Thinking of buying a longarm quilting machine? Here are some tips from APQS owners…

November 1, 2022

Purchasing a longarm quilting machine is a big investment. That’s why we’re always trying to help potential customers get all the information they need to make an informed purchase and feel good about it!

We recently asked our APQS family on Facebook what tips they would give to somebody interested in purchasing a quilting machine. The response was tremendous. We’ve received lots of comments that were full of thoughtful and useful advice.

Here’s a list of some of the most common tips our APQS family shared:

Test-drive every machine that you can.

The most common piece of advice that we received was to go out and try as many quilting machines as possible. You can read all you want about a machine’s specs and reviews, but there’s simply nothing that compares to actually giving it a try yourself. The best opportunities are tradeshows, local quilt shops or APQS Road Shows.

Measure the area where you will position your machine.

Measure the space where you want to put your new longarm machine – then measure it again! Many APQS fans suggested that this is an important task can be overlooked in the mist of the excitement of buying a quilting machine. There’s nothing worse than going through all the work of getting the machine to your house and not having a place to put it.

For comfortable working space, plan on eight feet “front to back.” Add two feet to the length of the table you’re considering so you have room to move from the pantograph side to the needle side easily.

Do your research.

The all-encompassing tip for purchasing a longarm machine is to take your time and do your research. Our APQS family recommends going over every aspect of owning a machine BEFORE you jump in to make the purchase. Take a trip to meet your local retailer in person. Talk to them about their services. Get your eyes on every piece of information that you can. An informed buyer is a confident buyer.

Don’t be impulsive.

The thought of finally having that longarm machine all to yourself can be very exciting. Don’t let that feeling keep you from doing your due diligence. These are LONG-TERM investments and you never want to make that big of a decision on a whim.

Buy from a company that will be there for you after the sale.

Choose a manufacturer that will be with you for the long haul. Make sure you understand the kind of support you will receive after the purchase. Does your machine come with a warranty? Who fulfills the warranty? What are the costs of new parts if something were to break? Who will fix your machine if you are having a mechanical problem? These are all questions you should find an answer to before you make your purchase.

New APQS longarm quilting machines are fully warranted to the original owner against defects in materials and workmanship for the lifetime of the product. If a machine ever fails due to a manufacturing defect, even after extended use, APQS will repair the machine, without charge, or replace it, at our discretion.

Take lessons before you buy… then continue to take lessons.

Just purchasing a high-caliber machine won’t make you a pro. We received many recommendations to take lessons with someone with vast experience using longarm quilting machines. Even after your purchase, taking classes or lessons is a great way to ensure you get the most out of your machine. Also – when you buy an APQS longarm quilting machine the $200 Beginner Class is free!

Read the manual

Take the time to read the machine manual! This allows you to really dig into the machines features and capabilities and will give you a leg up once you start quilting on it.

Those were the best tips that we received from our APQS community on Facebook. Use them as a checklist when you are making your purchasing decision. And don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have additional questions. We’re only a phone call away – 800.426.7233.