History of Legacy

Sometime in mid 1996, Neal Iund was approached by individuals from the long-arm quilting community to use his expertise to adapt an extended arm machine for professional quilters. The result of these discussions is the Legacy quilting machine.

However, the story of the Legacy really had its beginnings some 15 years ago when Neal, former Chief Mechanic for Western Bernina Importer in North Salt Lake, Utah, was contacted by Morton Thiokol in Tremonton, Utah, to develop a sewing machine to connect large pieces of fiberglass and carbon resin materials. These special materials are used in the manufacture of the thrust cones for the solid rocket booster motors (SRB's) for the NASA Space Shuttle. The requirements for this machine presented several challenges. First, the arm of the machine had to be long enough to accommodate the width of these materials. Second, the machine had to withstand the rigors of a very demanding sewing operation. In fact, the process proved far more difficult than first imagined. Never the less, over the years, these machines have shown they are equal to the challenge time and time again. This same technology has been adapted to other long-arm sewing operations including, but not limited to, sail-making.

The foundation of these unique machines is the Swiss-made Bernina 217, long respected for quality and durability. During the extension process, the frame of the 217 is literally cut in half. Then, the arm and column of machine are extended to the proper dimensions. After the frame fabrication is completed, the machine is fitted with new drive shafts and sewing bed. The result is a high quality sewing machine well suited to the requirements of the machine quilters and other long-arm applications.

The quality features of the Legacy are not limited to the just the machine head. The Legacy employs a number of other innovations. Several of these features are particularly noteworthy. The Legacy II is mounted to the table using a unique, high quality, captured bearing system. These bearings would hold the machine securely to the table, even if turned completely upside down. Further, these bearings provide very smooth movement along the entire length of the work surface. Vibration is kept to a minimum. The fabric rollers are fixed to the sewing table with directional bearings. Because the rollers are infinitely adjustable and do not use "stops", the operator can precisely position the quilting materials. The work table is also fully adjustable. This allows the machine to be adapted to fit the operator, not the other way around. (If there are special needs, custom table sizes can be manufactured upon request.) The Legacy II employs a machine mounted laser tracing system. This laser pointer facilitates the accurate tracing of a variety of quilt patterns from the rear of the machine. The Legacy II can also be fitted with an optional rotating base. This feature allows the Legacy to sew at a variety of very precise angles. This bed rotation device also has another unique benefit. It permits the machine to sew to the edge of the quilt. There are many other features that could be discussed. Please refer to our literature for more information on additional features.

The story of the Legacy would not be complete without a discussion of one more important element. That element is, in a word, service. All machines, no matter how well built, will require service at some point in time. (It should be noted that because of the time-tested design and use of high quality components, our written warranty covers mechanical parts for three years and electronic components are covered for one year.) The Legacy staff is committed to service... before, during and after the sale. This commitment to service was developed over many years as a result of working with sewing machine dealers, commercial clients and home users. In fact, all members of our team have, at one time in their careers, trained service personnel from many parts of the United States. We have also successfully assisted many of these individuals in diagnosing and repairing machines, primarily over the telephone. Because many of our service contacts, of necessity, will be via telephone, this is a most important consideration.

We truly believe the Legacy is the best value on the market today. Please feel free to contact us for further information or to arrange for a personal demonstration. We hope we will be able to add you to our list of satisfied clients. Thank you for considering Legacy quilting machines.

Today, "NIT" custom manufactures limited quantities of specialized machines ranging from the famous Legacy Quilting and Embroidery machines to Sailmaking machines. Additionally, "NIT" provides a valuable technical support service for Bernina dealerships and schools. "Friends of NIT" features their long-term friendship associations whose products benefit the quilting and home based business industries.