Originally Posted by
dunster
OMG, that quilt is beautifully made, and your quilting is exquisite. Can I take longarm lessons from you? Seriously, how did you get so good at it? Is there a book, teacher, video that you recommend? I am so very much in awe of your talent.
Thanks! I appreciate your comments more than I can say! I started by practicing on muslin and old fabric I didn't want any longer. I practiced feathers, feathers, and more feathers. then I practiced tight fillers (feathers, swirls, pebbles, etc.). I have a pad of paper by my chair and I doodle on that when a commercial is on or when I'm in a meeting at work. I also have a whiteboard that I practice the movements of some designs on. They key is to train/coordinate your muscles. I was lucky to have an aunt and cousin with a backlog of quilts to be quilted when I started and working on their quilts heled a lot. I did watch some YouTube videos - every one I could find - on longarm quilting. I love Sharon Schambert's quilting videos. Check those out online. A friend loaned me a couple of videos but those didn't help me as much as just surfing YouTube, or simply looking at all the fabulous quilts out there on different forums. I have taught a longarm class (a gal came all the way from Arizona for it!!) and have done some short demos for a group of gals locally, but mostly I just quilt for myself and others.