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Am I crazy?


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Like many of the folks who already replied, I bought my Millenium this past December, just for me. I wanted to have more control of the whole process of making quilts and although there are some wonderful quilters who have done my larger tops, it was always a gamble and sometimes quite a wait.

I have spent plenty of money on myself and plenty of money on other people in my life, and I don't think you need one bit of justification. Face it: this is not a "need" but it might be a very serious "want." My husband and I went to the rep for the demo. I had already decided what were the things that would make me decide to consider longer and the things that would make me talk myself out of it. I have no plans to quilt for others,

No regrets. Just be sure to permit yourself the learning curve to get comfortable with this new hobby. You will be thrilled and I'll bet that you will be on the other side of the post before you know it telling everyone how much fun you are having and how it was SO the best decision.

I hope you make your peace with the decision. Unless there are economics that prevent you from getting the top of the line machine, I would certainly encourage that.

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Originally posted by Bonnie

No you are not crazy....we have a rule in our house. You get something expensive or big then I get something. Gene gets a welder, I got a ceramic kiln.....Gene got several scuba tanks...I got a pottery wheel..... see the pattern. I only think its fair for you to get a toy for just you. Go get 'em.

That is hilarious because we do the same thing. My husband just bought his dream sailboat and my dream thing is this quilting machine. Even though the LA is less than 1/4 the cost of the boat I still think, well the whole family can use the boat and only I can use the LA. I do think it is a good system!

I have to admit I did ask a biased audience because I really want a LA and not just any one either, one that will last me forever and be perfect. I do love piecing, I have quilted a few quilts on my Bernina and that has been a miserable experience. Not enough room to move, heavy, awkward, lots of ideas without the ability etc... And hand quilting is not for me. By the time I am nearly finished with one project I can't wait to start another so the months it takes to hand quilt would kill me (I'd have 40 other projects started before I finished the one). Anyway, thank you all for your encouragement. I can tell that I am going to like this new world!

Kim

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Hmmmmmm, so who gets to use the quilts you make on it?

Have you seen the posts on here about men who quilt, husbands and kids (including sons and grandkids) getting interested and starting to quilt? Never underestimate the power of a longarm to just suck in anyone who comes close to it! You may end up having to schedule time for yourself on it! Your debate is with yourself, doesn't sound like the family is objecting to your purchase.

This will keep you happy and last for how long? Get used everyday in all season's as opposed to a boat, or motorcycle, ATV, blah, blah that is really only usable how often, and then has to be stored somewhere? Pack them all off on the boat and you stay home and play! Better yet, pack yourself over to Myrna's and play together! You'll have so much creativity unleashed that you won't question the value of the machine or your own hapiness anymore!

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Personally, I think being sane is highly overrated. Right up there with "normal". I'd rather be classified as crazy any day. :P

I can't remember who to attribute this quote to but I love it and use it a lot anyway. "Well behaved women, seldom make history". Another one I love is "If you cannot be a good example, be a horrible warning".

Here is to being crazy!

Gail

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Oh, Gail, you are so right; being sane is so overrated! I think I'd rather be a little on the crazy side.

Two years ago I left a well paying job at a credit union because I was fed up with all the office politics. The stress was killing me. Four months later I decided that I wasn't going back to credit unions, instead I bought a Liberty and started my LA business. I'm not making a quarter of what I made before, but i love what I'm doing and there's just not enough hours in my day to do all the quilting that I would like.

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I have a millie and am not quilting for other people, at least not yet. I have 16 more of my own quilts to do and part of the reason my dear hubby got the millie for me is I have too many quilts made to ever get them all handquilted (which I did do myself on the first 8 or 10) but the last one took 5 years (working on it part time). Now I can get one done in a day or two depending on how many hours I work. So DEFINITELY treat yourself to the best so you can feed your addiction.:D Janet

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Kim, would you think your husband was crazy to buy a boat? He wouldn't plan on making any money with it. It is an expensive toy, but then so are many men's toys. Unfortunately, my husband doesn't have any hobbies with expensive toys so I had to convince him to buy a nice truck before I bought my machine!

Joann in Nebraska

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Kim,

GET THE MACHINE :D

I got my machine last August after shopping around and I don't regret it one bit, neither will you. The HandiQuilter is a good machine but I think the Millie is much better long term option (I tested both machines too!). I mainly got mine as a hobby but still set everything up as a business to get the tax breaks. I get just enough business from fellow quilters where I work to barely show a profit. I selfishly want to quilt for me - not everyone else.

I thought I was crazy because I had only pieced and machine quilted two quilts in my entire life but had this insane desire to just be able to create something and give my children and grandchildren keepsakes that were useful. The Millie has so many possibilities to let you explore your creativity beyond just quilts.

Since I didn't know too much about LA I took a few days to go visit Myrna, she had lots of great information to share and it was loads of fun to learn. She has oodles of patience and will teach you whatever you want to learn. She is well worth the investment of time and money - it is like having a mini vacation just for you.

Even if you don't have your machine yet I would recommend signing up for some classes at the April show and soak in all the tips and tricks you can.

Take care and happy shopping. Don't wait too long, just think of all the fun quilting time you will be wasting. ;)

Shawnna

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No your not crazy. I too am trying to decide which long arm would be the best for me. I'm new to machine quilting, normally I hand quilt, but I do like the look and speed of some of the long arm work I've seen. Now if I can just firgure out how to tell my husband that it really IS a fishing boat I'd be all set.;)

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I have to agree with all the comments. I was piecing quilt tops for years and a few I quilted by hand,but it would take months for each one. I was working on a Stars across America from the Elinor Burns book when i sat on a cot at my son's house and it collapsed and cut off my left thumb. I did get it sewn back on at the hospitasl but no feeling in it. I had about 50 tops at that time and DH built me a Hinterberg frame and put a xy movement on it with a old Minnesota machine witha long bobbin. I managed to do about ten of the tops on that machine. Then bought the Viking Mega Quilter and did some more tops on that but not enough room only about 4 inches usable space. When I got a flyer from APQS about a seminar in Syracuse NY showing their machines, we went and we bought the Millenium. Never got to a class to learn how to use it but I am down to my last two tops that need quilting and am working on about another 6 or seven that will need to be done. These are all my own. I have donated some and given some away but even sold about three so far.

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  • 2 months later...

Thanks Kim for asking the question "Am I Crazy?". I have also been thinking about buying a long arm but didn't want to feel like I needed to start a business to justify it. I just started doing research on the internet when I came across the APQS web site and chat rooms. I enjoyed reading all the replies you received. It has given me the incentive to continue my research. By the way, where are you in the decision making process? Thanks for the head start. Newbie, Jo

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I'm getting a machine for sure, probably in the middle of the summer (which one I get is still up in the air). I think that if the customers fall in my lap I will do this as a job, but if they don't I'll have lots of fun and maybe start to advertise later. We have started getting bids on the basement which is where my studio will be. It is one of the biggest rooms in our house and I'm so excited to finally have some room to spread out. My sewing room has been in about 4 different places in our house, so it will be good to have a real place for it. I'm getting tired of moving my enormous stash of fabric and notions.

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Life is short. Go for that machine. I purchased my Liberty for personal use and have not regretted it one little bit. My husband has owned several boats (each more expensive then my liberty) and I have never expected him to catch enough fish to pay for it! My Liberty is the best! I think I'll go quilt now!

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