For those who are long arm quilters, or who are familiar with the process:

I'd like to know more about LA quilting. I'm not at all interested in doing it myself - I'd much rather spend the money on fabriccs and patterns than a machine, have no room for one, and don't want to spend the time learning to do it, but would like to understand how it's actually done.

Is there an online resource you can recommend? Recently, I had a quilt done by Charisma (who is fabulous, btw) and asked if she could just load it upside down. She accepted the challenge - but I really didn't know it was a challenge! In my uneducated mind, it's no different than right side up. But if you read the comments from other quilters on the thread, evidently I asked for something that isn't quite as easy as I thought...

What is ruler work? How do you fit a panto design to the top you are quilting?

Maybe in part because I don't see myself ever doing it, I want to understand what I'm asking and having done when I send or drop a quilt off.

Thanks for any suggestions you can give on where I might find basic info!

There are many videos online or you can visit LA'ers to see their setup. If you vacation to Michigan, you're welcome to see mine.

visit any of the long-arm dealerships- they (mostly) have free videos- showing most of the process- also, if you have the opportunity to visit any quilt shows- quite often there will be a long-arm set up somewhere for people to actually try it out- and see it in action.
ruler work is when you use rulers/templates to stitch straight lines-designs
there are thousands of different pantos- printed/buyable designs...a panto is layed out on the quilting table- a laser stylis is lined up on the pattern- corresponding with needle placement on the quilt top- then the machine is (driven along- following the laser light)
quilts are loaded on roller bars= first the backing (facing the floor) then the top- facing up- with the batting floating in between...some quilters use mirrors to check out the bottom as they go along

go to you tube and search long arm quilting you could watch videos 24hours a day for weeks and not get through them all . Ask how I know :oops: :lol: :lol:

Hi R,

Well as far as loading the quilt upside down...I think it was discussed on the thread...but it is more difficult because of the edges. Usually when we quilt we have extra space around all of the edges and I think there is some give. Because everything gets pushed out. well in the case of flipping them you can't see what is going on for the top and you just hope and pray that everything is going smoothly..kind of like blind quilting.

As far as ruler work.

On our domestic machine it is far easier to make straight lines, SID and cross hatch. But to make circles and swirlies takes quite the talent on our domestic machines.
It is the opposite for Long arm machines. We can make circles, swirlies or any circular design with ease....but straight lines is very difficult. That is why we need rulers. Very time consuming and labor intensive...that is why we all charge extra for that.

As far as a panto design..I have never actually done one myself except to teach someone how to do it. IN order to get the panto to fit we had a wet erase vinyl sheet that ran across the whole back of our machine....and we traced the design on the vinyl to the same measurements of the quilt..so it would all be fluid and nice. I am not sure how everyone else does that.

I hope that info helps. :thumbup:

Thanks, everyone, for the suggestions and information. I've already learned a lot!

I've got to admit that I do love to surf the net, but never seem to think of checking Youtube (slapping forehead).

Having some idea of how the magic happens will make me more comfortable when I'm dropping off/sending my next top.

Charisma - A light bulb goes off... Doing my quilt upside down, the smaller part was underneath - now I understand at least part of why it's more difficult. It's beautiful and I love it. Got to get DD to help me get a picture of it, finished the binding on my birthday but weather/timing hasn't worked out to get that elusive perfect picture.

Thanks again!

Peace and Joy,
Robin