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Longarm for personal or profit????


QuiltingComforts

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It is my understanding that you sometimes need to roll the quilt to quilt large blocks, or maybe I could say your space is limited by the smaller machines. I bought a Millie, and yes they are more expensive, but we decided to go with her so I wouldn't need to upgrade later on. I'm really glad I did. I use my machine for business. If I were buying for just my own use, I would probably have gone smaller.

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Jeannette,

Congratulations on getting a Liberty. I don't think that you will regret not getting the Mille. I did buy the Mille, but I really think that if I were to do it over, I would get the Liberty...mainly because of the lighter weight. The Mille does have a bigger throat space, but when I am doing custom work, I don't use all of that space anyway as I tend to work "close to me".

However, I do love my Jennie(Mille) and we have bonded quite well. I do some quilting for others and some for myself. I would love to just quilt for myself and someday soon I may do just that I love the custom work and in this area, quilters are not willing to pay for that, so I save that for my own quilts.

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  • 5 years later...

Salutations....I'm a newbie on this site and also a newbie to long-arm quilting. I've been pushing King size quilts through my Bernina for much to long! Since we couldn't afford to purchase anything new or reasonably used I've been waiting since 1997. I found an old work horse Consew on an EZQ frame. Spent two days setting it up and adjusting tensions and timing but she's running like a dream now. No frills but lots of imagination ready to go. I'm not letting to many people know yet as I want to get more expierence before I offer "quilting services" but I'm all for making a little bit of extra. I'm very blessed that we were able to purchase it out right and not have to make $ to make the payments. That's stress free quilting there! Anyway thanks for all the ideas that are here, the short cuts, instructions etc. I'm looking forward to learning much more.

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Welcome, Elizebeth, and great news on your 'new to you' quilting setup.  Those Consews are built like armored vehicles and last forever (or at least until you decide to trade for an APQS ;) ;) ) 

 

I don't post pictures too much myself but love to see other's pics.  Drop in and let us see what you're doing on your machine when you can.  Have fun!

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Cindy welcome to the forum from Mantua Ohio. I don't know what city you are from in Ohio. I started out quilting on DSM for myself and a few friends.  I bought my Millie in 2010 with the thought just for myself but then I wanted all the toys for quilting.  Let me tell you, you can spend a small fortune buying some of the stuff so I decided to do just a few quilts for customers to help pay for my addiction. Well thanks to my niece she sends alot of customers my way which is good and sometimes not so good. LOL   When you want to quilt your own its a given you will get customers.  I love to quilt and enjoy learning from everyone on this site so its a fun addiction. I'm not an expert  by any means but if you're close to my location let me know if you need anything.

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  • 9 months later...

In March of this year I jumped in with both feet and decided to purchase my Millie after just beginning to quilt in 2011.  I have made 14 quilts since then and find that I LOVE it!!!  I have also done some LAing for others.  I did not enjoy struggling with the big rolls and doing the free motion on my DM and I had some $$ from an inheritance and decided that if a business resulted from that purchase, that's fine, and if not, that is also fine!   I have had several requests to make quilts (I turned them down) for others and was not ready to commit to it yet.  I just love being able to use this machine and complete the creative process without sending it out to another person to finish.  There is a 3-6 month waiting list in this area to get a top finished and the creative part of me wants to do it all from idea to finished product.  I do have a full time job and the quilting part of me is still very part time, but I can certainly see doing this as a business and have taken steps to make it so.  As I look at retirement in a few years I could see this business as a boost to income even if it continues to be very part time.  It is money well spent as I see it.

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*waves hand*  I'm from Ohio!!  :)  Hmmm...I have had my long arm since January...when I bought it I was pretty sure I wanted a business but I didn't know for how long or what I'd do with it or if I'd even be that good at it.  I have in the past babysat, baked, and sold quilted items to earn extra money as I'm a stay at home Mom...but I thought since I wanted a long arm for myself it'd be a good excuse to go and get it.  It started slow...but now I'm booked through to February and I'd say that's not bad for my first year of quilting!  :)  I love it...I don't quilt as much as some other ladies (and gentlemen!) do but I do just enough to keep myself from getting overwhelmed and the extra income is really really nice.  I consider myself more of an artist than a business lady...LOL...but having a business allows me to create my quilted art....and also I've met some really awesome people!  So, I would say go for it!  If you are getting the long arm for yourself mainly, and the business is a bonus/plus then there's a lot less to lose in my opinion...do it!  :)

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Cindy, I started quilting on a DSM (Janome 1600 with a grace frame). I was making quilts for people that I knew as gifts. I bought a used longarm in January for two reasons. The price and the fact that I now could quilt twice as much in one pass as I could on my DSM. Right now I do it for fun; but as I'm retired and have my days to myself, if the opportunity to quilt for money was to present itself, I might do it. I had my own business at one time, and the one thing I don't want again, is something that controls me. I guess you have to consider how much time you want to invest into it and if you have the time to invest into it as a business. 

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