10 Questions You Should to Know about Ultrasonic Quilting Machine

Are you a quilt top maker who sends their tops off to a longarm quilter to get quilted? Are you someone who at one point (probably right after paying your longarm quilter for their work) starts to think&#;hmm&#;I wonder if I should buy a longarm quilting machine and quilt my own quilts or maybe start a longarm quilting business? 

You can find more information on our web, so please take a look.

Besides the price of a machine (because you must really consider that!), there are many other factors to investigate before buying a longarm quilting machine. Here are a few things to consider as you start the process of figuring out if you should buy a machine and whether you should buy a hand-guided or computer-driven longarm.

Ten Things to Consider When Buying a Longarm Quilting Machine

1. What are your longarm quilting goals?  Do you want to become a quilt artist and enter your work in shows? Do you want to just quilt on your own quilts and maybe a few for friends? Or do you want to run a longarm business quilting either custom or edge-to-edge designs for customers? 

2. Do you want a hand-guided or a computerized machine? Becoming a hand-guided longarm quilter takes some skill, patience, and lots of practice. Whether you are quilting following a pantograph or edge-to-edge pattern or doing free motion quilting, it just takes time to get the feel of the machine and for your eye-hand coordination to get in sync to quilt smoothly. The learning curve to becoming a long-arm quilter on a computer-driver machine is faster because the computer moves the machine head, not your hands. If you programmed the computer correctly, the quilting could be pretty perfect, pretty quick. 

3. What kind of space do you have available to set up a machine? The most common size of a longarm machine table is 10 to 12 feet in length&#;long enough to quilt large quilts. However, many longarm companies do offer custom-sized or adjustable-sized tables. For example, BERNINA offers the BERNINA Studio Frame which is a modular frame and can be mounted as small as 5 feet or to its full size of 10 feet. Having a stable and level table is a must. 

4.  Can you stand at the quilting machine for long periods? Although it doesn&#;t necessarily require strength, it may require stamina. Another option to a standing longarm machine may be a sit-down model. Adding a hydraulic lift system to a standing longarm allows you to adjust the height of the machine if your arms get tired of being in the same position for a long time. On a computer-driver machine, you are not necessarily standing in front of the machine for long periods (although it is fascinating to watch). You can set up the machine, hit start, and let the machine do its quilting.

5. Does your longarm dealer offer training and support?  Can you call and ask questions? Are you curious and willing to learn about your machine, how it works, how it sounds, and general maintenance?  Today, there is so much support online available with chat groups and forums with other machine owners, YouTube videos, etc. 

6. Are you willing to practice AND make mistakes? Take time to practice on some dog quilts that you can donate to a local chapter because those pups are not going to care if your quilting isn&#;t perfect! When you make a mistake, take the time to figure out what happened, fix the problem, and start playing again.  It is best to experiment with your longarm quilting techniques on different types of battings, thread weights, and fabrics.  Don&#;t be afraid to adjust the tension on your machine!  Not comfortable moving that tension knob? Ask for help from your dealer until you are! 

7. Racking up a quilt with the quilt top, batting, and backing, and putting it on the frame takes some time. But with practice, you can get very efficient at it.  

8.  Longarm machines need regular cleaning and de-linting and some oiling. Each time you use your machine, you must clean and oil it. The process takes just a minute to two but must become part of your routine.

9. Play before you pay. Go to a dealer and ask to spend some time quilting on the machine you consider buying. Learn how to rack up a quilt, thread the machine, pick a design, and quilt something. You are making a significant investment; make sure the decision is the right one.

10. Choosing a good dealer is as important as choosing the right machine. Besides price, consider the machine&#;s warranties, the ease of operation, and threading the machine. Buy a machine from an authorized dealer with a staff who can answer questions, offer training and support, carry longarm-specific supplies and parts, and have trained technicians available to help.

