Bevy of Beauties - Longarms at the Quilt Show

We went to the Hampton Quilt show, yesterday, and test drove several long arms. We started with the Gammill and I was favorably impressed with the Premier Plus. The dealer is in West Virginia and he seemed to know his stuff. I liked the feel, it looked easy to handle, felt great and I liked what I saw. I’d read that some people think it is too loud and so listened for that but it didn’t bother me. It helped that Husband was there to ask pertinent machine related questions but at a certain point, they started talking stress and switches and stressed metal and stretched machines and vibration and manly things so I just ate some of the chocolate they’d set out because it was not yet noon. The Gammill seemed like a sweet gal, the kind you’d want as a friend and neighbor. She is well respected in the quilting neighborhood, well made, the size is right and the price isn’t bad for a long arm.

From there, we cruised over to the APSQ display and I got to try out the Lenni. I have really been looking forward to checking out the Lenni and had already half decided that this was the girl for me. I was a little worried about her wheels because I read something about the direction they are attached. Not sure what that means but I am a veritable sponge and absorbed SOMETHING about wheels in my research - not sure what. Hmmm. Although I liked the feel, after listening to the guys discussing aluminum and steel and machine heads and stuff over at the Gammill table, the thing looked a little frail in comparison. I think that colored my perception. I kept expecting it to fall over or have something fall off. Moreover, the table didn’t look nearly as substantial. I think it used PVC. I am normally a big fan of PVC but this time, it didn’t sit well. I think at this point, I was in the mood to buy a bulldozer or something. For that matter, "Nothing Runs Like a Deer." She seemed a little flighty like she would abruptly flip off her panties and shave her head. I am not sure I really gave the Lenni a chance but I could barely wait to leave and hot foot it over to the Nolting.

The Nolting was cool but it was ugly. It also looked old and dirty. Now, I don’t think it was really old, ugly or dirty but for some reason, that was my impression. It was also very, very expensive. Husband seemed to like her but wasn’t saying much. I’ve been telling him the prices but wonder if it was starting to actually sink in.

We then checked out the A-1 and OMG, I fell in love. It was heavy and quiet and smooth and had a cool table and, and, and… was VERY expensive. About $7,000 more than the Gammill. It is headquartered in Springfield, MO. My FIL lives there – surely that is a sign? The thing was like a gold digger whispering in my ear, telling me it loved me and asking for my checkbook. We stayed there a long time. A lady in a nearby booth stopped us as we left to tell me that she had researched for two years before buying an A-1 and LOVED it!

We walked back to the Gammill and the sound it made (which didn’t bother me, before) was deafening. I felt like the whole coliseum was in the midst of an earthquake. It was a horrid, old, dried up thing with a hacking voice. I kept looking back over my shoulder at the A-1 siren whispering that $7,000 was NOTHING, NOTHING – a small price to pay for happiness. I could barely hear her because her voice was so low and quiet. I got to worrying that as soon as I left her side, someone else would buy up all the machines and there wouldn’t be any left for me.

Husband was asking me if I REALLY wanted an industrial strength long arm or would a hobby machine do.

If I buy the Gammill, today, I can save $120.00. Let’s see, that is a discount of about 1% if I rush a decision.

Maybe I need to check out the HQ16 (a hobby long arm). I didn’t see one at the show. We checked out some other hobby long arms – Tin Lizzie and Voyager. Very nice…sniff.

I want the A-1 for the price of a Tin Lizzie. I’m thinking the Gammill.

Stay tuned.