First try with my new long arm
 

Just set up my new long arm and tried my first practice piece.

The quilting is pretty wobbly and frankly, it's pretty alarming for someone who is quite decent at FMQ on my domestic/ mid arm machines. Skills obviously don't transfer. But, I'll stay with it.

Took me an hour to load this little piece. Hoping I get quicker!

Watson

How fun! And your quilting is great for the first time - yes, maybe it's a little wobbly, but I'll take a picture of my first try at a longarm and you'll feel a lot better about yours! :D

Congratulations on the new machine and I hope you have a wonderful time with it!

looks good for first try. Yep, it is a different learning curve from sit-down. But, I think you will really like the long arm after a bit of practice. Some things I learned, is that shorter stitches give a smoother look especially when you are trying smaller motifs free hand. Try changing the stitch length and see how it goes. Also, don't know if you have a stitch regulator....but again, smaller stitches can give a smoother look as the machine is trying to keep the stitches even so in tighter curves, you fight the stitch regulator. One of my instructors made me turn the stitch regulator off so I could feel how much smoother my quilting was without it on. I of course don't do much custom and use the stitch regulator mostly. But she was right, much easier to do tiny stippling and pebbles without the stitch regulator on. Have fun...you will be surprise how quickly your skills grow. Oh, the loading will get a bit faster...but ...yeah...it takes a while. I put on some music or listen to audio books.

For your first time you did great! Congratulations on your new machine, have fun!

sewingpup...no stitch regulator.

Tartan, good idea.

Watson

your first post made me grin--think that the first 3(or more) quilts I loaded I had to have my laptop by me to watch/pause the video showing how to do it--took forever! Now, a prepped quilt (pressed, backing and batting correct size) only takes about 8 min!
It will get easier. And you control of the machine will get more fine-tuned so you control your stitching much better.

I think you did a marvelous job for your first try. I wouldn't have attempted such a difficult design until I had a lot more practice.

It's amazing how much of a learning curve there is to moving the machine instead of the quilt. When I got my sit down Bailey, I thought I wouldn't have much of a learning curve, since I was used to moving the quilt, BUT I was used to standing while FMQ,instead now I was sitting, big learning curve. LOL

The first piece l did using a midarm on a frame resides at the bottom of the dog's kennel cage,lol. I agree with the suggestion of shortening those stitches, or turn off regulator and slow down machine's movement.

Pocoellie, l use my Bailey on a frame, but have it set low so l sit while using the frame. My stool has wheels. I do stand for pantos, as my lnspira frame has a panto shelf ( you stand at front to use.), otherwise l can't see to follow lines.