Have fun playing and exploring longarm and midarm quilting machines.  And don&#;t forget to stop by your local BERNINA dealer to test drive their sit-down and stand-up models, and both the hand-driven and computer-driver machines&#; you might never want to leave the dealership!

As many quilters know, buying a longarm machine is a pretty big deal &#; deciding what make and model you want can lead to some serious analysis paralysis! But luckily for you, Chrisauna Shoaf is here to help you narrow down your options with ten simple questions. So what are you waiting for? Read on to see how you can finally get the longarm machine of your dreams!

Subscribe to Love of Quilting Magazine so you don&#;t miss any great quilt patterns, inspiration, and articles like this one!

Subscribe!

The Top 10 Questions to Ask Yourself When Buying a Longarm

There comes a time when you may ask yourself: Do I want to have someone else quilt my tops for me, or do I really want to quilt all my beautiful quilt tops myself? Ask yourself these ten questions when searching for the machine of your dreams.

1

With competitive price and timely delivery, Nekon sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

What is my budget? If the machine you want is beyond your current budget, consider the possibility of financing the balance or the whole machine. What are the financing options?

My 12-foot frame in my garage studio. An example of my longarm quilting machine with a throat space of 21 inches.

2

What kind of space do I need? What size quilts will you quilt the most? If you love quilting large quilts but have limited space, a hoop frame may be best. I started out with an 8&#; frame but very quickly realized I love larger quilts and had to relocate my machine to my garage so that it could accommodate my new 12&#; frame.

3

What are my must-haves? Consider limitations on space and arm length regarding the location of the power button and handwheel. Manual or automatic channel locks? Frame hydraulics? Stitch-regulation? If not, can it be added later?

4

What about the longarm brand, education, and support? Consider the reputation of the brand and the warranty. What classes are included with your purchase, and what&#;s available afterwards? Also consider tech support, maintenance, and ease of replacement parts.

An example of a ruler work design.

5

Do I want robotics? Do you prefer E2E (edge-to-edge) designs on your quilts, or free-motion quilting? Quilters may eventually want robotics if their shoulders and arms become overworked. If you opt for robotics, what education is available? How user-friendly is the software?

6

Will I quilt for myself or turn this into a business? If you are going into this as a business, will you offer E2E quilting only, a combination of E2E and custom quilting, or will you offer custom quilting only (which doesn&#;t require software)?

Edge-to-edge quilting using robotics.

7

Do I want a sit-down or standing machine? Some people may have health restrictions that may prevent them from standing at a machine to quilt all day. If hydraulics are an option, you may be able to lower the frame and sit on a stool to quilt. I say to try out both before purchasing!

Consider channel lock and power button placement.

8

Have I taken the machine for a test drive? To me, this is one of the most important factors outside of budget. Go to a quilt show and test drive each machine you see. Are the handles stationary or adjustable; are the buttons customizable?

9

How will I get my machine serviced? If your machine needs servicing, will a tech come to you, or will you have to send your machine out?

Another fun example of Edge to Edge quilting using robotics.

10

Will I have time to create quilt tops after I purchase my longarm? I loved the quilting so much after I got my longarm, I sadly had little remaining time to make quilt tops. Some people realize later that they miss creating quilt tops and then their machines become paper weights for fabric and quilt tops!

And there you have it &#; my top questions to ask yourself when you are thinking of finally taking the plunge and purchasing your new longarm love.

About the Author

Chrisauna Shoaf is the owner of House Of Threads and an ambassador/educator for The Grace Company. Chrisauna began her longarm journey in and continues to grow her custom quilting skills.

Share Your Longarm Quilting Journey with Us

We know that buying a longarm can be pretty intimidating, but hopefully these ten questions will help make it a bit easier! Do you have any additional questions that we may have missed? We want to hear from you! Share with us on Instagram, Facebook, or the comments below. And, as always, happy quilting!

Enjoying this article? Sign up for our newsletter!

The company is the world’s best Ultrasonic Quilting Machine(es,it,in) supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

Sign Up