Gammill vs APQS Milli

[jakrnsewing]

Hello I have a big decision to make and need some feedback. When I first started my journey into longarm quilting one year ago I researched two brands Gammill and APQS I ened up buying a gammill classic plus and for months played with bad stitches so much so I decided to sell my machine I posted it on several sites with some but not serious response I decided to give it more time and time did make a difference my stitches are great and the machine is doing me no wrong at the present time my only complaint would be when I am doing pantographs my lower back kills me after only a short period of time I don't know if it is body mechanics or the weight of the machine...anyway it seems I may have a serious buyer who is ready to buy but now I am not so sure I should make the change. Learning the Milli will be like starting all over again but I think in the long run of my quilting the Mili might take the pressure off my lower back ...I really don't know what to do as I said my machine is behaving wonderfully and my quilts have much improved...Any feedback from any past gammill or Milli owners would be appreciated. Thanks Jackie

[Sue E.]

Jackie, have you used the Millie? I also was thinking of buying a Gammill. I used one for several hours and came away with a sore back - to be fair, I do have a bad back (broke it in 1974) and everything bothers me. As soon as I played with the Millie, I knew what machine I was going to get and ordered it the very next day. I still get back pain, but I love my machine. It is so light weight compared to the Gammills.

My suggestion to you would be to go somewhere where you can really try out the APQS machines. Play with the machine for several hours and then see how your back is. If it still hurts, it isn't the machine causing the problems!

I'm glad I don't have to make your decision. I wish you the best of luck.

[Guest Linda S]

Gammills are known for being heavy and if it's bothering your back, you might want to change. If you have a serious buyer for your Gammill and have considered changing, I'd do it. There are an awful lot of used Gammills on the market right now. I wouldn't take the chance of not being able to sell it later if I wanted to.

Linda

[vickiep]

Jackie-does your table have the hydraulic lift? I got that on my Gammill and it makes a lot of difference-I jack it way up to do pantos! Vickie

[Ferret]

I would try and get the table raised first, but if it is a weight issue the Milli should help. If you do swap you probably wan to get the hydraulic lift so you can adjust it in future to help your back. I find pantos kill me too. I can't readily adjust my table height.

Ferret

[Karen McTavish]

I have been in your shoes, Jackie.

The great thing about APQS is no more skipped stiches or random loops. Another great thing, and the list is long when you do the switch to APQS - is straight hanging quilts. No more wavy quilts! I worked with Pat Harrison on her new Millie recently and she was a Gammill owner for over 10 years. Speaking for Pat and myself, we both experienced the same fear you are going thru with learning a new machine. There is a huge payoff for your fear however - beautiful stitches and a much lighter machine (less back pain) and stunning quilts. That's the bottom line - training your brain to use new buttons is fairly easy - it took me about 3 quilts and I had it down without having to think. I thought the transition was going to take me months to relearn a machine - but it comes really fast for most people making the switch. My big regret is that I spent years on a machine that didnt do what I needed it to do, and when I finally got over my fear of the "buttons" and made the switch to APQS - it was almost comical that I didnt do it sooner. I think of all those quilt show critques that said, "Inconsistant stitches" - when I had a stitch regulated machine......Makes me nuts. That has never happened to me since I made the switch to APQS. The hardest "goodbyes" make for the sweetest "hellos".

[dtreusch]

Karen,

Karen McTavish

McTavish Quilting Studio

Duluth Minnesota

Quiter, Education, Author and APQS dealer

(218) 391-8218

kmctavish@designerquilts.com

www.designerquilts.com

Typos can be pretty funny at time. According to your signature line, you are a quiter. I've had some classes with you and I know that you are anything BUT a quiter!!

Debbi

[sewingupastorm]

Karen it is really nice to see you posting here. I recently checked out your books from the guild library and watched the DVDs read the books from cover to cover more than once and have taught myself to McTavish...........................I am a total convert of McTavishing now...............just love it.

Ok enough of that. My real question to you is that I purchased a Gammill a year ago and I would like to hear more about the inconsistant stitches you describe. I do notice that at times my sitches seem to be bigger or smaller than what I have things set on. I have never been sure if it was operator error or if it was something that was set wrong. Do you have any ideas of what causes these...............I was wondering if the rollers that run the stitch regulator might not be making proper contact or something.

I will say that for now I will have to stick with the Gammill as it is a huge purchase for me and I am gonna have to pay off more of it and put away some more money before I upgrade to something else.

