Longarm machines

Machine Comparison – Should I Buy the MOXIE or the AMARA?

August 24, 2024

Today on the blog, I’m answering the question, “Should I buy the Moxie or Amara longarm machine?” Let’s do a machine comparison.

If you are ready to dive into longarm quilting, you’ll want to purchase the exactly right machine for YOU. Having a machine comparison will be super-helpful. Longarm quilting machines are a significant investment and choosing the right one can be both thrilling and overwhelming. To help you navigate this decision, in this blog post I am comparing the Handi Quilter Moxie and the Handi Quilter Amara 20. These are our two most popular movable longarm machines! Armed with this valuable comparison, you can make the best-informed purchase!

Why I’m qualified to compare Handi Quilter machines

Hi! I’m National Handi Quilter Educator, Mary Beth Krapil.  I’ve been longarm quilting on a Handi Quilter machine for more than 20 years and teaching longarm quilting with Handi Quilter for 16 years. I love to share longarm techniques and the best of Handi Quilter products.  I know all the machines in our Handi Quilter family inside and out.

How to choose a longarm quilting machine

Before we get into the details of machine comparison, it’s important to assess your quilting needs and limitations.

I recommend you ask yourself the following three questions.

1. “How much space do I have?”

The one most important consideration is the space available in your home or studio.

You may be dreaming of our top-of-the-line 26 inch throat machine on a 14 foot frame that makes it easy to quilt gorgeous king-size quilts, but that will not work if you have a small spare room for your quilt studio.

I recommend that you get out your handy tape measure, and you measure the space where you plan to set up the frame. Longarm quilting machines are large, so ensure you have adequate room for the machine, its frame, and room to move around the frame as you quilt.

That last part is SUPER important. Not only do you need to have space for your longarm and quilting frame in your sewing room or studio (or wherever you’re putting it!), but you need to have space to move around your frame to do the actual quilting!

Talking with a Handi Quilter representative at a show, or your local Handi Quilter retailer (find your closest one HERE) can help you to figure out creative ways to arrange your space to make the most of it. We know lots of tricks to make your quilting dreams come true!

Amara or Moxie Guide - Woman holding measuring tape
Grab your measuring tape! It’s time to measure your space for your new longarm!

2. “What’s my budget?”

Determine your budget.

Keep in mind that Handi Quilter machines come with everything you need to get started quilting, including the frame. Optional accessories are available, of course, but are not needed to start your longarm adventure. You’ll have everything you need with a Handi Quilter machine, including instruction on the operation of the machine.

Handi Quilter knows the importance of education when it comes to using a longarm machine. That’s why we provide so many opportunities to learn. First and foremost, we connect you with your local retailer who supports you and your machine. They will give you your initial lesson on the basic operations of the machine. From threading, to winding a bobbin, to loading your frame, you’ll get in-person instruction. You can also access the user guide on our website any time you need it for a refresher on these basics.

We have over 1,000 free tutorials on YouTube!

While other quilting companies charge for their online video resources, we do not!  Our videos are freely available on YouTube!

 

Do you want Pro-Stitcher Lite or Pro-Stitcher?

That said, when deciding to purchase your Moxie or Amara longarm quilting machine, chances are that you might be able to add Pro-Stitcher Lite or Pro-Stitcher onto your purchase as part of a deal or bundle. We encourage you to do what’s best for your budget, AND it may make the most sense to take advantage of deals on these computerized quilting devices that often only come when you buy a machine.

 

 

Another advantage Handi Quilter offers is financing options on all machines, all the time. This can make your investment more manageable. Sometimes there may be extra-special financing promotions, but financing is always available. Knowing that may help open up more wiggle room in your budget.  You can check out financing options here or reach out to your local retailer for more information.

Watch & Learn - Longarm Quilting Tutorials from Handi Quilter
Kim and Kristina have a blast on the Watch & Learns!

3. “What are my current and future quilting needs?”

For our final question, we need to determine what kind of quilts you’ll be making.

What do you currently make?

What do you want to make in the future?

