Cons of having a Longarm Quilting Business

[@annamarieflanegan6393]

Thank you for your informative video on the cons of longarm quilting business! While I find that the comments you made are so true - I also have, after about 6 years of quilting (from knowing nothing to knowing something!!) I have got a relatively stable amount of quilts coming in. But I have met some amazing people and many have become my friends. With every quilt I get to quilt I always give it my level best and am always trying to improve and think out of the box. I regard every quilt as a practice session and an opportunity to 'advertise' my quilting skills. So many of my customers are referrals which I truly appreciate. All in all quilting is something I love doing!

[@ToniNov25]

Yes your so right I shared that in my video before .. the pros of having a longarm quilting business..

[@annamarieflanegan6393]

@@ToniNov25 Thank you Lorena! I shall certainly have a look at that video as well!

[@bwaldron8449]

I love your honesty and humor. Keep it up, look forward to your videos.

[@ToniNov25]

Thank you so much!

[@rsplatt100]

Thank you for your honesty and sharing. It’s good for all of us to understand that there is a lot in to having a home business. Blessings to you

[@ToniNov25]

Yeah sometimes it’s a question of its worth continuing to do b it! But I love it..

[@feliciabernal4256]

Maybe in the slow seasons you can take on your own time and projects and maybe even sell some for added income. I enjoyed your post and appreciate your sharing and venting the struggles. Especially over-picky clients. I am opening my Longarm business in my home in early 2025. Thank you again for all the insightful information. 🙏

[@jand7782]

Great insight. Weighing the pros and cons is so important before starting any new venture. So many times, we're only aware of the pros, so thank you for your transparency. My self-employed husband has joked that working for oneself means the boss is crazy. :D

[@ToniNov25]

Yeah you have to be .. to believe something no one else see... a future in but you !

[@brendakinder1]

🤣🤣🤣

[@markwagner4909]

Very valid points especially the taxes I was considering getting a long arm and had it all planned out where I would put it...but that soon passed Love your humor and your giggles Your videos brighten my day

[@ToniNov25]

oh thank you so much.

[@codyor4483]

paying it off in 7 years is actually pretty fast. Well done

[@ToniNov25]

Thank God that I had already established an embroidery business that in certain seasons I was able to pay for the longarm.. It was really hard to pay it off especially when the recession kicked in I got the machine the beginning of 2009 and within that time my husband lost his job and didn't get back to making a normal income until I graduated with my degree in 2015. When I graduated my husband decided to pay off the machine pulling out from his IRA and pay 11000.00 to be finished with the payment and pressure it created.

[@clairepereira8592]

More good information. Quite a few women near me have stopped quilting for others because of these reasons.

[@ToniNov25]

Yeah I was going to close down cause of the audit.. I just slowed down for 2 months

[@Mizz.Person]

I like that most of the cons can be worked around and worked with! Great video! :)

[@ToniNov25]

Yes.. in everything there is both right .. if you love it I think the good out weighs the cons.

[@SC-hj3hr]

HI Lorena, I've been waiting for the "Cons" after your "pros" post. Very interesting thank you. And the expense! OMG. You're very brave to take the leap. p.s. I think you need to name your machine. "she" knows you love her and look after her. How about Ruby, since she's red. Or Ms G. (G for Gammil)😋 Thanks for sharing your knowledge.xx

[@ToniNov25]

Yes it hurts but in a full view it’s still paying for it self it you have to work at getting the clients!

[@patriciadunn8578]

I just love to listen and green what you have learned in your longer business! Thank you!

[@ToniNov25]

oh thank you so much.

[@xzdollfacexz]

Do you have family in Wisconsin? You remind me sooo much of my friend Mary Sue and she has family in Texas! Weird question I'm sure but lol had to ask. I LOVE your videos!! So informative and your humor and personality is so appreciated as well!

[@sandywilkerson8525]

A lot to have to deal with.....but you do Beautiful work!💖

[@ToniNov25]

Yes.. that's why last year I was considering to throw in the towel and just do my own stuff. I'm really trying too finish off the clients that I currently have and do quilts that I want to do for myself.

[@GypsyWomanWindy]

While I love idea of having a longarm , I love even more the ease of just dropping off my quilts with my longarmer and letting her deal with all the other stuff ;) Thank you for the reality of being a longarm business person.

[@ToniNov25]

Thank you so much for taking your time to watch! Windy.

[@upriver7047]

These business videos are so helpful, Lorena. I'm considering an upgrade from my plain Jane long arm and wooden frame to a medium grade unit with aluminum frame and quilt robot. Still around 16k. I live in a rural area and dont know if I can make it pay for itself let alone make any extra income from it. Lots to consider. Thank you for all the good information. I appreciate you!!

[@ToniNov25]

Oh your so welcome!

[@ToniNov25]

I will pray for you it’s a hard decision!