[sewingupastorm]

Jackie I also use a Gammil Optimum Plus and do not experience any bad back problems from my machine. I am wondering if you height of the table might not be set correctly for you.

I have a chair with sliders I got with my machine and like to use that when I am at the front.

When I do pantographs I like to have the machine almost right up against me.......................well it is kinda like dancing with a partner.....................I move with the machine and keep my body straight. I mostly allow my arms to push and pull and do not ever bend.

I have never tried a Millie so I can not really say anything about how they would work for your back.

[Karen McTavish]

For the record, my "Quiter" is fixed to "Quilter"..... Thanks so much for letting me know, Debbie!

I had a 1997 Classic and a Optimum Plus - about 5 years ago. The reason I love APQS is because I went on a mission to find the BEST Stitch Regulator longarm on the market and now have 3 APQS machines as a result. Its not operator error - SR's should just work. I was told that the actual "sensors" are the issue - not the little rollers. But its not you - how could it be? A sensor should be able to tell when the machine is moving or not.

I purchased the Optimum Plus after saving for years for a stitch regulated machine and after all the vibration, inconsistant stitches and problems with not being able to fix it, I sold it within a couple of months and got my Millie. After using the Millie I noticed several things - some of perks were my quilts hung straight on the rod, my stitches were awesomely beautiful and consistant, my SID was amazing and I could hear the phone ring while I was quilting. Not to mention I was in shock over the excellent customer service.

[Susanri]

Karen Is so on the money! I tried Pats machine two different times during classes. I was so in awe over Pats talent to quilt with it. I couldn't stitch three inches with that machine. I have an old non stitch regulated Ultimate. It is quieter, smoother, lighter and easier to move and makes great stitiches withhardly any tread breakage and I can use a wide assortment of threads, Pat said she was very limited to types of threads. Someday I will get the Millie but I the more I use it the less SR becomes a need.

I was glad to hear Pat switched machines, her quilts will be that much more stunning. I am very sure gammils are good machines I just think from what I have seen APQS is a better performing machine. And f your going to quilt it should be comfortable and enjoyable.

As for the customer service --If you buy used APQS machine from them they treat you like you bought the top model!

until you can switch I think checking your table height is a good idea.

[oceanwavesqc]

Jackie,

I have a Gammill Classic I/S Turbo CL that I bought in 1999 and used steadily. Very little trouble with the machine itself but have found since I got my Millie that the tension problems are gone, my hearing is improving from the much quieter machine, it is equally smooth, much lighter and my DH says I'm finally getting the hang of NOT looking like I'm driving a Mack truck. When I purchased my Gammill I was clueless as to what was what and it was really all that was readily available in New England. I just wish I'd bought the Millie sooner - but alas - college tuitionj payments have just ended. Good luck on your decision.

Pat Harrison

[jeanros]

Yes, Karen is so right, I have had a Millennium for over a year and just love it, although I do still work and don't have as much time as I would like to quilt but I am learning in my spare time. I have never had a class so I am and self taught up to this point. I have a couple of Karens books and DVD and she does a great job at teaching and hopefully I will be able to take a class at " Quilting on The Waterfront "this fall. Great to see you here Karen.

Jean

[JuliaDay]

The hydrolic lift is a must if you don't have one. Even changing the height a little bit can help relieve the way you stand.

I also use the lift to raise my Milli beast so I can use the back as a light board. Awesome!

[epprog]

I did ALOT of research before buying and before even finding this forum had decided on an APQS. The quilts I saw done on Gamills had loopy backing stitches and Karen's word "inconsistant" is right. They also just sent me their info pack but absolutely no follow up or a real person to talk to. If I were you I'd switch in a minute. I have beginning back problems and even using my DMS is starting to bother me (inherited my back from my mom!) so I was a bit concerned when we decided to order my Millie. I have had absolutely NO TROUBLE with my back and I use it lots of hours in a day, don't even sit to quilt (maybe in the future with a new chair I will!) Good luck, there are others on here that switched too and are very glad they did. Myrna is one (hope she doesn't mind that I used her name) and we had a long conversation about her change awhile ago. Go for it! In the meantime I am glad that you have resolved some of your tension issues and still enjoy quilting, I just think that if you don't take your chance to switch you will always regret that you didn't do it. When you read posts from awesome quilters like Karen McTavish and their experiences you know that, given the chance, you will be doing the right thing and your quilting will be awesome. Don't be scared of new buttons, the DVD that comes with APQS machines is sooooo goood that you won't even have a learning curve, now, if I could just learn to do feathers like Sherry does!!! Let us know what you decide!