Are you making king size quilts or smaller projects? Machines and frames come in various sizes, from 15-inch throat space to 26-inch. Each machine has its own set of features. And there are a variety of frame options depending on the machine you choose. Ensure the machine you choose can handle your typical project dimensions and has the features you desire.

Planning for a longarm machine - Moxie or Amara - Woman thinking
What’s in your quilting future?

You’ll also want to think about the future. Are you dreaming of running a longarming business, where you’ll quilt for others? Or do you only want to be able to finish your own quilts? Maybe you plan to quilt for a group that makes charity quilts? Do you want to do custom quilting or edge-to-edge quilting? Maybe you want to dabble in art quilting. Will you want to add Pro-Stitcher, the robotic quilting system, to your machine? It’s important to know the answers to these questions when doing machine comparison. You’ll be prepared to choose a machine that will serve your current needs and grow with you as your skills and interests expand.

If you’re not 100% sure where you’ll be in a few years, that’s ok!  Some retailers do offer trade-in programs, but it varies by retailer.

Longarm Machine Comparison: Moxie and Amara 20

In this next section, I’m going to compare the features of the Moxie verses the Amara.  Now, it’s important to remember that the Moxie and the Amara are each a family of machines, with different models in each of them.  The goal of this blog post is to show the differences in the Moxie and the Amara families!

Okay, now that you’ve asked yourself the above questions, you’ll find it much easier to compare these two options.

Meet the Moxie

 

side view of Moxie for machine comparison
HQ Moxie 15 inch longarm machine

 

 

 

 

The HQ Moxie is upfront—everything you need to get started quilting, including the frame. Moxie comes standard with the 8-foot HQ Loft Frame and easily upgrades to a 10-foot length with the 2-foot extension kit. If space is at a premium, Moxie is also compatible with the 5-foot HQ Little Foot Frame.

 

Throat Space and Usable quilting area

  • Moxie features a 15-inch throat space.     The actual quilting area on a longarm machine is never the full size of the throat. The poles on the frame run through the throat of the machine and decrease the actual quilting area available. With the Moxie, the safe usable quilting area is approximately 10 inches.
  • I say “safe” because when you start a quilt the usable quilting space is actually more than 10 inches. As you work your way to the bottom of the quilt, the already-quilted part gets rolled up on the take-up pole that goes through the throat of the machine. The bigger the quilt, and the thicker the batting, the bigger that roll will become. That roll decreases the usable quilting space as it grows. When planning your quilting, it is always wise to use the safe usable quilting area.

Frame options

All Handi Quilter frames are height-adjustable. It’s important to have a frame that will be ergonomic for you. Also, All Handi Quilter frames come with the necessary leaders for attaching your quilts to the frame.

  • Includes the 8-foot HQ Loftâ„¢ Frame (Optional 2-foot extension kit available).     With an 8 foot frame the maximum width of quilt top that can be quilted is 84 inches. A ten foot frame can quilt up to 108 inches wide. Think about the size of quilts you like or need to make. Does your family all sleep on King-size beds? If so, you’ll want to consider a larger machine, like the Amara, that can be mounted on a 12-foot frame, and can quilt up to 132 inch wide quilts.

 

  • Moxie is also compatible with the 5-foot HQ Little Foot Frame.     Is space an issue for you? Will an 8 foot frame just not fit into your studio? Then the 5-foot Little Foot frame is the perfect answer!  The HQ Little Foot Frame is a great choice for movable machine quilting in a small space. Overall length of the frame is just 5 feet long and fits in the tightest studios. The Little Foot frame’s smaller footprint does not limit the size quilt you can quilt. It is a different system than a regular longarm frame. Just lay your basted quilt sandwich over the frame and hold it in place with the included quilt clamp management system. ANY size quilt can be quilted on the Little Foot.

 

 

Footprint

Here is a visual that shows the space required for the Moxie on its compatible frames.  You can use these “footprints” to see how much space you’ll likely need around your frame.

