My First Quilt off the long arm...whew!
 

This has been a busy spring for me. Yard work always takes over my live in the springtime! Something wonderful came into my life last month! We finally bought a long arm!!! Oh my, I am so intimidated by it, but I've been practicing on my 'uglies' (fabric I bought so long ago and now I wonder why did I buy that???) So I decided I needed to take the bull (long arm) by the horns and make a quilt that I could use. DH and I live in a house that is too big for 2 people but we love it here and it's great for company.(My 3 DS, my DD and my Mom were here for a quilting fest for over a week! What a blast we had! Anyway when it's just the 2 of us, we turn off central air and use room air conditioners in the rooms we normally use. I wanted to hang a quilt in the entryway to block cool air from going into the formal living room and dining room. It took less than 2 weeks to complete it. You can probably tell that I 'ad libbed' it together. After it was pieced, I decided I didn't like the stark white with the black and red, so I mixed up some watery brownish craft paint and painted it. That improved it a lot!
Quilting is mostly just stipple and circles. I'm finding it difficult to make rounded shapes and things tend to get squared off and my circles have flat tops! I did see some improvement by the time I finished it, so all in all I am happy with the results. This one will probably become a 'picnic quilt' someday when I have time and proficiency on 'Lizzie' to make another one!

It's very pretty. Enjoy your new long arm.

What program do you use to put words in your photos?

Your doorway quilt is a work of art and coordinates so well with the wall color!

Love the quilt and envy you your Tin Lizzie, just color me green.

It takes a bit to make friends with your longarm. The second quilt will be faster and easier than the first and the 100th will be an absolute breeze. I love the quilt.

nicely done

Nicely done.....you are well on your way. You quilting looks great!

Cute quilt and the quilting looks great. I love how you're using the quilt, too. I've used sheets for backing, too. It turns out nice as long as I don't use a 100% polyester sheet. Last thought, if you get tired of the front you can just turn the back to the front.

very nice!!!

Nice job on the quilting.

Nice quilt, and what a clever idea! It looks really nice hanging there

Congrats on your new toy and have with it. Like your new door lol!

Congratulations on the long arm and you did an awesome job on the first quilt.

Congratulations on your Tin Lizzie! I love your use of the quilt in the doorway, which looks great!

Congrats on your first LA finish!

Well done....hope to see more of your long arming.....

Beautiful and great idea. Years ago when I lived in Virginia it was so cold that I would hang up my quilts in front of the big windows in order to keep the heat in. They worked wonderfully. I love the colors in your quilt.

I think your quilt is beautiful and love it hanging in the doorway. It serves a great purpose there. Your quilting is great, too. Never would guess it was your first one on your new Lizzie! Great job!

Great first effort on Lizzie, dilyn! Truly a delight! :)

Nicely done & it matches the colour on the walls...........perfect !!

That is a good job. I know you are proud. The only thing I have done on mine is baby quilts. Am looking forward to doing a large quilt also.

Nicely done

Congrats on your new machine! You will get better each time you use it. It looks great!

Congratulations on a job well done.

Very nice. I like your energy saving idea, too.

Nice quilt! It gets easier the more you use it!

I love my Tin Lizzie. I've had her for about 2 years and each quilt is a new challenge. I have had so much fun trying new quilting patterns. I like your handles too. Great job on your door quilt.

It look fine and I think it is a very good of quilting, besides everyone has to start somewhere if you do not start then you can not finish. I just wish I had a long arm and a place to put it. When I do quilting it is just stitch in ditch or straight lines across. I do mine as gifts and sometimes someone will ask if I would take button up shirts from her deceased husband and maker her a quilt out of them, so the fabric would last longer than just shirts hanging up. I truly was honored to do it Now I just have to get started on it.

Oh my, I am so intimidated by it, but I've been practicing on my 'uglies' (fabric I bought so long ago and now I wonder why did I buy that???) So I decided I needed to take the bull (long arm) by the horns and make a quilt that I could use.

We have all been in your shoes when we first got our machine. I am still intimidated as I don't quilt on a regular basis but enjoy the process when I get going. Great idea for the room divider quilt.

You did a great job. I will be taking a half day long arm class at a local quilt store in June. I'm very excited. Keep up
the good work.

Lucky you! Great job on your first.

So excited for you...and a tad jealous. Sounds like your having fun with your machine and soon past the hurdles.

hey good use of a quilt and great practice!! thanks!

what fun! You did a great job and bet that now you will be long arming all the time! If you are using a template/ruler to make your circles (or even freehand) I was told to start at "6 o'clock" and move clockwise to get better circles--helps! (that and lots of practice and even then some look a little squashed!).

Nice quilt, and fun new long arm! :)

Your did a great job.

Looks like you just had a blast, trying different patterns and doing a really good job of them too. Your quilt is lovely.

Oh how I wish I could get a long arm, however, congratulations to you on getting your Tin Lizzie, I'm sure the two of you will be very happy together and make lots of beautiful quilts. I like the simplicity of your blocks that made a stunning quilt. Nice job.

Great start!