Afraid of new quilting setup -encouragement & advise needed here
 

I know this sounds weird. But I bought a small used midarm setup with a Little Gracie II frame 3 months ago and I am scared to death to use it! At first I could not wait to buy one. Then I helped my son set up the frame. And I have barely taken the time to learn all that is involved. I have made a few quilts but I just use my DSM for free motion.
Honestly, the truth is I am scared!
Has anyone else been like this? I feel so guilty for spending the $$ now it is just sitting there. I really need some encouragement or advice.

Oh, just try it! As humans, we tend to procrastinate when we are anxious about things. You will be fine!

Fear of failure can get in the way of our successes. Just know from the beginning there will be a learning curve. It's time to get some practice fabric on your frame and begin the learning process! You can do this. I am green with envy that you have this setup. I encourage you to jump in and get going!!:)

I envy you with your set up. Now, just jump in with both feet. You won't know how much fun you'll have, or how much practice you'll need, until you try it. You may not even need much practice, I know a gal that although she's new at quilting, is just a natural at doing free motion, but has problems sewing the blocks. Me, I KNOW I would have to practice, practice and practice to be able to do a quarter as well as she does. Now, get going!!!! LOL You'll be fine.

There's no way for you to conquer the fear other than practice. Start with things like quilts for pets, tablerunners, etc. Wait until you have more confidence before you quilt something that is special to you or is a gift for someone special. You can do it!

make a "sandwich" and load and just practice...don't be surprised if you have loopies on the back, seems to happen when going too fast. takes getting used to and I have had my grace set up along time, (original frame) and I still have to remind myself to slow down LOL

Don't try to master everything it can do at once. Start simple and work your wat to more complicated things.

I remember when I got my Avante. When the man was finished setting it all up he said go ahead and try it out. I just looked at him. I was scared to push the button for fear I'd break the machine. I got through that and after he left I loaded up some old fabric and started practicing. It was alot easier when I was by myself.

Yes been there! Just give it a try. Make a practice sandwhich and play, I think you will find it is great fun!!

You can do this! Figure out some sort of a reward for yourself after your first spin on it. I used to allow myself to buy a new sweater after I got all my book reports graded. Wonderful motivation....old English teacher here. :)

Dina

Do you remember how excited you were when you decided to buy it? Think back and capture that excitement. If you have a friend who owns one, or one who is itching to try one, invite her over to help you get started. You can do this!

I bought a midarm machine and frame, it is all setup but haven't sewed on it as yet. Just a few practice tries.

Jump in and try it! don't plan to do anything great to start. Like your DSM you have to get the feel of your machine. So make some sandwiches, fabric kind, and play. Some of my first trys the cat wouldn't even lay on! LOL don't worry or be afraid, you can't hurt the machime. Keep your owners manual, and phone with dealers number on speed dial handy. LOL My dealer shop employee's know my voice, I've called so many times! LOL I have had my Lizzie for almost a year and am still learning to use her. I will not quilt for others but feel confident to work on my own. Remember every Journey starts with that first step. so start steppin! LOL Good Luck and have fun!

I agree with everyone - just try it! It's easier than you think. For mine I loaded laptop quilt tops for our guilds philanthropy group and they turned out great! Just go for it and report back!

I was very scared at first-for about 3 years! Once I finally got started I wished I had started far sooner!

the practice pieces are the key...no waste of a quilt top that is waiting for you to feel secure enough to make it pretty... now that you have the practice piece in, practice writing your name... it's the easiest thing to start with as we already have 'cursive' in our 'muscle memory'....

Just load some fabric on first. That alone is different. Get that done and tell yourself to just take your time and start quilting. Don't forget to put the pressed foot down. Take a couple deep breaths - then go. Start slowly and then speed up.
You CAN do this!

I know how you feel. I bought a used one so I had NO support. But I put on my Big Girl Panties, took a deep breath, loaded a practice piece and went for it. I have had it for 6 years now and I have a lot of fun with it. I make a lot of quilts for charities which is a great way to practice and try out new ideas. You can do it! I did. (And here's a little secret...The quilt looks a whole lot better after you take it off the frame and it relaxes!)
Happy New Year and remember we are all here to support each other!

