Quiltingboard Forums - Hello NEW to the Group

Hi from Western NY,
I, too, just joined the group. I'm not familiar with the Pfaff models you have, but I owned a Pfaff years ago and loved the dual feed feature. I think you were lucky to inherit your machines! I have an old Bernina that still sews like a champ, and presently have a used Janome Memory Craft 6500 that I love because of the automatic thread cutter. It's a feature I wouldn't like to give up.
I have tried paper piecing just to see how it's done, but found it took too much patience (I'm lacking in that area). I recently completed a twin size quilt using Thangle's and loved them!! I had them for 3 years and was too intimidated to try them; how silly of me. They are so easy and the company has patterns for their use. They should be available in quilt shops, or online. A local quilt shop features a "Buck a Block" for their Block of the Month, which is how I got started with the Thangle's. Thangle's are basically paper piecing, but you only deal with half square triangles. I'm very much a "strip quilter". Started with Eleanor Burns, and I'm hooked. It's fast and easy. Have to say, I see a curve and I'm not interested in making it.
Free motion quilting takes lots of practice, maybe make placemats to practice on, then you won't feel like you are wasting fabric or time. I have found that the "Supreme Slider" by Pat LaPierre is helpful (also in some quilt shops or online). Diane Gaudynski has a couple of books on free motions quilting, I have her "Guide to Machine Quilting" that I ordered from Amazon. She was highly recommended by an award winning quilter in our area who came to our guild to teach.
My favorite rotary cutter is Gingher, more expensive but so worth it. My favorite mat is Olfa and it's nice to have a couple of sizes. I have a 12X18 inch that I use for small projects and a 23X35 inch that I use for everything else. I have a couple of sizes of Fiskars rotating mats, but have found I really don't use them all that much.
HAPPY QUILTING!