Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums >
  • Main
  • I've got it. Now, what do I do with it???? Help!!!!!!!!!!! >
  • I've got it. Now, what do I do with it???? Help!!!!!!!!!!!

  • I've got it. Now, what do I do with it???? Help!!!!!!!!!!!

    Thread Tools
     
    Old 09-03-2012, 04:22 AM
      #1  
    Super Member
    Thread Starter
     
    #1piecemaker's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Oct 2007
    Location: Ashdown, AR
    Posts: 9,238
    Default I've got it. Now, what do I do with it???? Help!!!!!!!!!!!

    Now, that I've got it, I'm at a total loss. What do I do with it??? My new longarm was delivered Friday and set up. My rep showed me the basics but I am totally without a clue here. I think I am learning the panthograph fairly well. But, I am more worried about free motion quilting. How do I learn to make feathers? Do I draw them out and do it that way or just practice until I get it down? How do you go about choosing a design and then implementing it?
    #1piecemaker is offline  
    Old 09-03-2012, 04:29 AM
      #2  
    Senior Member
     
    Aquarius's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Sep 2010
    Location: Hillsburgh, Ontario
    Posts: 682
    Default

    I'm in the same boat. I got my Gracie queen and my bailey 13 a couple of months ago. My daughter has helped me set it up and her husband put in new plugs and got every ready to go. I still have to make my leader cloth then I'm ready to start using it. I am so nervous. Like you, I don't know how to make feathers and just where to start. I think that is why I haven't finished making my leaders. Because I am afraid that I will not be good at it. everyone says it just takes practice, practice practice. I think I am going to start out with just stippling at first. I did hand stippling on a huge queen quilt I just finished but doing it on the machine is to me a bit scary. I`m hoping I will do ok. Good luck.

    Last edited by Aquarius; 09-03-2012 at 04:31 AM. Reason: spelling mistake
    Aquarius is offline  
    Old 09-03-2012, 04:48 AM
      #3  
    Super Member
    Thread Starter
     
    #1piecemaker's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Oct 2007
    Location: Ashdown, AR
    Posts: 9,238
    Default

    Originally Posted by Aquarius
    I'm in the same boat. I got my Gracie queen and my bailey 13 a couple of months ago. My daughter has helped me set it up and her husband put in new plugs and got every ready to go. I still have to make my leader cloth then I'm ready to start using it. I am so nervous. Like you, I don't know how to make feathers and just where to start. I think that is why I haven't finished making my leaders. Because I am afraid that I will not be good at it. everyone says it just takes practice, practice practice. I think I am going to start out with just stippling at first. I did hand stippling on a huge queen quilt I just finished but doing it on the machine is to me a bit scary. I`m hoping I will do ok. Good luck.
    I've been wathcing some videos on you tube and other tutorials. That is helping. I'm getting dizzy watching these though. I have also been doodling on paper to try and get the hang of how some of them go. I'm going to have to buy more paper looks like. Get that leader cloth on and put in some practice cloth. Just remember that you aren't alone in this boat. Maybe we will both get some good information from these gals/ guys on the board. I'm also going back and reading some previous threads where others have had questions. Hang in there!! We will make it.
    #1piecemaker is offline  
    Old 09-03-2012, 05:04 AM
      #4  
    Senior Member
     
    lynndianne's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Jul 2007
    Location: western North Carolina
    Posts: 756
    Default

    Thought I was the only one. My longarm (haven't even named it yet) has sit there for a year...just looking at me.

    Lynn
    lynndianne is offline  
    Old 09-03-2012, 05:05 AM
      #5  
    Senior Member
     
    Join Date: Jun 2012
    Location: Minnesota, USA
    Posts: 396
    Default

    Sew. Just sew. It's a sewing machine. The more you practice, the better, more confident you will feel. I'm still improving with every quilt I work on. I see the beautiful things that other quilters do and I'm inspired...sometimes I think that I could never do that, but, maybe I'm not supposed to do that. I'm a squiggly, swirly, leafy, feathery kinda girl. Yes, Hang in there and just relax. You'll get more comfortable with it the more you use it.
    quiltingweb is offline  
    Old 09-03-2012, 05:19 AM
      #6  
    Power Poster
     
    Join Date: Mar 2011
    Location: Ontario, Canada
    Posts: 41,535
    Default

    I don't have a LA but if I did, I think I would practice on some Jelly Roll tops. I would load the top so that the stitching lines were horizontal and use those like lined paper. I would choose patterns I wanted to try and quilt them between 3 or 4 rows of the top. After I got confident with those, I would load a pre-printed top and try quilting around the pattern. Some people like to put in a large floral fabric and outline the flowers with quilting.
    Tartan is offline  
    Old 09-03-2012, 05:19 AM
      #7  
    Senior Member
     
    JenelTX's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Jan 2011
    Location: Central Texas
    Posts: 809
    Default

    I'm taking an online class right now from Craftsy - machine quilting in negative space. It has been really helpful in getting me to brainstorm ideas. Have fun!!!
    JenelTX is offline  
    Old 09-03-2012, 05:47 AM
      #8  
    Banned
     
    Join Date: Mar 2010
    Location: Sturbridge, Ma
    Posts: 3,992
    Default

    there are several books - especially written by Sally Terry showing how to do the different motifs in free motions quilting. Check them out.
    Holice is offline  
    Old 09-03-2012, 05:53 AM
      #9  
    Super Member
     
    kristen0112's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Jul 2010
    Location: Salem, Oregon
    Posts: 2,438
    Default

    Congratulations! I still can't do feathers (of course I haven't tried very often). When I first got my longarm and frame I put white fabric and batting on and just started playing. I did hearts, and flowers all kinds of free motion stuff. Go down to the fabric store buy some cheap muslin and play.
    kristen0112 is offline  
    Old 09-03-2012, 06:06 AM
      #10  
    Senior Member
     
    Christine27's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Nov 2010
    Location: North Central Illinois
    Posts: 385
    Default

    I've had mine a year and after lots of drawing, my feathers are almost presentable. Keep drawing, practice on cheap fabric, and watch videos. I watched the Pajama Quilter DVDs and a Km Brunner DVD called Machine Quilting For Beginners or something like that.
    Christine27 is offline  
    Related Topics
    Thread
    Thread Starter
    Forum
    Replies
    Last Post
    Rubesgirl
    Main
    32
    08-05-2013 04:23 AM
    mimistutz
    Main
    71
    04-15-2011 06:36 PM
    mimistutz
    Main
    4
    03-31-2011 05:22 AM

    Posting Rules
    You may not post new threads
    You may not post replies
    You may not post attachments
    You may not edit your posts

    BB code is On
    Smilies are On
    [IMG] code is On
    HTML code is On
    Trackbacks are Off
    Pingbacks are Off
    Refbacks are Off



    FREE Quilting Newsletter