I have a handiquilter frame with a Grandquilter sitting in the loft. I even have a quilt on the frame and all of it is covered with a sheet for the very same reason. Heavy sigh. Maybe THIS will be the year to start and try!

I've been sewing for years and I'm pretty much scared of any piece of new equipment I get. I think it's more I'm afraid I'm going to do something drastically wrong right off the bat and wreck something. I let a new embroidery machine sit for 3 months once before I got brave enough to take it out of the box and set it up. My girlfriend took hers out of the box when she got it, then put it right back in. I think it's a pretty normal reaction. My mid arm setup sat for a while before I finally put a practice quilt sandwich on it and let 'er rip. That got me over my anxiety.

To get the hang of using your set up, practice on plain cloth with batting and maybe a used sheet for backing. (You can buy the used sheets at Goodwill.) That way you can get the hang of quilting on it without worrying about any mess ups. Afterwards just throw that first one out if you don't like it or use it around the house as a utility quilt.

I've had my set up for several years but there are times that I go for a year without using it. When that happens, I buy a pre-printed baby panel and quilt it to a flannel backing just to get the hang on using it. This helps me go get into the swing of quilting on one of my pieced quilt tops. This also gives me extra baby blankets that can be thrown on the floor when company comes and one is needed.

I feel the same way, I have had mine for a year and a half, only tried once.Why I am afraid I do not know, but now have decided to just do it! So what if I mess up, it's a learning curve, I will have no more fear!

Boy can I relate. I have a B-line and Juki setup which is temperamental. I rarely use it or do a big spurt and then don't use it for weeks. This habit means I unlearn everything I learned and start over at square one. My top New Year's resolution is to learn to use it. I found that using a panel helped so I could try different movements and also just a plain quilt sandwich which I gave to the neighbor for a dog bed. I drew on some shapes which I tried to follow and then "creatively" travel to the next shape. I intend to do a little bit every day or two so I don't unlearn all progress. Just a thought that might help. My system makes me nervous too, esp since I have no dealer to call for help.

Sounds like when we built our house and I was so excited to finally be able to paint some walls . . . when it came to the first room, I had everything set up and instead of opening the can of paint, I called my sister long-distance, fixed a snack, flipped through a quilting magazine . . . delayed for fear of making a mistake. Now, a few years later, there's not a single white room in the house and I fear no paint color. It's common to be intimidated by fear of failure. Believing you can is the first step. And if you don't like the outcome, try again. Just know that there are lots of us here who are cheering you on!

You are human and allowed to make mistakes...which we all do..so go for it...before long you'll wonder what all the fuss was about....You'll do great

Maybe practice on some old fabric til it feels comfortable. I did the same with a scanner for my new home sewing machine....never used it but hope to when I find where I put it :) just play with it on something not important,and you won't worry like if it was a quilt you worked hard on. Pick specific time and date so you will look at it as a date with a new friend. Good luck.

Me too! Well, I wasn't scared, but I hated it! Now the frame is in the garage and the machine is on my desk (still great for FMQ!) and just thinking about it makes me feel sick! All that money... :( I have had an ad on Craigslist, but nobody else wants it, either!

Just do it!!! You have to start sometimes. My boss has a mid-arm and after having it for a few years, she took some classes at the quilt store where they sell Gammills. She is now quilting up a storm, having a blast at all the new techniques she has learned and wondering why she didn't do that long ago. Have fun with it!!!

Don't be hard on yourself it is learning!!! make something on fabric you aren't as fond of and if it doesn't turn out , the dog will love it for a warm lovey bed!! that is what I do or use muslin practice sandwiches and enjoy the process !!! You will be a pro in no time!!! There are no Quilt police !!!

I think we all felt that way! I got over my fear when I put some cheap sheets on the machine (I bought them at the local thrift store) and drew the design that was on the quilt I wanted to do -- I practiced the techniques there and then went for it. You're going to see every wobble and problem...but IGNORE them.......just keep going. Finish the "quilt" and take it off the machine -- now -- can you see those wobbles??? More than anything -- have FUN with it!!!!

Just get a small quilt for starters and then go for it.I don't have the room or $$ for one,but that don't keep me from dreaming for one someday before I get toooo old.I am 48 my age don't bother me but my health sure does.

