Originally Posted by feline fanatic
It is pretty scarey loading that first quilt on. What worked for me was loading a quilt I literally did not care if I ruined it. Here is a link to pictures:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-77776-1.htm
I only did one practice piece before doing this. I have since done 4 more quilts and a pillow sham. Here is a link to my work now, which is the pillow sham I just finished up Sunday!
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-116841-1.htm
I have purposely avoided meander and I have yet to try a panto. I just love working from the front of the machine. For feathers, I draw them a lot. I have a pad of drawing paper and pencils in my living room and if I am not doing some sort of handwork I am doodling. I got to the point where I could whip out a feather with pencil and paper as easy as signing my name and this DOES translate to longarming. I also like doing stencils. I just recently took a class with Karen McTavish and she says do the hardest thing you can, it will pay off in the end. I have to agree.
So doodle, doodle, doodle. Get a couple of large size pads of inexpensive drawing paper and pencils and go at it. Additionally do not go all ODD on your quilting. Really, in the grand scheme of things when you look at a whole quilt quilted it is next to impossible to find the spot where you feel you screwed up so badly.
I am very impressed with your projects. Great work. I tried the doodling thing but that just doesn't work for me. I have arthritis in my wrist and have trouble even signing a check so every time I try doodling, I get worse rather than better. But I do agree that you just have to practice on something other than scraps. I am making some charity quilts so when my thread comes Thursday for the quilt currently on the machine I can practice on them. The next thing I do I will get brave and try something other than meandering.