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buying a long arm


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I am finally ready to jump in with both feet. I have been using a viking mega quilter on an inspria first gen. frame for 6 years, and am ready to upgrade. I am 99% sure I want an APQS, but I haven't every used any long arm.

I am looking at the lenni, but my local (5 hours away) dealer told me to consider a demo Lucy for the same price. I am only 5ft and am concerned that I may not be able to handle the extra depth.

Also is bliss a must?

My husband told me to buy anything I want... but I am trying not to go overboard!

I only quilt as a hobby right now and don't see myself quilting professionally any time soon.

I live in Butte, MT and there aren't a lot of quilt machine dealers near me for any brands.

I do have the opportunity to go to the Salt lake city quilt show next week. to put my hands on a machine, but want to know if I should put a deposit on one of used machines.

thanks

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If you decide to put a deposit down on one of the used ones and then change your mind...your deposit is refundable. So, if there is one that you think you might like to hold till you can get to the Salt Lake Show where you can try out all the machines and then make a very informed decision...that is what I would do.

Personally, I would go with the Lucy as you have larger area for quilting with a Lucy compared to the Lenni...just saying

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There will be quite a few of the "family" there, haven't heard who from APQS will be with machines, Myrna is having classes so she will be there, let me know if you decide to go and we can meet and let you know what we have and give our opinions. I studied all of them before I went to a road show and made the final decision.

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here's what you NEED to do....

go to the show and spend the ENTIRE day driving and redriving all the brands of machines.

eliminate them as you go along....but drive each one at least twice.

have fun with it - write your name and try to make some shapes freehanding.

go to the back of the machine and see how that feels.

don't feel bad about going back and forth between different companies booths..this is why they set them up so you can try them out.

when you are driving them think about what your body is feeling...

is it heavy?

is there a lot of drag?

how is the light?

are you stretching to reach the farthest part of the quilt?

do your arms or wrists hurt or feel fatigued?

does your neck or back hurt or feel fatigued?

is the set up comfortable?

if the quilting space enough for your needs?

are the stitches pretty no matter what direction you are moving the head?

see how easy it is to change the stitch length?

are the handles comfortable?

can you adjust them?

do you think you will be able to get used to the controls?

ask about threads you like to use.

if you think you really want an apqs, you can put a deposit down to hold it til after the show. you should ask a rep, but i'm pretty sure its completely refundable.

i bought a 'show special' machine and i couldn't be happier. in my opinion, apqs is the best company/machine. the machines are of superb quality and the customer service can't be beat. but i am not you. everyone is different. what's important to me might not be important to you.

you owe it to yourself to try all that's out there. then you will be sure that you have made the right choice.

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Dotty: I did exactly as Meg recommends, only it took 2 shows :D to nail it down for me. I ended up really liking the information and the people of APQS. I lived a long way away from any dealer, and when they said I would be able to handle the care of the machine and learning a bit independently, they were exactly right. Also I have this forum, any question you might have , the answer will be right here from really helpful people.

The option of the height lift was made for you! Also, do talk to Myrna if you get the chance, she has many really helpful ideas, she ultimately helped me decide with lots of information. I have heard of quite a few on the forum that the used machines are an excellent way to go, and also know that the right fit is soooo important. Trust me, you will have that Ah Ha moment :D Pat Good hunting!

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I'm 5'1" and 130 lbs, my Gammill has a 26" throat and 14' table and everything is groovy. Your table will be adjustable(no matter what brand you get), the depth of the machine isn't an issue. I say get the most throat space you can afford!

I too started out on a shortarm for 5 years and then a midarm for 2 years and now I have a big one. No regrets!!

Amie:)

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you need to go overboard. My husband told me the same thing and I did not listen. 2 Yrs later I really wish I had gone 'overboard' - so do it, do it, do it. I was only quilting for myself back then too.

So 6 yrs after that I just went and bought a 2nd machine - a Millie. Go for the bigger one. David Jones and Deloa were here a few weeks back and spoke highly of the Lucy. Do it :D :D :D :D

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Since you mentioned the height, I'm the same size and when I was at the road show I had been thinking Lenni may be Lucey. but when o2bquilting showed me how the handles on the Freedom and Millie could be adjusted to fit my range, they also would let me reach back to the farther edge of the quilt. Now I would check to see if the handles from the Millie could be put on a Lucey. If I had the money available to do it, I would get a Blissed machine with the adjustable handles and the power table lift. It might be less expensive to get them at the beginning than try to add them later when designs could change.

Have fun looking and deciding.

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I love my penny Lenni. I intend to purchase the Side Saddle computer system. We were shopping for a new set of wheels.. and finally had Dave and Jennifer ( They also make quilting machines, the Homesteader) put the Carriage and wheels they use on Lenni.

The wheels are the edgeriders, but are vertical. Really a smooth ride.

I tried out the blissed Lenni at the Paducah show, and found out my Lenni runs pretty much the same.

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Originally posted by Neher-in-law5

Since you mentioned the height, I'm the same size and when I was at the road show I had been thinking Lenni may be Lucey. but when o2bquilting showed me how the handles on the Freedom and Millie could be adjusted to fit my range, they also would let me reach back to the farther edge of the quilt. Now I would check to see if the handles from the Millie could be put on a Lucey. If I had the money available to do it, I would get a Blissed machine with the adjustable handles and the power table lift. It might be less expensive to get them at the beginning than try to add them later when designs could change.

Have fun looking and deciding.

