Just got my sweet 16. I have a quilt top I hate. So I put some batting in and some backing I didn't like either. I have a stencil so drew the flowers on the quilt. Played with vines on the border. The quilting is terrible but I love the darn thing.
I was going to put it in the motor home but decided I want it on my bed. Hubby loves it..but what does he know. haa
I am sure I will get better in time. Have been doodeling on paper too. So much fun!!! I say, just go for it.

Have a look at some of the demos on YouTube and you should get a few pointers.

You are not alone - I have had my longarm for about 2 yrs - I still feel like I am in the "training wheels" section - it really does take time to become good at it. I look at all those quilts that have all the fancy stuff on them - when I try it - it does not look at all like that. I tend to "paint myself into a corner" I always want to continue my lines rather than stop - pull up the bobbin thread and start again. I really like groovy boards - they are expensive but they work great - when I need a quilt done quickly and don't want to worry about how it will look - I use my boards - my favorites are circles and the baptist fan. Just keep on trying - you will get it. By the way, I did not touch my long arm for a few months after getting it. I was petrified - I am glad to hear that I wasn't the only one out there. Just keep trying - you will get it.

Doodle designs on paper with a pencil/pen - builds muscle memory. I draw a quilt block and then play! Also, get a piece of quilters plastic - flexible, kinda thick, JoAnn's or a quilt shop should have it - I have an 18" square and an 18" x 24" piece as well - put blue painters tape all around the edges (keeps you from drawing off your plastic and on your quilt with markers) and get some dry erase markers. Put the plastic over your quilt block and play with designs - wipes off easily with a scrap of batting. I go through a few of these a year as after a while the black doesn't come off all the way.

Put a muslin sandwich on your frame, draw 10" squares, leaving little "gates" between to go through and practice with a meander, filling one square and moving to another (teaches you how to plan your ins and outs of blocks). Draw flowers, hearts, leaves, etc. on the muslin with a marker and then go over them with your machine, connecting them with quilting loops. Try drawing a square, quilt the square and then echo around the frame, keeping an equal distance from all quilting lines all the way to the center of the square. Write the alphabet with your machine.

The more you practice, the easier it becomes. Don't be afraid of your LA - they really aren't that delicate and your won't break it if you use it! The lighter touch you have on the handles, the easier it is to control (at least for my machine) - when you have a death-grip on the handles, it seems harder to control the head of the machine. Put some music on and quilt to the beat - dance with your machine!!! It's a lovely partner AND you get to lead!!!

Go to Walmart and buy some cheap tone on tone fabric or muslin,, and just start doodling on your fabric.. The faster you move your hands the bigger the stitches are..Slower you go, smaller stitches, Set your machine at a speed that you feel comfortable with then just start making loops and circles any thing that comes mind... As far as feathers, just make a ling curved line on you fabric then start making half heart shapes on one side then when you get to the end start up the other side repeating the half heart method... Invest in some books.. I go on Amazon and buy books cheaper than buying them on someones web site... And do go to utube, it has some great videos.. And relax, it does take lots of practice... be easy on yourself, it is like anything else you are learning, it will take a little time... Good Luck..

So far, I have gotten a lot of good advice. I am going to utilize all of it. Just keep it up. I am learning a lot and hopefully some other newbies will too!!

Definitely play with it. I made muslin and old curtain sandwiches and just practiced. I was a little intimidated, but after I took the class from my dealer, I was more willing to play with it. I have done a few already with more lined up. Now I just need to figure out my time (I'm working fulltime).

If you belong to a guild, volunteer to do charity quilts. That's what I did. I also picked one up from someone on another group I belong do that makes quilt tops and sends them out to people who volunteer. All the group that sent it asks is that you send a photo of the finished quilt. Go online and check with Quilts of Valor, Linus Project, and other websites. They will get quilt tops and need someone to quilt them. They are looking for help and not for ribbons. They will appreciate any ones that you want to quilt. That way you both benefit. You get practice and they have quilts to give out.

Last point, just have fun and enjoy it.

Mindy Caspersen's "I've got a longarm (and I'm not afraid to us it) is good. Longarm University you can take classes too!

When mine came I went to a thrift store and bought old sheets, flannel blankets, etc. and used those to make a quilt sandwich. I practiced on those until I was ready to put the real thing on. Now all I need to do is bind the ugly things and donate them to the animal shelter. Dogs don't care what it looks like!

Sally Terry and Karen McTavish are BOTH awesome help. Great books n videos.

LOL...........I am so glad I am not the only one who has a Long arm sitting idle.

I have the tops made but life has a way of getting in the way. If I am not totally relaxed I can't concentrate.


Chase

I am feeling "normal, oh so normal."

Sounds like a great toy! :) I think I'd purchase some old material from the salvation army, even sheets and blankets and just sew and sew until I got it down just right! congratulations on your new playground!

It is just a big machine.Just a machine.And you are going to be sewing on just fabric.Don't be a drama queen.Just do it.Then do it some more,then more,and more.Become one with THE BIG MACHINE.Put on junk fabric.Make all the animals you know practice quilts.It's just fabric.

This has been a wonderful read for me this morning---I have a Gammill, a really good DVD came with it, and I watched it from beginning to end which was a big help in overcoming my fear of such a wonderful piece of equipment. However, my son is the one who has become my quilter. He is disabled, and has a lot of free time, and I didn't hesitate to get him in on my sewing/quilting efforts. Now, we both love my Gammill.

