I’ve wanted a long arm for quite a while. But aside from the cost, space was as issue. We are empty nesters in what was advertised as a 5 bedroom house. We’ve since completed the lower level into a mostly unused media room. But Harold really wanted to keep it and, honestly when we use it, we use it.
There are four bedrooms upstairs and with the exception of ours they are 10 x 10 (2) and 9 x 11. A long arm wouldn’t fit. A couple of years ago, I turned the smallest into a yarn room, because between working in two yarns shop and living 20 minutes away from Maryland Sheep and Wool, I’ve accumulated enough yarn, fiber and fleece that I’m beyond SABLE. Since the early days in this house, Harold claimed the smallest downstairs (9 x 14) room as his office and I use the larger room (12 x 14) as my sewing room. There’s a small foyer downstairs that serves as a library.
Harold had long suggested getting a RV and converting it into a space that I could use for everything or even getting a shed and finishing it. Two problems, the cost and I didn’t like the idea of going outside in the winter or having to run inside to go to the bathroom. Fast forward to last summer. One day we stopped at a place that sold sheds and had an honest discussion of the costs on the way home. Wow! It’s not the just the shed, it’s finishing it out, adding electricity and connecting it to the house. Then where to put it? While our yard is a decent size, it’s not level, but slopes uphill. I like my neighbors, but I don’t think any of them would want a 20 x 32 shed within their line of site.
I suggested he move his office upstairs to the yarn room and I’d take over his office. We’d have to empty upstairs to do those renovations, so it was an ideal time to make the transfer. Also, it made/makes more sense to put improvements inside rather than putting that money into another building outside.
I now have 3 spaces including the foyer. I knew I’d be buying used. Fiber equipment of any kind tends to retain its functionality for years and people tend to upgrade frequently. I’ve been looking for a machine for years and saw this before we started renos, but wanted to wait until they were complete because, you know, overruns. We picked it up Saturday and I can’t wait until it’s up.We still need to do some work downstairs, but I think I’m going to set it up in the sewing room instead of Harolds old office as originally planned.n It’s a 2008 APQS Lenin’s with a 20” throat and a 10’ table. It came equipped with a laser, needle up and down and rear handles. If I decide to, I’ll be able to add a computerized function later. I’ll only be doing my quilts so I may not. This is the seller’s pic.
