I just bought my longarm this morning. It will be delivered Thursday and I have my first class Friday. I suppose it will focus on loading the quilt etc, but she did say my homework would be stippling. I was never able to master stippling on my DSM, but I'm cautiously optimistic about doing it on my longarm.

It feels funny to say "my longarm". I still can't believe I got one!

As my husband Kevin the quilter would say "it's just a sewing machine"..don't let it intimidate you :) Get out those old sheets, thrift store fabric finds, etc., and practice the designs you have been drooling over. Everything takes practice and it WILL get easier the more you play with it. Promise :)

Christine

Great Idea for your practice pieces! hadn't thought of that and yet I save all my unusable scraps for the pillow case dog beds.

congratulations, you will have so much fun.

My first quilt teacher brought in her first quilt and one of her newer ones. There was quite a difference between the two....she said "Just do it" and keep on making quilts. Before you know it, you find yourself improving! Often times I have done FMQ and not being sure it was going well. Then when I take the quilt off the frame, it looks darn good.
Just remember to breathe as you quilt :D:o

Take some solid fabric and load it. Use one color thread on top, another for the bobbin. When you are done with that piece of fabric, but to save money, change the color of your threads on top and bottom and quilt over what you have already quilted. That way you can tell what you have quilted, and you don't waste the fabric. It will give you a chance to just practice, practice, and practice some more. You may not have a piece to even give to a dog shelter when you are done with all the practicing, but you can get lots of practice in.
Remember to relax and breath. Don't hold the grips tight, just loose with enough control to direct the machine.

Many others have given very good advice. One being, don't expect to be perfect right from the beginning. It does take practice, practice, practice. I still practice in between quilts when I get a chance.

Also draw out patterns on EVERYTHING. Even with your finger in thin air. When using a pencil or pen to draw out a pattern, or practice the movements, don't hold the pencil as you would when you write. Hold it like you would the grips to the longarm. It is a totally different movement.

Good luck and more importantly - have fun!

Phyllis
QuiltingGrannie

Thats ok, just take the machine off of it and the rollers, throw a table cloth over it and use it as a buffet table with all your favorite sewing snackables, make sure to invite plenty of friends, thats a long buffet table! LOL...

Now get in there and load something on that frame and don't you come back till you have something to show us! You know you want to! We've all posted our quilts of shame and disappointment. Put on some music and just dance your way across that quilt. Don't make me pull out the book "The little engine that could". Go on now....we are waiting..

Thank you!

Just be like Mikey.."try it, you'll like it!" Seriously tho, it does seem a little scary at first, I remember I thought I had made a big mistake getting my longarm. But after some practice, more practice, and even more practice, I think I've improved. Mine will never be for a quilt show, but I feel comfortable and happy with what I do. And yeah, remember to breathe!!

I agree with all that has been said. We are scared at first but practice makes perfect. A good way to get used to doing designs is get yourself a White bullenton erase board, and some dry erase markers, I use this board to practice my designs, that way you will get used to the movement of your hand and doing the design. It always helps me and I think it will help you to. I have been LAQ for 15 years and I still practice designs to get used to the motion. It works. Remember a feather is half of a heart. Good Luck and Have fun.