Before I spend another small fortune on rulers, guides and templates (still broke from purchasing the machine)I was wondering if some of the more experienced Long Arm Quilters could recommend a good starter package of rulers, etc. that are the most helpful to a beginner. Thanks!

I love the Gadget Girls (thegadgetgirls.com). I use several of their rulers all the time. I particularly like the circles. I often do feathers. I also like the straight edge ruler. Another favorite is the one for making swags.

cool stuff! Wow are rulers really that expensive though? I was looking at some of their package deals. I am also a soon to be LA owner.

The tool I find most helpful to a LA beginner is practice. I find the template tools just too pricey at this stage of the game. Besides I like the look of free hand guided. When I took delivery of my machine, I did spring for a straight edge ruler though. I think a straight ruler might be the most universal LA template.

yes rulers and templates are expensive because they have to be 1/4" thick, don't make the mistake I did, I thought I found a really good deal, they were like 1/2 the prices I'd seen elsewhere! so I bought several sets for $75, when I got them I realized that they were DESIGNING templates, only 1/8" thick! A must have is a stitch in the ditch, I've heard a lot about the linetamer (haven't bought it yet tho) and there is a 4 in 1 tool that I see used a lot, I do have that one

I have used my circle set a bunch and the straight ruler for in the ditch work. I also have a flower that I have used on a bunch of stuff. My approach was to buy a few that I knew I could use and then try to use them in as many ways /designs as I could.

I rarely use rulers. I do mostly freehand and custom work with very few pantographs.

I use rulers for stitching in the ditch. I have two that I use most often, the one that came with my A-1 Elite longarm machine and a nice little Megan Best ruler. I love the little ruler because it fits my hand so well, and also because it has a quarter inch cutout along the side. That allows me to hold the ruler on the seamline, while the machine stitches in the ditch. You can get it at http://www.bestquilter.com/2.html

When I want to make straight lines (not stitching in the ditch), I prefer not to use a ruler at all. I prefer MARKING the straight lines on the top with chalk, either by drawing with a piece of school chalk or by pouncing with chalk.

I find the stencil by Pam Clarke, with straight lines one inch apart, is one of the most useful tools in my workroom. I use it for piano key and beadboard borders and also for marking small spaces for crosshatching, like behind applique.
http://www.homestitches.com

I'm not affiliated with these women or their companies.

that is great info thanks

I agree with feline here - practice is the most valuable of all the tools you can have.

I went to a 3 day longarm class thru my Gammill distrubutor and we did free motion and custom using basically easy things you would normally have at home as guides. The one I really liked was the 1 inch strip of tape that has about 1/8 or maybe 1/4 inch of foam on it and you tape it to your top and use that as a guide for your hopping foot. Great for doing cross hatch and etc. Plus you can reuse each stripe numerous times. We made a practice quilt top by having 9 squares that were 8 or 9 inches squares and 3 x 3 then in each of those squares you practice one little element like making little feathers, or the crosshatching, or taking a jar lid and stitching around it just to get comfortable making designs. Do you have micro handles for your longarm? They make alot of difference too.

Good luck,
Sherryl
Candlequilter

I didn't read all the posts, but what I did was went to the glass specialists and had them cut me a few rulers, round ones for the center of feathers, and straight ones around 3 inches wide. I did this for a fraction of the cost, and then I went hog wild and purchased Gadgit Girls and several others.
Which I sold after I purchased the Statler... lots of $ invested in the rulers...