terriamn

I have the Sweet 16, had the original Haniquilter on a frame. Love my sit down and have no regrets

quilttiger

I have no regrets in buying the current mid arm machine for a number of reasons. There is no need to sandwich or baste a quilt top before loading it on the frame. Also, the quilting space works well for me since I am very short and there is no way my arms could handle a quilting space of 22 or more inches . I also find FMQ is much easier for me than it would have been with a sit down machine or a DSM.

dms

What about the Juki 2010? I got the additional work table so that the machine sits like a sit-down machine. It quilts beautifully and is a semi industrial machine. I love it and I also piece on it. Maybe you could try it out and make a decision.

clevermom3kids

I've been debating for years myself, and with the advent of the smaller stand up machine, I added that to the consideration pile. For what it's worth, I visited a dealer and he told me that people are trading in their sit-down machines for the smaller standup ones as most prefer those. Now I'm back to being more undecided, as I had been leaning toward the Sweet 16 too! I wish you luck in your choice!

cashs_mom

Have you talked to any people who are trading theirs in? I'm just wondering because that sounds like a typical sales talk like the guys who come to your door and the first thing they say is "your neighbors are having us put new windows in their houses" and then you ask which ones and its one person 4 blocks down. That's a well known sales tool to make people think that other people are buying so they will, too.

Sewnoma

Well, my thoughts on that are ...who cares what other people are doing, even if it's true? Do what makes sense for you. You're the one who will be paying the bills and using the thing!

I love my Q20...I don't care if every single one of my friends & neighbors had one and traded it in, it's a great machine that does everything I wanted it to do.

Barb in Louisiana

Quilting on a domestic or sit down machine has one major problem for me. I can't manhandle a quilt very long at all without back spasms. Usually within about 30 minutes. And I absolutely hate!!!! doing the quilt sandwich. When my friend was selling a very used (1999) Nolting 24 inch with a 12 foot bed, I jumped on it. I still get back spasms but it's not for a couple of hours. I can load the quilt back on the frame in a couple of hours. Then I float the batting and the top. That's day 1. Day 2, I can get most airy Panto's half done on a queen size quilt. If the quilt is a lap, I can finish it in 4 to 6 hours. If the panto is more detailed, it does take me more time.

I don't do free motion...am not artistic and can't draw worth a darn. Moving that sewing machine head around is so much less tedious for me than trying to shove a quilt and keep an even stitch through a short arm. Now, if all my quilting projects were going to be mini's, placemats or table runners, I would probably know I needed two units. I will never give up my stand up Longarm.

And get the biggest throat you can afford. It's so much quicker to finish a quilt if you can make a 16 inch pass each time as opposed to a 6 inch. Takes at least double the time to do the smaller width. I can go up to an 18 inch on my 24 inch throat Nolting. The rollers take up space. The disclaimer....this is my opinion and my experience. Others make absolutely beautifully quilted projects on the mid arms, and I can only admire their work.

Kris P

I researched and saved for 5 years. During which time, I was able to use my friend's computerized Gammill for a few very large quilts, and used my Janome 6600 with a 9 inch throat for everything else... including a 90 inch queen quilt.
I found free motion on the frame to be really cumbersome and heavy, and standing all day was tiring. While I loved the precision of computerized designs, I didn't feel like it was very creative. I spent more time manipulating the computer to do what I wanted, than actually feeling creative. Then you have to stand and watch it do the quilting, just in case something goes wrong..

I tried out several sit down machines, including the Sweet 16, Gammill Charm and Innova sit down, and researched the George from APQS. It became clear early on in my research that I prefer the machine to be oriented like my domestic, with the throat to the right of the needle. I couldn't get used to facing the head of the machine...

In the end, I purchased a 22 inch Gammill Charm. It sits in an industrial table with large, locking wheels. The side and back of the table flip up to support the quilt. If, in the future I have room for a frame, and decide I want one, I can make the transition and keep my 22 inch quilting machine. I love my Charm. Gammill has wonderful customer service, and they have a long history of quilting machines.

Good luck with your decision... I know It's a big one!

nvrxgal

At a quilting class that I took the teacher noted that there are fabric pushers (sit down quilters) and machine pushers (long arm quilters). What you have to decide is which you are. I'm a fabric pusher and have a Bernina Q20 that I love. I initially made my decision based on space- the frame just took up too much space. When I took a long arm class with a Bernina Q24 my decision was validated - I felt that I had no control over the machine. Hope this helps, it is a big decision!

pchp

A deciding factor for me was trying out a larger quilt on a sit-down machine. Small samples, like those most of the vendors were using on the sit-down machines, were easy to move, but a twin-sized quilt was significantly more difficult. Thus, I went with a mid-arm with frame.