Tried Long Arm Quilting Today!
 

A LQS has a long arm you can rent by the hour, so I took a mini course today and then just played on a plain piece of fabric sandwich for 45 minutes.

Learned how to load the quilt sandwich, thread the machine, start and stop and then I was on my own.

There will certainly be a learning curve. My FMQ was not nearly as good on the long arm as it is on my DSM....couldn't back track to save my life and my pebbles looked pretty jaggedy. Kept getting a flat spot on my swirls. Paisley looked OK, though. I think it doesn't feel as steady because on your DSM you can keep your hands down on the material and with the long arm your arms are out in front of you more, so you're less stable. I'll have to play with it some more to get a more solid position.

All in all, lots of fun and the owner remarked when she came back to check on me that most people just meander at first, but here I was doing FMQ! :D (I get bored easily.)

After I was done, the owner and I loaded another quilt, so I got extra practice doing another one.

I had brought along my queen sized batik quilt which is half way done on my DSM and the owner says it shouldn't be a problem to load it on the long arm to finish. Good thing because otherwise I don't think I'd ever finish it.

Looking forward to booking time on my next day off to work on a baby quilt.

Watson

Sounds like you had a wonderful day! My hubby bought me a mid-arm several years ago but it's in our garage and right now it's way too hot out there to use it so I'm busy making tops! One of my goals this month is to get backs and batting ready for each top I have waiting...

so glad that it was such a great experience!

Sounds like you had fun, Watson. I'm just really getting the hang of FMQ since I bought my Juki- finally seeing some results. I thought I could FMQ on my Bernina but wasn't improving. I'm having fun!

That's wonderful. Some folks just have a knack for that. I am too chicken to even try. :)

Good for you!!! I have tried FMQ yet, maybe one of these days.............

That's great! You have completed step one!

Good for you! I'm wanting to try a LA, but I'm too chicken as of right now.

Or maybe it's that if I like it, I know I'll want to buy one :D

I have a long arm, and haven't used it much (long story), but I am now starting. LORD Have MERCY...there Is a learning curve for sure! The fact you are courageous and went for it.....wow. That's super! Good for you!!!

I really love using the long arm machine. I'm not very good at FMQ. I'm getting better at mastering ruler work than I am at FMQ. I need to find a way I can practice that without having to load something that I'm only going to do that on (if that makes sense?)
I've been thinking I'd make a quilt of squares framed with sashing and then try to FMQ something different in each square, that way I wouldn't get bored too fast with trying (and failing) to master something over a large area.
Thoughts?