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My Dilemma


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Hi all, im new to the site but not new to quilting, i have been quilting with my sewing machine for quite a few years and it is now time to move to a mid or long arm, i only quilt for myself and have no desire to begin a business, i do want a quality machine but dont have the funds to buy the best of the best, sew here are my thoughts , i could afford to buy a used APQS and frame or i could buy a new Qnique with frame, sew give me your thoughts , would a used APQS, be a better machine than say a new Qnique or similiar machine, also keep in mind I live in northern BC and have no dealers close by, thanks for all recomenditions   Gail

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Welcome Gail

In my opinion I think the better deal would be a used professional quality machine like an APQS.  If you find you don’t want to quilt after a couple of years the used APQS machine will be easier to sell and will depreciate less.  The factory has wonderful support and encourages  you to service the machine yourself.  They will send detailed instructions with excellent pictures should you ever have to make repairs.  Let the BC dealers and Sparrow Studioz in Edmonton know what you are looking for as they may hear of someone wanting to sell or upgrade to a newer machine.  If you are patient a deal will come along.  There is one for sale right now in Surrey but let it sit for a while, I don’t think it will sell for anywhere near the current asking price.

 

Nigel

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Hi Gail

I'll give you my answer because I have a Block Rockit which is exactly the same machine as the Qnique.  Kathy Quilts came out with the Block Rockit about 4 years ago...the Grace Company mfgs the Block Rockit for Kathy Quilts.  Then about 6 months later the Grace Company came out with the Qnique...it's exactly the same machine other than the label stuck on it.  I was one of the first people to get one of the Block Rockits.  We were the ginny pigs too help get the bugs out of the new machines.  We did.  The Block Rockit and the Qnique are excellent machines and the warranty and service are excellent from Kathy Quilts and The Grace Company.  I've done almost 30 quilts in the past 4 years with my Block Rockit and am totally satisified with it.  (P.S.)  The Block Rockit is cheaper than the Qnique

Having said that...my dream machine is a Mili or Liberty or Lucy.  The only reason I didn't get one when I got my Block Rockit was price, not sure I would like longarming and didn't want to spend a lot of money until I saw whether I could do it or not.  The warranty and service with APQS are hard to beat....the machines are so smooth from what time I have played with them.  If my Block Rockit ever dies on me I will look for a used APQS....not because my Rockit isn't a good machine but because I dream of owning a Mili and I like to do ruler work and the extra throat length would be great.    (It's like this:  I'm totally happy with my Dodge Durango...love this SUV....but my dream car is a 67' Shelby Mustang...if I could, I would own one and not because I don't love my Durango)

Good luck with your decision.  You won't be unhappy with either purchase.

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Gail:  I echo what Nigel said.  I had 2 lesser machines before I got my APQS Ult 2, and my Gammill Classic (both used BTW).  My regret is that I bothered with the lesser machines to begin with, and that I wasted a lot of money on them.  The first line long arms are industrial machines that just don't wear out, so you can be confident with the purchase of a used one.  Jim

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OK I will be brutally honest and say this: There are lots of great quilting machine brands out there. But, if I were you, I'd strongly suggest you spend a little extra money and get the quality product that will last forever, is easy to use, isn't fussy, is sturdy and built to work, a product that is world renown for its quality and service and many many years of excellent reputation. So, that said, there are lots of great machines out there. But you know what? You are guaranteed to be happy with an APQS product. There are some things you shouldn't skimp. Get the best you can afford, even used. I know many people who have bought APQS and are so very very happy with the choice they made. 

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Shana and the others have given good advise.  The only thing I would add is to consider getting the quality machine that you can have in case you need to start earning home income due to business changes.  I got my 2015 Lucey in June 2015, and was able to pay it off while working at another income job (we are self-employed).  This summer our distributor pulled the product I was making and we ended up without any income to maintain our home and life.  Because I already had Lucey I am now in the process of starting a quilting business while hubby works away from home.  There are some issues that make it wise for me to be the one working from the home and him being the one going out.  So get the right one for you but look to the benefits that you might need in the changes in the future.

 

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I bought a 5 year old used Mille  that I have now owned for 8 years. I only quilt for myself, too. I have never regretted  purchasing a quality top of the line machine rather than a less price new machine. APQS machines are easy to work on yourself and they have a lot of guides, videos and help.

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Peddlepusher,  I am glad you are having a good time with your George.  I had a George for a while and enjoyed the work he could do.  I did sell him so I could get a frame machine because of body strain to move large quilts and because of an eye condition I have.  Now, due to a business merger and loss of our income I am glad I have Lucey on the frame because I am needing to begin quilting for others.  Each of us are so different.  The sit-down machines definitely have their place, but so do the frames. 

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GailR, I purchased a 1997 APQS Ultimate II from the original owner five years ago. APQS has made no money off me except a few incidental purchases for maintenance and new leaders. Yet this past summer when I was at my wit's end trying to fix a problem I was having, Amy spent hours with me on the phone listening to my machine run, checking pictures to see how things were set up, etc, etc until we had my problem solved. She did not try to sell me anything or convince me I should upgrade, and in fact my problem was solved with nothing but a bit of expertise and a lot of patience. That is the kind of support and dedication to owners and users of their machines that is hard to find anywhere. So whatever machine you choose, just be sure, absolutely certain, that they want everyone who uses their machine to be happy -- that is the machine you should buy and the company you should support.

Aside from that, if you can possibly try out the machines you are considering, do it. Yesterday at a quilt and craft show was the first time I had ever touched any LAQ besides my APQS, and it was eye-opening.

Good luck to you and I hope you find your perfect quilting partner.

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