Hi, I’m back!
 

I am back after several years learning to longarm quilting. I have doing pantographs and recently ruler work but have been having trouble with freehand. How long should it take to learn freehand?

The more you do it, the easier it will be. because the same free motion design can look different when done by different people (like handwriting), there is no one definition of doing it "right" or making it look "right". since you are accustomed to moving the machine for pantos, I imagine it won't be too long before you feel comfortable with free motion, too. Have fun!

I have been longarming for over 20 years and still can't free hand. I think it has to do with being too critical of ourselves. You are up close and can see every little bobble. I also think it is like knitting, you knit tight one day and loose the next. Hang in there and keep trying. You can learn and don't be too critical of yourself.

It didn't take me long at all to be doing freehand on my mid arm machine. I preferred that method. My machine has been down now for a couple years and I need to get it back up and running. I am glad you are mastering all these wonderful techniques.

I have a sit-down quilter and do free motion quilting. I used to be on FB and there was a group that I believe was called Jeanne Harrison’s Quilting Legacy. There are sooo many lessons on her site. She actually passed away a few years ago but the group is being monitored by someone else. Most, if not all of her lessons are on YouTube, so if you aren’t on FB you can check it out and see if it’s something you would be interested in. All of her lessons are so detailed and easy to follow and her voice is so soothing.

HollyAnne Knight at stringandstory.com has a great class on free motion quilting. It's expensive, but well worth the price!

I have a longarm and am friends with quite a few other longarmers. What I've learned is that we all quilt differently. One friend started out with pantographs and later switched to doing computerized quilting. Another does mostly pantographs and a little free motion. I do only free motion (and ruler work). There's no right or wrong way; we are all happy with the way we quilt. If you are happy doing pantographs, don't feel like you have to do free motion.

On the other hand, if you really want to do free motion, the best advice I have is to practice, practice, practice. Put a practice piece in your machine and just doodle. Angela Walters has some wonderful videos that feature some simple designs, and her books are good. If you don't have a practice quilt sandwich, you can practice on a piece of heavy felt. I learned a lot by taking classes at the big quilt shows. Most of the instructors stressed doodling a design on paper until you have it stored in your memory.

Patchwork is right that you shouldn't be too critical of how your work looks. It always looks better when you take it off the machine and it's viewed in the context of the whole quilt.

Welcome back, I struggle with FMQ but I still am doing my best.

If you load a practice sandwich and use it all up, you can just layer another piece of fabric on top and start over....