Long arm Supplies
 

When getting a long arm what else do you need other than the machine to quilt?
I just want to make sure I get all the supplies that are necessary.

Thanks,
Yaell

I'll be watching this thread as my longarm will be here in a few weeks and I was wondering the same thing.

Depends on your own needs and uses. Space is the very primary concern. Design you quilting area to get the most from it. Planning makes it worth it all.

The basics from my point of view are:
- Good leaders
- Red Snappers for top and bottom, but not for sides as they are too hard for me to use. I made my own side pieces to attach my own clamps to
- A supply of thread for a LA. I buy as I need it.
- Extra bobbins
- Corsage pins , I bought 100 of them online, to anchor my side leaders [?]
- I also got the micro handles as they are easier for me to use.
- Pantographs, if you want them.
- LA rulers if you want to use them. I was advised to buy only 1 at a time to see if I really like using them. I don't, so it was good advise.
- A neck lanyard to hold my scissors for cutting threads and the scissors. I prefer the blunted/rounded end scissors so I don't accidentally cut my quilt fabric.
- A long tape measure and a notebook. I measure my quilts and then keep a record of the size and the patterns I use.
- A phone camera or a camera to record what I've done.

I also bought some fabric and batting to make extra quilt sandwiches for practice. You can then cut this up into totes, placemats or whatever when you are finished. I used to buy my batting in large quantities and it was well worth it.

Is it computerized? If so do you want to get more patterns, which are easily available on the net to download.

Time for at least 100 hours of practice. If possible take lessons as soon as possible, even before purchasing.

Also, wrist pin cushion. AWESOME for use while pinning the quilt to the leaders.

Favorite longarm suppliers:

http://www.heartbeatquilting.com, for batting, Signature thread. (Call them. Their web site doesn't accurately calculate shipping charges).
Fil-tec: Sell Glide thread (see Karen McTavish) http://www.bobbincentral.com/

Leaders.
Extra bobbins.
I also have an alternate bobbin case, one 'tuned' to 40 weight thread and one for 70 wt. This way I don't have to mess with that pesky little screw when I switch thread weights.
I also have a stand alone bobbin winder. Pricey, but I think it's worth it. this is the one I got:
http://fancyquilt.com/store/viewitem...%20productid=0

Good supply of needles. I also like I believe its called sewers aid (which is an oil you put on your thread ) it only takes a few drops

Look at all the pro's and con's of different types of leaders. Your frame may or may not come with leaders. Most new machines do come with leaders, but if you are purchasing a used frame - it may not have leaders, or as the case of the one I purchased - the leaders were old and needed to be replaced.

Regular leaders: you have to pin the quilt backing to the leader.
Zippered leaders: Each leader end has 1/2 of a zipper on it. You then take a second full zipper and sew/baste/pin it to the top and bottom edge of your quilt backing. You can then zip the quilt backing onto the leaders.
Red Snapper (or similar) leaders: The leaders have gadgets on them that "snap" onto the quilt backing.

Look at all the options, video's and reviews. I decided to make a set of leaders using pillow ticking (because it has straight of grain printed stripes making "straight" easy!), and added zippers to them.

I agree with the Red Snappers, but I love the Red-E-Edge side clamps even more (from the same supplier, Renae Haddadin). An extra bobbin case is great, because you may drop and damage the first one and will need a replacement without waiting. Lots of bobbins, thread (but don't buy a ton of any one brand until you know that you and your machine like it), extra needles. I listen to books on tape while I quilt or sew, so a portable CD player was necessary for me. Machine oil with the long flexible plastic spout, canned air, cloths to clean the rails and wheels (I also use alcohol for cleaning them). I use lots of thread socks too. And some sort of storage for the thread cones and half-filled bobbins.

Have fun with your new "toy."

I love my leadergrips. You may want to get some pantographs to learn on. Then rulers later. I always have an extra bobbin case, and extra parts which need periodic replacing (switches, springs, O rings, etc.). You may want to buy some instructional videos or dvd's. You'll need a long vinyl tape measure, cone threads in various colors (make sure your machine likes the brand before buying many cones), and definitely get a Longarm Centering Tape (pink tape measure) to keep your quilts straight and square.

For the most part - I agree with everyone else. I guess I would say there is a short list of must haves and an unending list of would be nice (lol).

My short list is lots of extra bobbins(my machine takes L size bobbins and I started with 12 which was not enough for me), thread (I too buy as needed), side grips/clamps and fabric to play with. I also purchased rulers and wish that I had waited - as after I was comfortable with the machine I purchased different ones from what I had. Also, if you are any where near a quilting show with classes it is an invaluable resource. Finally - several pieces of fabric (busy print and coordinating solids - i explain below).

