scared newbie

[BethDurand]

Hello all,

My millenium arrives on Thrus. and I'm so excited, but so scared! I feel like this is going to an experience similar to giving birth to a child, something else I've never done. You can ask all the questions, you can read all the information, but until you do it yourself, you really don't know what it's like.

I know she's going to be wonderful, her name is Esther Pearl after my two grandmothers. I guess I just want some assurance that I'll be able to figure her out. I've been reading some other LA posts, and it seems that the majority of the people are having issues with their machines. I so want to be able to start on "real" quilts, but still scared that it won't look well.

Please tell me that the learning period is reasonable, and that it's not going to be a battle from the time I first turn her on. I think my biggest fear is that my tension will be off, and I won't be able to figure out how to adjust it.

Thanks in advance for the help, for the support, and for the knowledge that I've gained by simply reading this site. I've been reading this for a while now, and I love the positive support that people send out.

Beth Durand

[Myrna Ficken]

Congratulations Beth.

You are gonna have a blast. Yes there is a learning curve. It is different for everyone. Some step up as if they have been running a long arm all their life. Others it take a little more time. The best advice I can give you is relax, don't be afraid of your machine. It won't bite and start practicing on paper. When you are starting out you are trying to learn how to use the machine. If you don't know where you are going with a design you are trying to learn how to use your new machine and a new design. I also recommend to new student to learn to run the machine without the S/R it will help you get the feel for it. Develop an ear for the sounds she makes. Of course learn to use the S/R as well. But both ways are important. The panto side is easy , just relax (do not have a death grip) keep your eyes ahead of the light. Your hands will follow where your eyes have been. Just like driving a car. You know like getting home and not remembering how you got there, same thing.

If it is a battle step back and ask yourself why. It should not be.

You have the bought the best machine in the world (yes, I am a bit proud ) so the tension on our machines are so easy to adjust. Don't tighten your quilt top to tight as that will cause tension problems. You bobbin case comes set for prewound poly thread (do keep an extra or two bobbin cases) Your bobbin tension can be changed by paper sided, metal or plastic bobbins as well as the thread type. The have different weight so the drop tension will be a bit different and may need to be adjusted. Most of the time you will be adjusting your top thread. As a rule to start, if your bobbin thread is coming to the top of the quilt, your top thread may be to tight (Check your thread path first) If your top thread is coming to the bottom your quilt your top thread may be too loose.

Now if I have really scared you to death, I'm sorry. You will get a video with your machine which will help you if you get stuck. And you have all of us here. When you take you start up class your educator will cover all of this as well.

I do recommend taking classes from someone to get yourself off too a good start. There is no need to struggle. You have spent a lot of money on the machine. I assume to quilt for others . Do not short change yourself and not get training on using it.

You are going to do great. So breath and keep that smile on your face.

Ask all the question you need to.

Myrna

[Guest LA]

Hey Beth!

You & Esther Pearl are going to be just fine!

The machine is easier than child birth, trust me on that one.

Call me on Thursday & let me know how things go for you, I want to share in your joy & any questions you might have.

I have lots of classes scheduled in May, so like we talked discussed before just "Come on down" to the show room & lets get you are your way!

Talk to you soon!

Linda

[Guest Linda S]

Beth - it is very natural to be scared. We've all been there. Just make sure you keep practicing and you'll fall in love with that machine. Don't let her scare you -- you'll be just fine.

Linda

[JudyL]

Beth:

You can figure it all out and you'll have more fun than you can imagine. I have a friend here who may buy my longarm and she's been so afraid she couldn't figure it all out. At first, she was scared to even touch it but I think after just a few hours, it's like she's been doing it forever.

I already had my Ult. I and when I was wanting a Millennium, I wouldn't even touch it at the Paducah show so . . what you're feeling is perfectly normal.

Don't be scared!!

[BethDurand]

Hello all,

Thank you so much for your kind words of support and advice. I'm feeling much better now, and can't hardly wait until I have a day to really play! Too bad there's that work thing that's helping me to make the payments! I'm getting more excited, starting to count the hours until her arrival. Thanks again, I look forward to getting to know all of you through this post.

Beth

[Grammie]

Beth don't worry you can DO IT!!

You are going to do just fine and the best part is the people on the Forum are always there if you need them. That of course includes me so lean when you need too.

The most important thing I think is to love it and to have fun doing it. The down times don't last long I promise. The joy far outways any mountains you might climb.

Welcome and best wishes.

Grammie Tammie

[Marion]

I too am awaiting the arrival of a Millineum. I ordered it last Friday at Syracuse. A bit scarey it is soooo big. I have been using a 1920 long bobbin machine on a Hinterberg frame my DH made for me withan xy movement. It only does 5 inches by 36 inches before I have to move the table the machine rides on. I also have the HV Mega Quilter which does the 5 to 6 inch by about ninety inches but awkward to change the bobbin or even see what is happening with the pantos. Run out of thread and don't even know it. I have done about twenty three of my tops but still have 15 to do and making more. Some of these are 110 x 110 or more. I am saving the best for last. I figure if I can do all the scrap quilts first I should be able to do the fancier ones after the Millineum gets here. We measured the area and it should fit. I have asked the girls at Sewing guild to come and pick up some of my extra machines so I will have room. Don't know if I will ever get good enuf to do other peoples.

[bonbon]

Linda~is there a posting of all the May classes?

I know about the May 19th class. What are the others?

Will you have classes in the summer?

Bonnie K.

[Sewwhat]

I'm just starting to look at LA machines. I do my quilting now on my Janome (where I alos piece them!) I want a long arm so bad it hurts. How have you ladies made your choice of machines? I'm looking at APQS and Gammill. What else is out there? I live in Colo. but we bought property in West Plains Mo where we will retire so if I bougfht Gammill I'd be neighbors with the factory but the Statler Stitcher costs as much as the machine. How does that compare with the compuquilt? I just have a million questions.

[ramona-quilter]

Marion and Beth,

Yes, these machine are big...and the able even bigger. But it enables you to do BIG things with fabric. My days of pushing fabric thru the 7 inch throat of my DSM (domestic sewing machine) are long gone.

It took my husband a couple days, following the step-by-step instrctions, to assemble my machine.

Myrna is right about the practicing. If you can't get to your machine, practice designs by doodling on paper. Your brain learns a design just as easy from pencil and paper as it does from thread and fabric. And you can doodle at your desk, at the dentists, in line at the grocery. And start looking around for designs you like in nature, building architecture and fabric. You can carry those over to your quilting.

Relax and have fun. And come to this forum when you need help. It's a great resource.