106
with Anita Ellis
Domestic
MACHINE QUILTING
Anita Ellis
http://www.hillsidequilting.com.auDo I need a longarm quilting
machine? This is such a big decision,
literally. Longarm quilting set-ups are
big on space requirements and costly
to purchase. Often these are the
only things that are considered, but
there is so much more to think about.
As always, I am not going to advise
you to buy this brand or that model.
My aim is to direct you through your
choices so that you can make the right
one for you. First, you need to ask
yourself some questions.
“Why am I considering purchasing
a longarm quilting machine?” The
answer will be different for everyone.
Maybe you want to quilt your own
quilts more quickly, extending your
skill set, or are you considering a
business quilting for others?“Where am I on my quilting
journey?” It doesn’t all have to come
at once. Maybe you could start
smaller and move up. Or maybe you
are like me; I wanted to buy the best I
could afford straight away.
“Am I prepared to invest the time
and education to be a good longarm
quilter?” I have spoken to too many
people who have bought their lovely
shiny machine and then been too
scared to take it out of the box.
Having a longarm quilting machine
does not make you a quilter overnight.
You need to add education into the
mix too. Longarm quilters can charge
a fair price for their work because it
takes time to learn the relevant skills.
“Do I need to invest in one of the
many computerised systems for mylongarm machine?” This will bump up
the spend even more and while it can
be a good option for some, it isn’t the
answer for everyone.
In my opinion, it is best to learn how
to quilt on a hand-guided machine
first and add the computer later. A
computer robotic quilter will make your
quilting easier and will be easier on
your body, but do consider why you are
thinking about making this purchase.
I have stayed with the hand-guided
machine as it suits my needs best. I
love the organic form of free quilting.
Just because you have bought a
computer-guided system doesn’t
mean you press a button and set and
forget. There is a steep learning curve
here too — not just how to stitch the
designs, but also where to put them.Mid & Longarm
Machines