Madelyn:

The handles you used on the Millie and Freedom are now STANDARD on Lucey:):) These handles definitely make it so easy for people who are "on the shorter side" to quilt and use the entire space available. Once again APQS Rocks!!

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Guest Linda S

Dotty - I think you should put a deposit down so you can secure a used machine from the show, but by all means, go and try them and decide which is more comfortable for you. First and foremost, as you have already discovered, APQS makes a fabulous machine and stands by it with great service. Since you are of smaller stature, you will need to consider the weight of the machine you will be pushing around. I am 5'7", and when I tried a Millennium back in 2004 when I was machine shopping, I knew it was way too heavy for me. I ordered a Liberty, which is no longer sold by APQS, but I imagine it is like a Lenni with a lot of bells and whistles. I absolutely LOVE my machine. I have many APQS Millennium owners in my area who ask me to come and adjust their machines because they are having trouble "driving" their machine. I think in most cases, the machine is just too big and heavy for them. Perhaps the bigger machine with bliss will solve the problem. I know I tried Linda Rech's Bliss and it skated like it was on ice skates - so easy to move. Go see what will fit you best and, as the others have said, buy what you think you want. It kind of stinks to be on the sidelines wishing you had gotten this or that. I had a few small issues along the way with my machine (mostly operator error), but when I got my M&M wheels (now standard on the machines) I was in heaven! Sometimes having extra room is nice, but bigger is not always better. Best wishes to you. You are in for some wonderful quilting!

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Dotty,

I'm almost 5 hours from a dealer and I was afraid that I'd have trouble with my machine and not be able to fix it. So I bought an inferior one, and 1 1/2 years later switched to the Millenium. I've never looked back. APQS isn't going to warranty their machines for 8 years if they think you'll be having problems with them. You can call them anytime and use the members on the forum for help with your problems. Do a search for Myrna Ficken on this forum, get her phone number and call her. She really knows what she's talking about and will help you before you go to the show. It's natural to have a lot of concerns. I just bought the bliss system and MQX and wondered for a whole week if I made the wrong decision. I love it!!!! You'll be thankful for that ease of movement. Seriously, call Myrna now, she'll be happy to help you.

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I put a deposit on a Lucy. I will try them out next weekend. I will also try out Nolting and Gammill. Now I have to decide if I need bliss and the handles from the Millie. I don't want to wish for things and end up spending more money in the long run, but also don't want to overspend if I don't need it!

I have been praying about this for months... and keep talking myself out of buying one. We have been saving money, so I will be paying cash for whatever I decide.

Talked to Lily in Big Timber today, (on her morning off) and she was very kind.

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Dotty,

I am 4' 11" and I bought a Millennium. I can reach most parts but I do have to walk around the machine because I can't reach over the back to tie on if I am doing a panto. You don't have to have the quilt sandwich right back at the take up bar. But like others have already said try the machines. Sometimes if I am working from the front of the machine in a certain area on the quilt I stand on a STEP that I used for aerobics. Good luck and I hope you find the machine that will work for you.

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When I went to a Road show last September to look at the machines for a final time before ordering, I went there with the intentions of purchasing a Lucy. I had a long arm that was an 18" (of a different brand) and I wanted to upgrade to a longer throat. Last summer. I went to a big quiltshow and did exactly what the others here told you to do. I tried all the machines and went back and forthe between teh final couple machines I liked and pretty much made up my mind that I wanted an APQS Lucy. Then I went to the roadshow and my Dealer was the APQS rep there and she brought it to my attention that if I bought the Lucy, the handles on it were in line with the head of the machien (at that time) and I would have a farther reach when quiting towards the back of the quilting space. I bought the Freedom that had teh other handles that extended out to the front. I didn't know that those handles are now on the Lucy. If they would have been at that time, I would have saved myself some money and bought the Lucy. But now I also have the fabric advance on my Freedom, which I love, because I quilt for customers. But if I were only quitling for myself, I would save myself money--as it is a feature you don't need unless you want the added convenience. I also would not hesitate to buy a demo machine (or a "gently used"machine. I would have if I would have had the option, but I was doing Financing for my machine and they would only do it for a new machine. But if I could have done it for a demo machine, I certainly would have saved myself some money and bought one of those. It really doesn't matter if your Dealer lives close to you or not. My Dealer is Lucy and she lives 3 1/2 hours away from me. But it doesn't matter--if I have a question, I just email her. Good luck with your decision.

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I'm 5'3" and have a blissed Millie, and love it. The bliss really makes a BIG difference moving the larger head around, and if you ever plan to add robotics (I've added IQ), you will be very happy to have the extra throat space. Agree that you should try as many as you can.....just sayin' don't let the larger size intimidate ya. Bliss is wonderful!

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Originally posted by RitaR

I love my penny Lenni. I intend to purchase the Side Saddle computer system. We were shopping for a new set of wheels.. and finally had Dave and Jennifer ( They also make quilting machines, the Homesteader) put the Carriage and wheels they use on Lenni.

The wheels are the edgeriders, but are vertical. Really a smooth ride.

I tried out the blissed Lenni at the Paducah show, and found out my Lenni runs pretty much the same.

Very interesting I didn't know about this one, any chance of some photos of this carrriage Rita? Thanks

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This is a huge decision. I can tell you to pay attention to the stitch quality. Everyone knows I am not a fan of the beeping noise of my SR, I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the stitches!! Every direction is perfect! beautiful points!

I don't think that I was paying so much attention to the stitches as i was the quilting space. now that i have actually played with my new lenni, I am truly amazed and pleased!!!

Wish I could go to the show!!!!!!! I just went to paducah and spent my childrens inheritance!

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