Help with a Long Arm
 

new to this. I need help and hoping that I will b able to from here. I live in MD. and have a long arm, but never used it because I don't know how. Really would love to learn.

Maybe is you post what long arm you have others with the same machine and set up could maybe help you.

Check with local dealer for classes, there are! Any video's/tutorials on long arm quilting. Some of us may be able to give tips & help if you tell us what you have & what your questions are. If you purchased your machine from a dealer you should be able to take free owners classes. If you purchased a used machine visit (your brand) website, they will help you and many have tutorials on their site to walk you through the basics

Welcome from Michigan!:)

:) welcome from se TX -- can't help but someone (or many) here can!!

There are a ton of videos on youtube.com … if you search for longarm quilting videos or tutorials you will find a lot. I am just getting started, too and that has helped tons.

You might want to check out the classes at Craftsy. There are several long arm classes. You may want to start with A New Long at Longarm Quilting. I think this classes is free. Lots of the regular machine quilting classes can also be applied to the long arm.

I bought a Handiquilter16 from Craigslist. I went to the Handiquilter website and watched lots and lots of videos including how to load a quilt.

Then I put on a practice piece and just started. I found out it is not hard at all. Then I quilted a couple of charity tops for my guild. I do all my quilting from the front of the machine free hand. I cannot get behind it to do pantos and do not like them anyway.

I do not have a stitch regulator or any bells and whistles. I am a prolific charity quilter and LOVE doing my own easily.

If you goof up it is just fabric and you can always go get more.

Youtube.com is a wonderful resource for videos. Welcome from the Deep South, where once again today, it is steamy and hot and it's only 9:19 am here.

I also have a longarm bought it used it is a old one no bells or whistles no stich regulator. I do a lot of charity quilts and love quilting free hand I have done a few pantos have not made up my mind on if I really like them or not. I would just jump in and have fun.

You might find some actual hands-on classes at big quilting shows. Last year I took the best classes at the Original Sewing Expo. Many brands have FB or yahoo groups and google machine quilting guilds in your area. Check out some long arm books and put a practice piece of fabric and just get starte.

Gammil, APQS and HQ all have videos on the internet that cover everything from loading a quilt to simple maintenance. Then, when you get comfortable with your LA, there are lots of people on Youtube showing how to do various designs. My favorites overall are the APQS videos on Youtube - they have a bunch - and Judy Madsen (Green Fairy). Then, like a lot of people said, practice on charity quilts or inexpensive quilts tops you find at yard sales. Once you overcome your fear of the LA (and after all, it's just a big sewing machine), you'll have fun with it.

I took a class for the Gammill at the local quilt shop. It got me started with the basics. They rent that thing by the hour so they require this class first.
Good luck!

Jump right in there and do it, do it, do it. If you had the heart to buy a long arm, you must have figured you would be able to use it. This, from one who has had a Gammill Classic since 2008, and have only this year started to quilt on it--my son has been the one who used it up to now and has moved to another city, and I can't get him over here to do my quilts for me. So, I have started using it myself; and love it. It is a dream to use; a little finicky tension wise, but I guess that's peculiar to the Gammill; I am getting used to it and have made five really pretty quilts since May.

Good luck.

There are also lots of great instructional dvd's available to buy. Very helpful. Go for it!

Definitely search youtube for some basic longarm videos. You want to look for ones that tell you how to change the needle, thread the machine, oil it, etc. I learned how to sew on a regular machine when I was about 10, so I figured with my many years of sewing that using a longarm would be easy.

WRONG!

The directions that came with my machine were about a dozen sheets of xeroxed instructions just stapled together. The pictures were small and hard to see any details. Youtube has become my best friend. I have taken lots of notes on how to do the basics. After 2 years, I still consider myself just a notch above a beginner. I kept telling my husband that I just want to quilt, but with a longarm you also need to be a mechanic to understand everything.

Yahoo Groups has a group for just about every model machine. The groups have members who own, use, and repair those machines, and are a wealth of information just waiting to be tapped. Use a search engine, include the name of your machine and the words "yahoo groups" and you will likely find a group. :)