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want to start my own quilting business


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I would like to quit my secretarial job and start a machine quilting business from my home. There are not many professional quilters in my area so I believe the demand would be there. My question is: Can I make a respectable income doing this? If I have to borrow to buy my machine, will I make enough to start out with to make the payments. Has anyone started in a similar situation? I am in the deep south - Louisiana. We have a good many quilters (make quilt tops) in our area. Thanks for any input.

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Yes, longarm machine quilting is a very viable business and we've got some business information that I think you will find helpful. I've got a sample business plan that you can use to formulate your own plan for financing and I've got some information for you to show you what you will need to strive for in order to have that machine paid off in short order. I will be happy to send you these things. Also, have you received information about our machines and our company? If not, just let me know and I'll get that to you as well.

Call 800-426-7233, ext. 15 or email me carla@apqs.com and I'll be happy to help you get some stuff and get started.

I've got a sample business plan you are welcome to use and I've got a plan that shows how to pay for your machine easily in one year. We also have financing assistance available, so ask me about that if you decide to get the Milli for sure.

Thanks.

Carla

;)

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  • 2 weeks later...

WOW!! I've heard from so many of you in the last several days since posting the business information!! :D I'm SO glad I posted it. I guess I didn't realize just how many people were curious about this and just wanted some additional information about starting a quilting business. Keep the requests coming! I think this is an awesome business opportunity and I would love to get lots of you started on the path toward starting your own business! Let me know if there is anything we at APQS can do to help. :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been checking out a lot of web sites, trying to figure out if a quilting business is viable. I've hand quilted a couple of quilts for family (certaintly wouldn't win any awards and involved WAAAAYYYY too much time). Mostly, I just tie them even though I much prefer the look and feel of quilting.

How difficult/easy is it to lear to machine quilt? I live in Maryland -- does anyone know where I could go get a lesson or see one in action?

I'm also concerned about how much space the machine would take up. Does the convertible do pattern quilting or just free hand?

Thanks for any advice you can give me.

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Hi Kathy! I will email you on Monday when I return to the office (I'm currently out of town) and I'll attach some documents including a sample business plan for you to work with. I'm currently out of town and I don't have those doucments on this particular computer, but they are on the PC in my office. The things I have to send to you will really help you to put this business into perspective. Then you can contact me with any questions you have about that information. Also on Monday, I'll take a look and find out who I've got out on the East Coast who would be interested in showing you a machine. We'll see if we can't find a demo fairly close to where you live. I'll let you know what I find out about that as well. In the meantime, keep posting any questions you might have or feel free to email me and/or call me. My extension is 15 when you dial in on our toll-free number: 800-426-7233. I'll get back to you at the beginning of the week!

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Hi Phyllis: Just email me at carla@apqs.com and I'll send you an email with those business documents attached. You can take some time to look them through and let me know any questions you might have. We can visit more about details at that time. Anyone wanting that business information needs to just email me and ask for it and I can respond with the info. Happy to help!

:)

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  • 7 months later...

Kathy,

I don't want to attempt to answer your questions on the business end of this, but I can answer your questions on the size issue.

My machine is approx 4.5-5 ft wide. You will need at least 2ft on either side to get between the length of the machine and your space.

I just measured how much I have between me and the wall, which is my tightest spot and I have 26 inches from the end of my rail that my head rides on and the wall. The frame will stick out about another six inches from that.

Now here is a funny story, I have a tight corner to turn to get around my machine on the motor side of my frame. I have met the wall and the frame rudely a couple of times when I got goin to fast and did not pay attention, like running for the phone or the doorbell or your cats eating your thread.

As far as your length goes, most of the frames come in three sizes, 10 ft, 12ft and 14ft lengths. I have a 12ft.

Most of the people on here and locally that have machines have used the basement, the attic, a family room, dining room, attached and remodeled garages, and the most popular and desireable is the room over the garage, which is what I have.

Now all of this could change if you get another style of frame, I have a millennium, and I think that there may be another style frame for some of the smaller machines.