My big problem currently is, I have a Husqvarna Viking Designer I that I am so scared of 'til it is pathetic. I have mentioned it on this board and Toni C answered me, but I still haven't made myself "get over it" and do some embroidering. Maybe some of you can light a little fire under me.....

I have a Pfaff Grand Quilter with cruise control and all the goodies with a huge (king size) quilt frame. It's been sitting in the garage all set up for 3 (?) yrs. now and have only played a couple of times. Shame on me for spending the money! I wish I could find a buyer at least for the frame. sigh

I want everyone to know how much a charity quilt group would appreciate anyone who would help with quilting. My group made 400+ quilts last year and I know we could have done many more with some volunteer quilting. The recipients are so grateful for a warm quilt!

You LA'ers are ALL a lot braver than I am!!! I think I'll stick to paying others to quilt for me.

I'm just getting used to my new Longarm. Took me a long time of searching online just to figure out how to thread the darn thing or adjust the tension. Once I got that all nailed down, I just do all over stippling at the moment. I figure that I need to crawl before I can run. Following drawn lines is so much harder that just free-hand wiggling all over the top of the quilt.

If you do want to practice some of your template skills, here's my suggestion. Find your local Project Linus group and pick up a few of their quilt kits. I picked up two of them a few weeks ago at our local quilt show. Had the two kits completely assembled in about 2 hours. Gave me some good practice on the longarm too. In the end, I am able to return two completed quilts to Project Linus at no cost to me other than the thread, and I gained lots of valuable longarm quilting practice.

Like I told you last week PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE......load cheap fabric on it and sew sew sew...keep doing what ever you want "key is keep doing it."...If you want to make feathers...make feathers, over and over and over...nothing gets better if you don't keep trying...YOU CAN DO IT, I have faith in your talents....Jim

Ditto, here! I was just thinking as I read this thread, how wonderful all of you are here on this Board to take the time to offer such detailed and wonderful advice.

So many good suggestions!!! Keep them coming!!

If you don't want to waste batting, I've used old mattress pads, old bedspreads, I've RE-quilted things I had just tied before. I save all of my batting scraps and on my practice projects, I use the leftover batting and just piece it. Any small pieces, I cut into 4x4 pieces and use them for cleaning my machine.

I was told to clean the rails, bobbin area, wheels every time I use the machine. I just spritz the cotton batting bits with alcohol and wipe EVERYTHING, dust it well, make sure there are no bits of thread or lint in any of the rails or on the wheels. I do this while the machine is warming up. I just let it run, without thread, for about 5 minutes while I am cleaning. Then I oil, wind bobbins, etc until the machine is ready to go...oh, and I also do some practice stitching just to double check the tension before I start on my quilt. When I'm done with one, I can't wait to start on another!

Don't try to to do much to start with! There is a big learning curve when you are stitching on a longarm. You can't run if you don't know how to walk.
Start with simple meadering. Once you get that stitching out the way you want, then and only then move onto a new motif. Practice on paper or a white board helps with the learning curve. Don't try say - leaves - then think, "I can't do those." Then try something else and think the same thing. Get one down pat first - then move onto a new design.
I hope this is making sense to you. Get some cheap muslin and practice on that. Don't jump in and put a quilt on unitl you feel comfortable with it.
Like I said before - there IS a learning curve here. You have to find how high off the bed of the machine the quilt needs to be and many other things. Take it one step at a time and RELAX!
If you take it slow and realize you can't put a quilt on the frame and quilt it and have it look the people who have been longarming for years. It will come, it just takes time - and PRACTICE - PRACTICE - PRACTICE !!!
I have read on another forum that it takes about 300 hours to get really good.
You might want to think about joining the yahoo group - homequiltingsystems. I have learned so much from this group. I don't know what I would have done without it.
Good luck and remember - the frame is your friend!

Just get on it and quilt! You will learn it eventually. You can't expect to be an "expert" right out of the gate. Quilt quilt quilt.

I was in your shoes a little over a year ago. Fear had me ready to sale my quilter and frame BEFOR i even opened the boxes.Now even though I am not a great long arm quilter, I am happy with what I can now do. It really does take time, we are told to work with our machines off the frame for a while.This is real good advise. Then get some cheaper fabric , a cheaters quilt top or a panel to work on.This is only to get a feel of your machine .Using the paper to pratice on is a good thing also.I am still working on the choosing and implementing designs. I can not do free motion yet but I hope this to shall come.I think I am to stiff and need to loosen up.Practice Practice practice. Sorry no wonderful words of advice But you are not alone . Have fun and go crazy!!!!

I have a Pfaff 1200 GQ..I would love to have a Longarm..about a year ago in January I saw it on craiglist..got it watched youtube programs..and drew lots of patterns on paper.. and practiced on the machine..found drawing helped pattern my brain so i could do it with the machine..it is like tracing curves and shapes with a pen of pencil..the videos help the thinking process and what to say to yourself..I can do my own designs much easier than following patterns from someone else.. like writing we used to practice until it looked beautiful..I love to make roses,rosebuds and vines. or write messages like "Jesus loves you and Mommy and Daddy do too!" scripture verses and prayers..lots of fun!! fear of failure is a trap but just having fun and telling myself I can do it and it is like dancing.. Put on some beautiful music and dance with the machine..you will love it..

Gals YOU TUBE has great video of how to load, sew and make the quilt once you have a long arm. One even shows how to load bobbin with thread. I am finding some GREAT help on my self taught quilting situation of NO friends here. I join quilting guild here but NO car to attend so life is getting rough....if I didn't have my internet..I would be really dumb about things I'm making! Good luck with Long Arm and I hope all goes well!