Cher

[CherylUribe]

My first Longarm was a Gammill Optimum. It was the only machine I considered at the time because two of my friends had them. Wish I had investigated a little more. I probably could of kept the machine and been fine. Though I was starting to get carpel tunnel, having maintenance and stitch quality issues. When I looked at APQS the first thing I noticed was the quality of there designers/artists & dealer/representative's. Not only were they great people, but more important to this topic -the quality of their work was impeccable! To me it says a lot that APQS has attracted a lot of the most talented quilters in the business. These are people that expect a lot out of they're machine's and the company that makes them. I am so impressed sometimes when I think of the talent that is coral-ed here. Marilyn Bager, Dawn Cavanaugh, Sherry Rogers, Karen McT., Myrna Ficken, Judy Allen, Deloa Jones, Kim Brunner, Noriko Endo, Robbie Joy Eklow, Caryl Breyer Fallert, Ricky Timms.............

And so on....! I'm sure I have left out many more.

Anyway, I am thrilled that I changed. You'll decide what is right for you.

BTW, my two Gammill friends are becoming APQS friends!

[Kathleen]

My husband and I went to a quilt show in Minnesota a few years ago right after I had started quilting (been paying others to LA quilt them for me) in earnest, specifically to see the Gammill, that is all you see in the ads of quilters magazines, so it had to be just the best, right? When we got there and tried out the different machines, we fell in love with the APQS!! It was such a disappointment to use the Gammill for the first time, then when we tried out the APQS (mind you we had not heard of much less read up on that brand) it was so much nicer. Less noise, less vibration etc. I was ready to take it home that day! I wrote my name in cursive all over the fabric!! I have had my Millie (aka Ethel) since September and it is a dream come true for me.

[CucumberQuilting]

Honey, you heard it from the experts. If you need help making a decision, go with APQS.

I had the privilege of having an awesome mentor to help me make the decision to start a quilting service business. She owns a Gammill and I was invited to do some quilting on it before buying my own machine. I bought a Millennium and am completely satisfied with it, the company, my rep (name removed), the maintenance class I took from Mark at Innovations and, of course, the results I've been getting with this machine.

I've had my machine for two years, made a small profit in my business for 2006 (meaning, my machine has been paid for) and guess what? My machine is still under warranty and my business is going strong. Can't complain about any of that.

Best of Luck. ~~ Eva H.

[Stagecl]

I, too, owned a Gammill Optimum Plus for 2 years...sold it and bought a Millie and now own a Liberty too. I have added a compuquilter to the Millie. The reason I sold the gammill was I couldn't control the movement of the machine when doing intricate work...it was too heavy for me and would fish tail. My stitches would always flat line in one direction no matter what I did to the machine (even with tech help). I am only 5'2" so a lighter machine was in my best interest. I also tried out an A-1 before buying the Liberty, but I didn't care for the stitch quality. A-1's are definitely light.

Cheryl Mathre

Stone Creek Quilting

Sandy Hook, VA

[jakrnsewing]

Wow what a great response from everybody I really appreciate it especially Karen McTavish what a thrill...My first quilting book and DVD was hers just excellent. Well I have taken all into consideration and I have decided that for me selling and changing to the APQS is the way to go however I have not heard from my potential buyer again so that opportunity may have passed for now but I am going to pursue selling my machine again. Thanks again I just love this site and all the wonderful peope here...Jackie

[CherylUribe]

Great to hear you've decided to join us as an APQS owner at some point. For your information; if you want to actively pursue a new buyer for your machine there are several sites that you can post on. House of Hansen (Hanson?), I believe Longarm List? (correct me here everyone, -I only use this site), and here. We have a topic just for classifieds and it's free. I have sold a few machines this way very successfully.

If you love Karens books and DVD's you should try one of her classes! She is one of the best teachers I've ever seen. I think her greatest virtue's are (beside her talent) her patience and her realness -no ego with her! Very refreshing.

I agree with you about the people here. They are ALL so great! I am so grateful that APQS has this available to us.

If you ever have questions about APQS, Sue Ewing is in Seaton, Illinois. Not sure how close to you that is. If not check our find a dealer link for your nearest. Of course you can just post them here too!

(309) 586-6181 | sewing@mcics.com