A couple of books that were recommended to me were

ABCs of Longarm Quilting by Patricia C Barry
The Ultimate Guide to Longarm Machine Quilting by Linda Taylor

Both are excellent - the ABC one had some great beginner tips and a few easy projects. As my machine is not computer controlled - one of the best beginning tips I found in it was use a very busy print for the backing and a coordinating solid for the top. You can easily see the stitches on the plain - and even if your free motion is not perfect, the busy print hides the discrepancies. I did several of these and made sewing projects from the quilted pieces. This bag was the first project and the first piece of fabric I quilted. The pattern and directions were in the ABC book.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...ag-t42132.html

The Linda Taylor one has lots of inspiring pictures as well as a section with full size designs to copy.

Good Luck!!

My longarm came with a starter kit. It was an extra charge, but included everything I needed from a roll of batting, 10 large spools of thread, bobbins, needles, small parts, wrist pin cushion, corsage pins to pin on the quilt, a set of hex tools, etc. The only additional items I have needed to purchase in the past 2-1/2 years is additional batting, thread & needles. I thought it was well worth the price so you might check to see if a starter kit comes with your machine.

I think everyone's list is different. I did not order loads of extra bobbins. I started out with about 10 as well and then quickly discovered I LOVE prewound bobbins, especially magnaglide prewounds. So you never know.

I still pin my tops and backs to the leaders. I have not yet invested in any other system. Pinning is least expensive and I would rather take a little longer to pin and spend my $$ on other things like fabric, thread, batting, and gadgets.

I love ruler and template work but agree with Alikat that you may not like it so if you only get one ruler to start get a small straight ruler. I am assuming your machine comes with a ruler base, if not you will need one of those if you plan on doing any ruler work. It is impossible to do it without one not to mention dangerous. I pick up my 2" x 6" straight more than any other gadget I own. It is absolutely necessary for SID or any straight line quilting. After that I used my curved arc ruler for curved crosshatch and circles the most. I actually use my circle templates more for marking then actual quilting. speaking of marking, you might want to pick up a couple of blue water soluble markers.

I would also invest in a white board or large pads of newsprint, the 18" x 24" size to practice on. The more you draw a design the better you will be at quilting it. Like signing your name, you can probably do it blindfolded.

One item that I didn't buy until about year three or four (but wished I had bought earlier) was a TOWA gauge to measure the tension on bobbins. Once I had this - no more problems with tension on the back.

I would also make sure to have at least one extra bobbin case on hand; there will inevitably come a time when you drop your bobbin case and it will have the slightest little bend or dent to it and you'll find yourself needing that replacement. Some manufacturers or dealers actually have kits of spare parts - ask to see if your machine will come with one for free or a small cost.

I will tell you that the one thing I purchased when it was on sale ($75) was a small air compressor. I know you are all going WHAT! I prefer it to canned air and with the cost of canned air it didn't take long to make up that $. Not only that you can use it to clean the rest of the machine, table, floor, etc. I have wood floors so I can blow the lint out of the way before I get to sweeping. In fact I have even used it to dust off my blinds!

Yes a small compressor is great....on longarm there are no secret little places for lint to be blown into as on DSM...it will just blast it OUT.....

On mine I have two yardsticks....that I slip under the side clamps..one on each side. Close to the clamps...raises them just enough so the sewing head does not get caught up at the edges......

Also bought two old fashioned curtain rods and a lipped cookie sheet...put rods over take up rollers, screwed on cookie sheet and it is a little shelf on which I have my snipped thread catcher...empty Kleenex box, tool caddy which holds large scissors, dry erase pens(to adjust panto, if necessary) ,large scissors to trim sides, pin cushion with a few pins for "just in case"...
Instead of lanyard for scissors I use one of those things you attach to shirt and your scissors are on a string that is spring fed on this thing....and the snap back close to your body....don't know the official name...but this way scissors are not in the way, hanging from neck
Each finds little things that make their longarm journey more efficient.....have fun

For those of you that use rulers with your longarm, do you have any sort of throat extension table (or whatever it's called)? I've seen those clear acrylic things the get hooked on to your longarm machine to extend the surface of the bed. I've not bought or tried any rulers yet because I thought I needed this contraption. Hopefully somebody knows what I'm talking about.

For those of you that do SITD with rulers, do you roll your quilts back and forth several times during the quilting process? Once I roll my quilt, I don't want to go back to quilt a previous section again.

I believe the bold part of the statement could be incorrect on some machines.

You will have an ever growing list of wants for a longarm. I have had mine for 5 years, and I am still getting new stuff for it - rulers and pantographs mainly. I use two old-fashioned curtain rods to hold up the side clamps, they have the bent ends that hold onto the roller bars so they don't slide off. My machine came with a ruler and base plate, corsage pins, and a magnetic bowl to keep them in. I already had literally hundreds of spools of thread from years of sewing and serging, some I can use with the LA and some not.

I have absolutely no idea but I go to the Paducah Quilt show every year and I think that half of the vendor's booths are full of things for long arm machines. I don't have any need to look at them so just pass by those booths. So, if you have any big quilt show/conventions in your area, you ought to go and look around to see what all is available.