[@Christina_Lane]

Spot on. Every con I would have said. Especially the Gammill Computer discussion. That is my only complaint about them. I will be updating my computer myself, thankfully that is something I can do. For me, that 30k price tag was worth it. I put up with a terrible HQ for 10 years before I bought my Statler 5 years ago. Every time i'm on there i'm thankful for a machine that runs great and that I can work on myself, with support from the company if I need it. That was worth the price tag. But the computer business angers me. That they need to change because it really feels like being taken advantage of. The specs on their computer are laughable, especially at what they charge for it.

[@ToniNov25]

oh thank you so much for your wonderful comment.

[@sandraeasthope3010]

I have an HQ Avante with a Pro Stitcher and it was 32,000.00+ and now they are closer to 40,000.00+. It is 6 years old and has cost about 800.00 in repairs and updates. I find your quilting friends want to come and have you quilt for free and i refuse but give them a special price. To suppliment the income I teach longarm basics and ProStitcher basics peivate lessons.

[@ToniNov25]

Wow thank you so much for sharing.. Yeah no free quilts they are expensive and I feel people don't understand what kind of investment it is to do this. I truly didn't know if it was going to become anything so its even stepping out in faith that this money you put on the machine will come back and not be a lose.

[@sandiihassenstein8206]

@@ToniNov25 I wasn't sure if I could get it off the ground either. It was a slow start and I made a decision early on that the money I make goes for vacations and purchases. Living expenses like rent, groceries etc comes out of a different pot just incase.

[@henna696]

YOU ARE SOOOO NICE.

[@ToniNov25]

Thank you !

[@annb4013]

First off, you are so awesome! I wish we lived closer (I’m in Oregon) so we could hang out! opinion please? I am working toward retiring in the next 18 -24 months. I have a handi quilter amara, no computer. Machine is about two years old will be paid off this fall. I am thinking of adding a computer to my machine, partly because I want to quilt for others as a little retirement income? I have done a couple quilts for neighbors but can only do custom quilting since I don’t have a computer?should I take the leap?

[@ToniNov25]

I would get a computer.. but if you with your current income can pay for it without any pressure... this way you have time to build your clients and skill on the computer without financial pressure to make money!

[@daliacastello2608]

Enjoyed this I have tops and didn’t know anyone to quilt also I know what you mean lol

[@kitgarcia341]

Did you pull an income while also paying off the machine? I guess what is like to know is if I finance the machine do I have to work for years and years without an income, or can I make my payments and have money to spend.

[@ToniNov25]

It’s going to take a while to get client tell and really learn how to do this business.. when I started I would be cheaper than anyone else so I could start getting clients.. I wouldn’t finance.. my friend worked for years and the interest on it she found it hard to get ahead .. and she had a store front just longarm quilting business she said it felt like slaver.. some other longarmers found it hard to make payments and had to return the machine!

[@ToniNov25]

There is a place that sell used long arms .. that are great machines.. www.longarmuniversity.com Look on longarm a for sale..

[@ToniNov25]

Now it is possible.. to buy a machine and have a thriving business.. but you have to have great connection with quilt shops that will send you the clients to quilt their quilts.. once you have the consistent client tell yes.. you can pay for machine and make income.. but that’s hard to build.. I have seen both in this community.. some people are not social and have a hard time advertising themselves .. some people are lazy and don’t want to hustle for the client.. some people buy the machine and don’t even turn it on.. because a lot of this is self teaching.. you have to be self motivated.. driven.. willing to give great rates.. having to do work that is hard .. there is a large learning curve and you have to be a - willing to serve other kind of person.. it can’t be about the money.. only.. people that love this I have seen thrive - people that want money only and that’s why they got into this I have seen really struggle .. because this is work and not easy.. I recommend if you can get a machine initial get it as a side job.. that means you can afford the payment without making income from it initially.. giving yourself time to learn- build small group of loyal clients- make extra money here and there.. you can purchase machines without getting into debt too., I’m in a place where I get 8 to 15 quilts a month but it hasn’t been that way for a long time I was happy if I got 5 a month .. in the last 3 years it had gotten busy for me .. I hope I’m helpful .. you want to love this it’s a lot of money ping toward this that’s a maybe .. my daughter is doing a t-shirt business and it cost less to do it and make great income with less debt and less expense..

[@Jerzidi9]

What are your thoughts about buying a used machine? There are several at that site you mentioned but are 2005-7 models. Also these are not computerized can they be converted?

[@ToniNov25]

I would buy a used Gammill they are great machines on longarm university they sell them .. yes but it’s more cost affective to buy with computer retrofitting is expensive and you May loss $1000-$3000 extra to retro fit a machine!

[@helenaford332]

I haven’t quilted any of my own stuff, in 20 years, then again, I don’t get to sew, so there’s nothing to quilt!! LoL. Everyone says, put your quilt on your schedule, ha! I wish! But really, I wouldn’t change it, like we don’t have enough quilts in the house!!!

[@ToniNov25]

Me too my quilts are just stacking 😂😂I thought I was just lazy or something when it came to my own quilts..

[@polyesterbebe]

Engagement

[@FleurdeLinda.Stitches]

Another con: saturated long arm owners in my area.

[@ToniNov25]

Oh that too!! Didn’t think of that .. then you need to price yourself very competitive.. to get the clients to come to you!