Diagram line drawing of the foot print of the Moxie machine on the compatible frames for machine comparison
Foot print of the Moxie machine on its compatible frame choices

Speed and stitch range

  • 1,800 stitches per minute maximum speed. Fast enough for even the fastest quilter!
  • Choose from 4-18 stitches per inch (spi).   4 spi is a great basting stitch length. Most quilting is done at 9-12spi The Moxie goes up to 18spi for when you want some tiny background fill quilting.

Stitch Regulation

  • Choose from Cruise or Precision stitch regulation or Manual Mode! All Handi Quilter machines are equipped with industry-leading stitch regulation technology. And the option to choose the mode that will work best for the quilting technique you are doing. It’s always good to have choices.

Hook and Bobbin

  • High-speed rotary hook with large-capacity M-class bobbin  All Handi Quilter machines utilize the M-size bobbin. M stands for Monster,  Mega, Magic!  These bobbins hold a LOT of thread. We know that it’s all fun and games til the bobbin runs out!
inspirational plaque saying "It's all fun and games until the bobbin runs out" machine comparison
Truth!

 Feet

  • The Moxie is Handi Feet®-compatible. That means you have a quick-change foot mount that allows you to change to the best foot for the type of quilting you are doing. The Moxie includes the standard closed-toe foot, used for most quilting; and the open-toe foot, for detail work when you really want the best view of your needle. All new Handi Quilter longarm machines include these two feet. There are optional feet available when you are ready to expand your fun and creativity with your longarm machine.

Lighting

  • Built-in LED lighting to illuminate your quilting space.

Interface

  • Moxie uses the handle bar keys to navigate the high-resolution, full-color, icon-based display for making choices for your settings.

 

Ability to update?

  • Use the integrated USB port for easy software updates. From time-to-time there may be machine software updates to keep your machine state-of-the-art. These updates are always free and can be found on the Handi Quilter website.  The website also has easy-to-follow instructions on how to accomplish the updates.

 

 

Amara 20

photo of HQAmara 20 longarm machine for machine comparison
Handi Quilter Amara 20 longarm machine

Experience quality, precision, and a world of quilting possibilities. From baby quilts to king-size, the Handi Quilter Amara 20 can handle them all. This 20-inch longarm machine comes with the HQ Studio3 Frame (choose from 10-foot or 12-foot). The Little Foot frame is compatible with the Amara 20 as well. You’ll have everything you need for free-motion quilting right out of the box.

Throat Space and Usable quilting area

As the name suggests, the Amara 20 features 20 inches of brightly lit throat space.  (The Amara 24 has 24 inches of throat space.)

If you recall what I said when describing the usable quilting area on the Moxie, the actual quilting area on a longarm machine is never the size of the throat. The poles on the frame run through the throat of the machine and decrease the actual quilting area available. With the Amara 20, the safe usable quilting area is approximately 14 inches.

Remember, the already-quilted part of the quilt gets rolled up on the take-up pole that goes through the throat of the machine. The bigger the quilt, and the thicker the batting, the bigger that roll will be. That roll decreases the usable quilting space as it grows. When planning your quilting, it is always wise to use the safe usable quilting area.

That is why throat space is an important consideration when doing machine comparison. The Amara 20’s safe 14 inches of usable space gives you plenty of room to quilt an entire 12 inch block all in one go. Less than 13 inches of quilting area means you’ll have to split your design and quilt the top half, then advance the quilt and quilt the bottom half. Is it do-able? SURE! But it is so much easier and there are so many more designs you can use when you don’t have to split.

Moxie XL - Throat Space
The Moxie XL has 18 inches of throat space.

Frame options

The Amara 20 includes the Studio3 frame. You can choose between the 12-foot frame and the 10-foot frame.  Keep in mind that the frames can be set up smaller than their full length. The 12-foot frame is 3 x 4-foot sections. So it can be set up at 4, 8 or 12 feet. The 10-foot frame is 2 x 4-foot sections and a 2-foot section. So it can be set up at 4, 6, 8, or 10 feet.

With an 10-foot frame the maximum width of quilt top that can be quilted is 108 inches. A 12-foot frame can quilt up to 132 inches wide. Think about the size of quilts you make. Does your family all sleep on King-size beds? If so, you’ll want want the 12-foot frame. Are you considering quilting as a business? You’ll want the 12 foot frame.

