Discouraged Long Arm Newbie... It's Harder Than I Thought!
08-01-2012, 11:41 AM
#52
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Northern KY
Posts: 1,924
Practice, practice, practice. It's a great way to use up all that "what was I thinking when I bought this" fabric! Try using that ugly fabric as the backing, muslin as the top, match your thread to your (hopefully busy patterned) backing and quilt away. Then make tote bags with the practice quilts. You can never have enough tote bags. There are tons of videos on youtube (APQS has a lot of good ones and you can be certain they're showing you the correct way to do things as opposed to somebody's Aunt Sally with a videocamera - they're generic enough to apply to all LAs, too). Find some books at the library or buy some. Patricia Barry has a great book for beginners "ABCs of Longarm Quilting" - don't get it from Amazon, too expensive. Get it directly from her website for $29.99 for the 2nd edition. Take some classes at a LQS if they offer them (maybe one of those classes directed at people who want to rent time on their LA or a "prebuyer's class" - you don't have to tell them you already have a LA since you're paying to take the class anyway. The main thing is don't be afraid of your LA - it's just a really big sewing machine and you can master it if you try. Good luck.
08-01-2012, 11:58 AM
#54
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Brick, NJ
Posts: 819
Originally Posted by crashnquilt
Yes, when you first get your machine, everything is pretty much bad. It does take lots of practice. Remember, now you are moving the machine, not the fabric.
What helped me the most was "writing" the alphabet in cursive. I drew a line on the quilt and just started "writing" with my machine. Just remember , just like driving a car, slow down on the curves.
What helped me the most was "writing" the alphabet in cursive. I drew a line on the quilt and just started "writing" with my machine. Just remember , just like driving a car, slow down on the curves.
Originally Posted by JustAbitCrazy
You are right--it is alot harder than it looks, but as everyone else has said, it just takes practice, practice, practice. Stick with it, you'll soon love it and have no regrets. I was like you--I thought since I had a stitch regulator there would be no learning curve. How wrong I was! The stitch regulator just shortens the learning curve, as it turns out. You'll know you're on your way when your circles no longer look like squares with rounded corners, lol! Try to enjoy it!
08-01-2012, 02:24 PM
#55
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Littlefield, TX, USA
Posts: 1,077
It's not as easy as it looks...at least at first. There are some longarm classes on http://www.thequiltingschool.com
These are by Linda V Taylor & others. Some are free, some require the membership.
Also, check on Youtube for Longarm quilting & you will find many helpful tutorials.
Mostly, as others have said...practice, practice, practice.
You said the machine feels Clunky...so here are some basics to check for:
1. Check the rails/poles for scratches, burrs (gouges)..they should be totally smooth.
2. Check the wheels for gunk, lint, etc. Check the "axels" for trapped threads...by axels, you check behind the wheel, where they attach to the carriage.
3. Do you have the instructions on how to maintain the machine (oil, adjust, etc.)
4. Make sure the frame is level.
Hope this helps
Marge
These are by Linda V Taylor & others. Some are free, some require the membership.
Also, check on Youtube for Longarm quilting & you will find many helpful tutorials.
Mostly, as others have said...practice, practice, practice.
You said the machine feels Clunky...so here are some basics to check for:
1. Check the rails/poles for scratches, burrs (gouges)..they should be totally smooth.
2. Check the wheels for gunk, lint, etc. Check the "axels" for trapped threads...by axels, you check behind the wheel, where they attach to the carriage.
3. Do you have the instructions on how to maintain the machine (oil, adjust, etc.)
4. Make sure the frame is level.
Hope this helps
Marge
Originally Posted by kimv44
Hello all.. I've recently purchased my first long arm machine and frame. I have been quilting and sewing for just about 10 years now and I'll say that it has humbled me along the way. I started quilting mostly baby quilts on a tiny 32 inch round kitchen table using a sewing machine I bought on sale at WalMart for about $80. I've moved up to better machines, bigger tables and now have a big quilting room and just when I felt comfortable quilting on my home machine my frame arrived and whalla.. I feel like that beginner quilter again...
I've wanted a longarm and frame for a while but couldn't really afford it. Then I found a combo deal and purchased a Hinterberg Stretch frame with the Viking Voyager 17 inch long arm machine for just under $4,000. The machine feels a bit clunky to me as I estimate it is at least 10 years old (refurbished) but it works. It came with a SLR and I've put together one twin sized quilt with it so far. I've got a queen sized and another twin sized quilt top waiting in the wings to be quilted.
But here's the thing... I feel like someone has taken my training wheels off my bike and I'm 4 years old again. The first project I simply did a meandering stitch to get used to the controls. If feels so different operating the machine from the handle rather than having a foot pedal.. the instruction booklet is right, these machines are like nothing I've used before. So tonight, in between quilt tops I attached some fat quarter sized practice "sandwiches" to the frame and thought I'd try to do some free hand patterns, practice tracing a line and see if I can do a simple feather. OH BOY.. I stink at this!! It is so difficult and I am embarrassed at how terrible I am at moving this machine around.. I couldn't create a pleasing design to save myself.