I wish you luck on your decision, getting a Longarm is like having a baby, it will change your life for the better. I looked long and hard for over a year before I made my decision and I have no regrets on getting my machine or purchasing and APQS.

Just understand that your family and friends will miss you dearly once your machine arrives.

If you have the time, read over this site, espically after or while you are waiting for your machine to arrive. I have learned more from the posts on this website then I could have imagined.

If you have anymore questions or maybe wanna have me email you some pics of my machine and the space I have for it for an idea of what you will need, please feel free to ask.

Blessings and hugs

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Linda S

I just opened my quilting business last week. I have four quilts to quilt and a king size quilt commissioned to make from start to finish. I still work a 40-50 hour work week. It is so tempting to say "take this job and (do you-know-what with it)", but I guess I'll hang in there for the insurance for a while. I sure would rather be home quilting all the time.

What could be better than to be surrounded by fabric and thread all day long? ;)

Linda

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I think you need to figure out how much an hour you would be willing to work for. What is the average price in your area for meandering or E2E? That is your bread and butter income because while custom quilting is emotionally rewarding it doesn't bring in the income that the other quilting does.You charge more for it because it takes a lot longer. So back once again to how much an hour would you work for? How much do you have to do to make xxxxx amt per hour and how many hours are you willing to work per day? Figure in your expenses and be real. I doubt that people ever figure high enough. Is this primary income for you or 'play money'? The reason you hear so much about the quilters making big income is because they are the exception to the rule.

Machine quilting is physically taxing and you have to consider that also. So you can pin on a queen size (pretty much the average size here) in x amt of time and quit it in x amt of time. Now for each quilt add at least another 30 to 45 minutes to that at least for pre-checking, time with the customer, repairs, frogging and re-stitching, answering the phone, potty breaks, coffee breaks, post quilting inspection, pita, etc. Quilters in my area are booked 8 & 9 months out. That sounds good but it still boils down to how many hours you will work for how much income. How many quilts a week can you do? I refuse to book more than 10 weeks out and it is very possible in my area to make a nice steady amt every month but it is definately supplemental income, not a living wage.

Mary in CA

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I treat my quilting as a business and often work 8-10 hours a day. I am into my 7th year and while I am one of the busiest quilters in my area, I could not support myself doing this. I make enough to help pay some bills and feed my fabric addiction. You must enjoy the quilting and meeting new people, be able to hold your tongue sometimes, and be a reasonable boss; even if you are your only employee you have to treat yourself just as you would a co-worker.

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The APQS information will be really useful to you, but there are three good books available that you might find really helpful while you're thinking about this. Each has a ton of information and lots of practical advice, pictures, how-to-do's on all sorts of things. I bought two and read them before ordering my machine and then again waiting for my machine to arrive -- bought the third as soon as I saw it was out -- I still go back to them if I have a question or need an idea. They are good no matter what machine you have and they tell you LOTS about running a quilting business.

There are two books by Carol Thelen: Longarm Machine Quilting: The Complete Guide to Choosing, Using, & Maintaining a Longarm Machine -- and her new one, Professional Machine Quilting: The Complete Guide to Running a Successful Quilting Business. There is also Linda V. Taylor's The Ultimate Guide to Longarm Machine Quilting. All of these have information you will use when you start with your longarm -- but also lots of things you probably won't think of on your own that will help you -- both to decide it is or is not the business for you, and, if it is, things to help you get going without having to reinvent the wheel yourself. They're all three in paperback and well worth buying -- and while they do overlap, each has stuff the others don't have.

You can get them online at amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com -- probably even used copies for less than full price.

Mary Smart

Vermillion SD:D

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  • 2 weeks later...

Yes, you can make a living longarming. After two years of quilting like a maniac. I have 350+ quilts under my belt and I actually have turned down jobs in my educated major, in order to keep quilting because I make more money quilting. Although, I do account for the gas I would have to purchase, & other expenses if I was working more than 10 feet from my back door. :-)

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