I started with a B-line frame and Juki machine. I learned ALOT..and on my own. I purchased at a big quilt show, had it shipped and had NO help! I DID shed tears, but I finally realized I was learning to troubleshoot. Everytime I solved a problem, I knew how to deal with it the NEXT time. I have upgraded twice and now quilt on a gently used Gammill Classic Plus. I love 'Lucy' and she loves me back (she got her name by me chanting 'righty tighty, left loose-y' when I was adjusting her tensions to suit ME.) Find yourself an online group that will listen. MQResource.com and longarmchat.com maybe good places to start. I am SURE there is a group that just has Little Gracie frames. Finding someone who 'speaks' Little Gracie, will help you know you are NOT alone..and you are NOT crazy! Hang in there and just try ONE thing at a time. This week:load...next week: try tensions. One or two successes and you will be on your way.

Two more suggestions:1. practice doodling on a white board till you like what you can doodle. (I dont' say draw because I do NOT excell at drawing...now DOODLING..THAT is a different story!) Elbows and wrists off the board as you are training your arm and shoulder the shapes. 2. www.pajamaquilter.com I LOVE her freemotion designs. They are EASY and they look GREAT and she is SO supportive! I have been quilting on a track frame since 2005 and I just ordered her 2nd DVD as a present to ME! I hope all this rambling helps. Feel free to PM me if you need a shoulder or someone to listen!


PS I made aLOT Of dog beds for a rescue out of my beginning quilting! The dogs LOVED them and no one was the wiser that my quilting was....well...LESS than stellar!

The first quilt I tried on my mid-arm setup back in about 2003, I threw away when it was finished. After that, I didn't seem to have a problem. I think I got mad at the machine and was determined to figure it out. I think you should just dive in.

Golly girl, pin your ears back and go to it. You can do it. I know you can. I wish I lived closer, I'd help you and I've never run one before either. When I get mine, I'm going to drive that think like nobodys business. hehehe! Kepp up posted on your advancements!!

My new setup is with a strait stitch machine and it is very scary. Ive ruined several practice pieces and am scared to try again. The machine is just not easy to use on a frame and their are no instuctions to follow. I do love the stitch regulator I bought for it but even that has a learning curve.
Maybe this year is the year to get down to business and learn it.
I like the idea of using a panel with just flannel backing to practice on.

Iam sure I will nt be the only one to post this, but you just must take the first step! There is an old saying that the best way to eat and elephant is one bite at a time. I had a 401 machine years ago that did wonderful things, it took me almost a year to screw up the courage to try the discs. lol Sometimes there is no cure but to just do it!:)

Congrats on the new setup. First make a practise sandwich. second watch utube videos on LAQ. Linda Taylor is the Queen and has done beginner LAQ classes. The only major difference b/n your setup and the LA machines is the space you have to quilt in. I did many pantos on mine but they had to be smaller5 inches max if I was doing a full or queen size quilt. I also did a little fm but was not ever good at it. Practise and practise alot! Enjoy the learning process take a few classes and have fun! Luann

I know exactly what you mean. More than 25 years ago, I bought one of the first Gammill long arms. At that time hardly anyone had them and there were no manuals or written directions. Mr Gammill came to set it up and gave me verbal instructions which included oiling the machine, setting up the fabric, and a lot of cautions about only quilting in one direction etc. There were no magazines on machine quilting or any support from other quilters. I was overwhelmed and as you said, scared to use it. Well, I was having children and working and never really used it. Finally, 25 years later, I said what the heck, had it serviced and just dug in. I had to look at a picture on the gammill ads to remember how to load it. The model is so old, the online manuals don't refer to it. But, it really isn't so difficult. You can't really hurt the machine and it is so worth it. I don't have a stitch regulator but I have "mastered" basic free motion stuff. (or at least can do it ok). I even had the nerve to mess with the tension, top and bobbin. Any change you make can be reversed! Once you start working with it, your confidence will quickly build. Good Luck.

best thing to do is get some muslin for front and back and some scrap batting throw it on the frame and play you will not worry as much then because it is just a practice tablet so to speak