I know that a lot of the fantastic intricate quilting that we see is done with a computer aided machine, but did any of you who do this free hand have this hard of a time getting used to creating presentable free hand quilting designs?
I'm discouraged and hope I didn't just buy a $4000.00 meander machine : \ I could use some encouragement right about now..
I've wanted a longarm and frame for a while but couldn't really afford it. Then I found a combo deal and purchased a Hinterberg Stretch frame with the Viking Voyager 17 inch long arm machine for just under $4,000. The machine feels a bit clunky to me as I estimate it is at least 10 years old (refurbished) but it works. It came with a SLR and I've put together one twin sized quilt with it so far. I've got a queen sized and another twin sized quilt top waiting in the wings to be quilted.
But here's the thing... I feel like someone has taken my training wheels off my bike and I'm 4 years old again. The first project I simply did a meandering stitch to get used to the controls. If feels so different operating the machine from the handle rather than having a foot pedal.. the instruction booklet is right, these machines are like nothing I've used before. So tonight, in between quilt tops I attached some fat quarter sized practice "sandwiches" to the frame and thought I'd try to do some free hand patterns, practice tracing a line and see if I can do a simple feather. OH BOY.. I stink at this!! It is so difficult and I am embarrassed at how terrible I am at moving this machine around.. I couldn't create a pleasing design to save myself.
I know that a lot of the fantastic intricate quilting that we see is done with a computer aided machine, but did any of you who do this free hand have this hard of a time getting used to creating presentable free hand quilting designs?
I'm discouraged and hope I didn't just buy a $4000.00 meander machine : \ I could use some encouragement right about now..
08-01-2012, 02:33 PM
#56
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 37
ladies.. thank you so much! I love this quilting board!! I think what I'm going to do is take the advice of buying some cheap sheets to sandwich and practice on.. I do have a stylus on order to be able to trace some pentagrams and templates once it arrives.. I'm hoping that will at least raise my confidence that I can produce a pleasing finished product while I learn. I am fairly good at meandering and making small loops and am working to make those movements smoother... margecam52 you hit some of my issue right on the head.. my frame was really not very level and I had what looked like greese and threads caught up in one of the wheels of my machine carriage.. so it is moving a bit smoother now.. 
That's what I get for using cheap thread that kept breaking on me.. there was bits of thread all over the place.. ha ha ha
Next thing I need to do is find a good wholesale place to purchase thread suitable for a longarm.. I found a few web sites but I'm gonna go try to find one that has the best deals because I assume I'll go through a lot just practicing alone...
Thanks for all the support and encouragement!!
Makes me feel like I'm not alone in this and that I will eventually be able to give some other LA newbie advice of my own.. : )
That's what I get for using cheap thread that kept breaking on me.. there was bits of thread all over the place.. ha ha haNext thing I need to do is find a good wholesale place to purchase thread suitable for a longarm.. I found a few web sites but I'm gonna go try to find one that has the best deals because I assume I'll go through a lot just practicing alone...
Thanks for all the support and encouragement!!
Makes me feel like I'm not alone in this and that I will eventually be able to give some other LA newbie advice of my own.. : )
08-01-2012, 02:36 PM
#57
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: somewhere in a cornfield,Maine
Posts: 201
Just want you to know that I too have a Voyager 17.I bought it brand new 3 years ago and felt the same way you are feeling right now.Please take the time to just practice on it-with a huge piece of plain cloth( which is what I did for about 6 months off and on).Know that you HAVE TO RELAX!!!!! You will not be able to do any feathers all tensed up in your upper body so do not try to do these yet until you have mastered relaxing and TAKE A DEEP BREATH!.When you started riding that bicycle you DID have training wheels on it so give yourself time to get used to this as well.I have a piece on plywood on my frame where the groovy boards are supposed to go;and i lay out pantographs on that and use a laser light to follow the design(I "anchor" the pantographs down with thumb tacks).Try doing this after you feel a little more comfortable-YOU WILL GET IT!Be patient with yourself and it will come! I still can not quilt as good as Charisma does(whom does a beautiful job!) but I like what I do and I strive to get better every day! So hang in there and practice practice practice! Use an old sheet to make your layers if you dont want to waste any "good" material.Hope this helps you out!Have a great night and keep quilting
08-01-2012, 04:03 PM
#58
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Central Arkansas
Posts: 2,559
I will be buying a longarm soon. I had hoped to get one before the end of the Summer, but because of hip replacement surgery scheduled mid-Oct. It will probably be late Fall. I know there will be a learning curve but I am planning on practicing daily. At 71+ it will probably take me longer. Keep practicing and you will do great.
08-01-2012, 05:20 PM
#60
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Michigan
Posts: 864
Originally Posted by AshleyR
I know exactly how you feel! I have a "basting machine" taking up half of my bedroom!! Right now, I don't have the time to invest in learning how to do it, because, thanks to my cats, who seem to think they own everything... I have to take a quilt off after each session! However, my machine is not as nice as yours! I'm not 100% sold on quilting on a frame yet. I don't *enjoy* it the way I enjoy quilting on the table. However, I do see the draw of it, so I'm determined to use it correctly, even if it's not as much fun!! I'm sure once we get the hang of it, we'll love them!
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