, but i suppose it's possible everyone says get the biggest you can fit...so if you can fit 14'9" with room to move around, i'd get 14. but if you can't fit it or would prefer more room, i think a 12 foot table is more than sufficient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandmaLKB Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 I was advised when I was shopping for mine to get the longest table I could. I got the 14'. I could get along OK with a 12, but right now I have a quilt on the frame that is 115" square ! I also have the Quiltazoid, so nice to have the extra room on the end for hold that. My basement room is plenty big enough but if I ever move to a smaller house, I will probably have to downsize OR knock out a wall ! haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisae Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 I went from a 14' to a 12' and haven't missed the extra space at all! Of course, I only quilt for myself so I can control the size of the quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennan100 Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 You can also fit the end with the advance motor on it in a corner. The table would go from corner to corner in the room and free up your doorway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connieb Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 I have a 12' and last week the backer for the quilt I was doing was 124". I had about 2 to 3 inches left on each end of my leaders. This customer says she's bringing me more that are that size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaC Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 I'm the one that swapped Kristina the 14' table for the 12' table and I don't regret it at all. I don't quilt for others and do not intend on getting gadgets that take up table space, and absolutely love my 12' and I've also quilted King size quilts with no problem at all. Are you totally confused by now with everyone's input? Welcome to the forum and Congratulations on your new purchase! You will love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Posted April 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 Thank you everyone! I am gathering up responses and right now it feels like there is no "right" answer to my question. There are owners who are very content with their 12' table and those that love their 14' table. I will remeasure the area on Wednesday or Thursday and make a final decision, but please keep your opinions coming! Love to hear from you on how you made your decisions! I look forward to becoming an active member of the community in the very near future! Please understand I am in the process of moving and setting up the studio, but I will be online! Sharon in Sunny Arizona, now in Mesa soon to be in Prescott! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newellyn Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 If you have room for the 14 foot table, get it. You'll never regret it. It always seems if there is a bigger better model, at some point you'll come to a time you could have used it. If you never use that extra two feet, what is the difference it all costs the same. I had the room, so went for it and am really glad I did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimerickson Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 DriHeat: Congrats on your decision to buy. Since you're buying new, doesn't APQS offer a custom length option? I've often thought the compromise between table size and room space would be a 13' table. Just a bit bigger than the 12', yet smaller than the 14' Extra room for that occasional "big" quilt, but more compact than the 14' table. I use both a 12' and 14 ' machine. I'm not sure I've ever had a quilt I couldn't have fit on the 12', but it's nice to be able to mount the quilt any way you want, rather than have to mount the narrow sides perpendicular to the rollers. If you have the room to comfortably fit the 14', get it. If it's going to be crowded see if you can get a custom 13' table. Good luck. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Grammy Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 I have a 12' table I couldn't fit a 14' one in the space that it is currently in. I have not had any trouble fitting the quilts that I have done so far. I love it but I would have bought a 14' if I would have had the space for it. Good luck and welcome to the forum:D it is a great place to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queenie123 Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 I am still in the saving/shopping mode but if I had a choice I would go with the 14 even though it will take up extra space but for myself I would want only the best after spending so much money I would not want to buy something and not be able to use it at its peak levels for the same money.I have been saving for a millie ,best of luck to you ,I can feel your excitement , Queenie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretchen Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 The big advantage of a 14" table is being able to load a quilt sideways for fewer advances. I have a 14' table on my Liberty and the Mille has an 11.5' as that is all I could fit. To my knowledge APQS no longer makes custom sized tables. If I were to buy another I think I would stick with a 12'. I hate quilting those never ending monstrous quilts that only fit on the bigger table. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy2018 Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 I find the 14 foot nice for the room it gives me to move around, have rulers and tools off the side, clamp special shapes with headers down (big scallops) and just have a little elbow room between me and the ends of the rollers. My Milli prefers to sew in the middle sections..... Also, I'm one of the people who keeps a practice piece all the time to work on when just starting the day, or finalize tension (try not to do that on the real quilt!) I have the practice piece about 3 feet wide on the left, then the quilt I'm working on, and then on the right I have room to have the machine parked at when I'm not working, I have a mat on the floor to catch my " cleaning residue" and any oil I'm too blind to get to the right spot:D In short I like the extra room I usually have with the 14 foot, I'm spoiled.... Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zora Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 If you have loads of room, a 14 foot table is the way to go. I opted for a 12 foot one, because I didn't want to have to fall over it every day for the few occasions when a 14 foot would be helpful. If you table is encroaching on your stairs...and your husband is not supportive of crawling around it all the time...a 12 is the best choice. They may even cut a special length for you...say 13 feet...if you ask. They used to do that. Don't kow if they will anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epprog Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 I have two machines both with 14' tables. I seriously considered only getting 12' table but opted for another 14' because I know that the newer machine is the one that I would be keeping if I decided to downsize down the road. My 14' table are against the wall on one side. You don't need to get around both sides of a machine. I often get quilts that are at least 130" and larger. I get asked "how big can you quilt" all the time and I always can fit anything that they can throw at me. Another posted that 14' table gives you the option to put quilts on sideways and that is a great point. You save lots of time if you load sideways because you have to advance less times and that saves lots of time. If you end up doing customer quilts then this is a serious thing to consider because sometimes you literally get so busy that every second of saved time is awesome! Good luck. You are making a great choice getting an APQS machine and this group is the best. Cher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankiequilter Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 I had a custom size 11 foot and traded it for a 14 foot table. I love having the extra quilting space for the larger quilts, and with 14 feet I have plenty of space for my Circle Lord. If you want Bliss then you would need a standard size, either 10', 12' or 14', because APQS cannot custom size Bliss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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