The Little Foot frame is also compatible with the Amara 20.

 

Footprint

Here is a visual that shows the space required for the Amara 20 Studio3 frame options. When setting up the Studio3 frame it is possible to have one end of the frame against the wall, saving a bit of space.

machine comparison line drawing of the footprint of the HQ Amara 20
Footprint of the Amara 20 on Studio3 frame options

All Handi Quilter frames are height-adjustable to be ergonomic for you. Also, all Handi Quilter frames come with the necessary leaders for attaching your quilts to the frame.

Speed and stitch range

  • The Amara 20 is lightning fast with stitching speeds up to 2,500 stitches per minute. Don’t let this scare you! You are in total control of how fast or slow you move the machine to create your quilting designs.
  • Choose consistent stitch quality from 4-24 stitches per inch. And you have the ability to choose basting stitches of 1/4 inch, 1/2 inch, 1 inch, 2 inches and 4 inches.

Stitch Regulation

The Amara 20 features our QuiltMasterâ„¢ servo-controlled stitch regulation for perfect stitches, every time. Choose from Cruise or Precision stitch regulation, or Manual Mode.   You’ll achieve consistently even and beautiful stitches without even thinking about it! You can choose the mode that will work best for the quilting technique you are doing on any particular quilt. It’s always good to have choices.

Hook and Bobbin

Just like the Moxie, the Amara 20 features our high-speed rotary hook with large-capacity M-class (Mega Monster, Magic) bobbin. You’ll be quilting for a LONG time before that bobbin runs out. BTW, you will get extra bobbins in your accessory package with your machine. Every HQ longarm machine comes with a free-standing bobbin winder as well. This fully adjustable machine easily and efficiently winds consistent bobbins. Bobbin consistency is key to good stitch quality!

Feet

Once again, just like Moxie, the Amara 20  is Handi Feet®-compatible. That means you have a quick change foot mount that allows you to change to the best foot for the type of quilting you are doing. The Amara 20 includes the standard closed-toe foot, used for most quilting; and the open-toe foot, for detail work when you really want the best view of your needle.

photo of the standard foot and the open toe foot

 

All new Handi Quilter machines include these two feet. There are optional feet available when you are ready to expand your fun and creativity with your longarm machine. An example of this would be the Handi Feet Sure Foot, used for ruler work. The Sure Foot provides a taller profile for additional stability while working with rulers and templates.

Lighting

Amara 20 features the amazingly bright, menu-controlled QuiltMaster™ LED lighting package with three separately controlled sets of lights along the throat, directly over the needle, and in the bobbin area.  The bobbin lighting is so perfect for cleaning out the lint and oiling at each bobbin change. The lighting menu allows you to turn each set of lights on or off and also to adjust the perfect brightness for your project. Total control!

Interface

The 7-inch color touchscreen is so easy to use to get the settings exactly the way you want. It is a user-friendly touch screen just like so many of your other devices, like your phone or tablet.

Ability to update?

Use one of the the integrated USB ports for easy software updates. From time-to-time there may be machine software updates to keep your machine state-of-the-art. These updates are always free and can be found on the Handi Quilter website.  The website also has easy-to-follow instructions on how to accomplish the updates.

Extra features on Amara 20, not found on the Moxie

The Amara 20 is a feature-rich machine that can take your quilting to the next level.  Here are some of the super-useful features you’ll enjoy when using this machine:

Pinpoint needle Laser

The Pinpoint needle laser puts a dot of light right where your needle will drop when the machine is stopped, which provides a guide for accurate needle placement at the start of a quilting design.

photo showing needle laser on the HQ Amara
The red dot of light shows where the needle will drop.

Easy-Set Tension

The Amara’s display shows a digital read-out value for the current tension setting. This value is unique to each machine.  Once you set the tension for a particular thread and get good stitch quality, make note of the value. I like to write it on the inside of the cone. The next time I use that thread, I can dial in that number and be in the very close ballpark of good tension.

