bearisgray

My Mom was still weaving rugs on a two-treadle loom at age 86.

Pat M.

I am 76 and I just bought a long arm, so far I have quilted 12 quilts, mostly queen/king size. I just got to tired quilting on my regular sewing machine. Every time I quilt one I get better, most people do not "See" my mistakes, haha. Go for it.

Pagzz

I always recommend mqresource.com which is a machine quilter's forum. they give lots of advice and are not one machine specific.

second point - if I had two friends both having plans to spend $$ and one is going on a world cruise, and one is buying a longarm I wish them both happy. It is not for me to judge what they spend their money on.

grannyQ

Rhonda, I say go for it. It's your money to do as you wish.
I was lucky my 4 children said go for it mom. One daughter also said to get the Pro Stitcher Premium, which I did. As far as age goes I'm 81 years young and only plan on doing my own quilts.
My kids all want more quilts so I don't have to worry about anyone throwing any of them away. I just hope i get enough made to go around to all the grands, and great grands. It is a learning curve. I had a sit down 18" machine but I didn't like to move all of the queen size quilts around. I traded it in on the long arm. I'm lucky I live only 30 miles from my quilt shop. I think that this was a good investment for me. Let us know what you decide.

RuthiesRetreat3

go for it. If your friend's friend never used her longarm, maybe she'd be willing to have you look at it and perhaps purchase it at a reduced price. You haven't lost your individuality just cause you've aged.

edelc

None of us are going to live forever, while you're here, you need to invest in what makes you happy. I'm 52 and recovering from cancer treatment, you can bet that if I could afford a long arm, I would get it, whether I was 52 or 82. Life is for living and doing what you love.

The Quilted Cottage

This is so true! I am new here but wanted to encourage you to do what makes You happy. I understand your struggle because I had been having the same doubts a few months ago. Then a dear friend of mine passed away Easter morning from pancreatic cancer. She was 66 and diagnosed one year earlier. Up until then she was healthy and looking forward to retirement. I know in my heart she would want me to live every moment as I wish, doing what I love so that is what I'm doing. I hope you do too!

Tothill

73 is not too old to learn something new.

I am 20 years younger and bought a second hand HQ16 4 years ago. And it sat in my basement for 4 years, until I was able to take lessons in person. I am someone who learns by seeing, doing and questioning. YouTube videos are all well and good, but having direct feed back from an instructor is the best way for me.

So this spring I packed up my car and drove from BC to Missouri and I did three wonderful days of LA workshops with Angela Walters. Now I am not saying you need to do what I did, but I am so glad that I have the time and money to be able to go there. She is a phenomenal instructor.

Why an HQ you may ask? I live on Vancouver Island. Second hand longarms are very rare. Additionally there are 2 HQ dealers on the Island, so I know I have service, support and supplies available to me.

This likely will not be my last long arm, but it is a great beginner machine for me. I highly doubt I would use a computer guided system. That's when you get into the big bucks.

If you go the second hand route, you will find some incredible deals in all the brands.

Check out this Facebook group to get an idea of what is available.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Longarms4sale/

joe'smom

Having read the replies and then re-read your original post, it doesn't sound as though you were second-guessing yourself, but that well-meaning family and friends were second-guessing you, LOL. In this case, I would listen carefully to anyone's advice who has a longarm, and pay little attention to anyone who is not a quilter.

GoSew

Rhonda Lee - go get machine. I don't post much but have certainly learned a lot here but your thread made me get on here and write.

My mother - 90 years old spent most of the last 50 years defining herself by her image of age being " i can't do that because (fill in the blank). I am determined to live each and every day to the fullest and do whatever I can for as long as I can for as long as I live!

Please don't let anyone get in the way of enjoying life with something that is so important to you. Think of all the beautiful quilts you will quilt that will be enjoyed for many years to come.

Get your long arm and enjoy, enjoy and enjoy!!!!