Occasionally, with different fabrics or batting I might need to tweak the tension slightly. 9 times out of 10, it is spot on and I can get started stitching quickly. Remember, the value is unique to each machine. If your friend has an Amara, their number will be different than your number for the same thread.

QuiltMaster â„¢ front handlebars:

Independently adjustable handlebars let you set the position of the handles that is most comfortable for you. They are ergonomic in that they can be adjusted at anytime. After quilting for a while you can slightly change the handle position and be refreshed to continue happily quilting!

They can also be adjusted to a micro-handle position. That means the handles can be down close to the surface of the quilt, the way most quilters like for doing small, tight micro-quilting.

Programmable handlebar buttons

Each handle bar has the standard 2 buttons as well as a third button; Star on the left and Diamond on the right.  These 3rd buttons are programmable for your choice of functions. When using Pro-Stitcher, the programmable buttons have convenient uses as well.

photo of right Amara handlebar buttons with the diamond button
The right handlebar has the diamond button

photo of the left Amara handlebar with the star button
The left handlebar has the star button

On-screen hand wheel

The hand wheel, that you can turn manually to change the needle position, is waaayyyy at the back of the machine. On the Amara we have an electronic hand wheel that you can change the needle position easily right from the front display. This really comes in handy if you get a small piece of thread stuck in the bobbin race.

Magnetic Tool Minder Collar

We need our tools as handy as possible when we are quilting. One tool that gets used ALL the time is your small scissors for trimming threads. The tool minder collar allows you to magnetically store those scissors right at the ready on the left side of the machine. You can also have a seam ripper there. Hopefully you’ll never have to use it! A seam ripper is kind of like an umbrella. It is an insurance policy. If you have it handy, you won’t ever need it.

 

Other considerations for purchasing a longarm machine

Test drive

You’ll want to be sure to test drive the machines you are comparing. Just like a car, they can have a different “driving” experience. You’ll want to pay close attention to the smoothness of the ride and the ease of motion. After all, quilting is so much fun, you will be at it for hours. You want a machine that glides smoothly and easily.

Handi Quilter makes test driving so easy. You can visit a local retailer. Find one of our over 350 US retailers closest to you HERE.  Or come to a quilt show. Find an upcoming show, near you, where Handi Quilter is participating HERE.

Test a Moxie or an Amara

Compatibility with a robotic system

All new Handi Quilter movable machines are Pro-Stitcher ready! All necessary cabling is pre-installed inside the machine for easy installation of the Pro-Stitcher system and a sleek, neat look without cables or wires to get caught up on.

Support

You may have been sewing all your life and feel super-confident around sewing machines. However, longarm machines are a bit different and having someone to turn to with your questions is paramount.

Handi Quilter has a stellar reputation for customer support and education. Our local retailer network is there for you; as well as our corporate teams dedicated to helping you. We have customer relations, education, and technical solutions teams. You are never alone when you purchase a Handi Quilter!

 

Features that come with EVERY Handi Quilter machine.

Local support

You can count on on-going local support from your Handi Quilter retailer.

Warranty

The warranty on ALL Handi Quilter longarm machines is 10 years on the casting, 5 years on the electrical components, and 5 years on the mechanical components.

Education

Handi Quilter is know world-wide for providing education to our owners. To learn more about all the different opportunities available read these blog posts:

Handi Quilter Education Classes Near Me | ALL of your options!

What to Expect at a Handi Quilter Event

Check out our YouTube channel with hundreds (thousands?) of educational and inspirational videos on just about every quilty topic you can imagine. And be sure to check our list of upcoming classes and events HERE.

Next Step

Find your local Handi Quilter retailer and visit for a test drive! It will be a fun experience that just might be life changing!

Connect with the Author

Please follow our blog each week for lots of fun, information, instruction, and inspiration. If you want to keep up with my quilty adventures you can follow me on Instagram @mbkrapil.

I look forward to welcoming YOU into the Handi Quilter family.

Til next time, Quilt Every Day.

by Mary Beth Krapil

 

 

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August 24th, 2024

Today on the blog, I’m answering the question, “Should I buy the Moxie or Amara longarm machine?” Let’s do a machine comparison. If you are ready to dive into longarm […]

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