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How Long Did it Take to Learn


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How long did it take you ladies to learn to quilt with your long arm machines? I have a Millie and I seem to be slow learning. Right now I am having trouble with thread breaking issues. I am not sure if it is because of tension or batting to thick or needle size wrong. I have had my machine for a little over a month and I feel like I should be further along than I am but I work full time and don't get to work on it as much as I would like to.

Mary

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I got mine in 2007 and bought it for my own quilts, not for a business so didn't go gung ho like a business person would. I just in the last 6 months, feel like i've finally "got it". I really like to do designs free hand and now I struggle for designs for each quilt. It is also slower because I have to make the top before I quilt it. I have picked up many practice tops at the thrift stores. My M & M wheels also really helped me jsut recently. Good luck to you. I wsh you were closer!

Carreen

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The learning curve is very different for everyone, but I can only strongly suggest that your trace, draw, retrace, redraw and fill every available space on every piece of paper, to get the movements into your memory. Don't erase, just keep going and sooner or later your pages will start to look more like quilting designs and less like scribbles. I try and get my students to buy a $1 store scrap book and fill it. After you have the pattern down pat in one direction, try "drawing" it up the page and then try down the page. and if you did it left to right to start, then start doing it from right to left.

For pattern suggestions, look on any of the sites that offer patterns for sale and try to reproduce them on paper yourself. At first they won't look much like the ones for sale, but you will get the movements.

This truly does help and it's much easier that on a quilt that you want to "do"

Put a big piece of backing on your machine and put small "fat quarters" or pieces of fabric and practice, these can be made into bags, afterwards and used for groceries if nothing else.

Sally Terry has a great book out, with the basic shapes used in lots of the patterns.

Darlene Epps has 3 great books on borders, fillers etc that are a great basic skills to learn.

GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO PLAY. you have to start in Kindergarten, before you get to grade 12. one step at a time. Good luck and enjoy the ride.

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I think we learn something new every time we do it; even the old seasoned pros continue to learn forever. Just go for it and don't be afraid to try. You get better with each opportunity. Be creative; let your heart and imagination take you on a journey. You will have moments that are big "YES! I GOT IT" now... have fun!! Have fun. Thats most important.

What really helped me to "get it" was to doodle on paper. So yes, at work when away from the machine, take a break and draw and doodle. Your coodination will improve. It really works!

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Oh, Mary, I totally know how you feel. I remember when I got my first longarm...and I cried and cried. My husband told my friend who bought my Millie how I cried and said I thought I'd made a mistake buying the machine. But I kept at it and got more comfortable. The thing that helped me most (besides doodling) was to put actual quilts on the machine. If you don't have quilts of your own, volunteer to longarm for Quilts of Valor or some other charity. In my case, persistance and perserverance paid off...although I am nowhere near as accomplished as some on this list. But I will be someday! Go for it! :D

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Here's another thing you can do...

Go to Walmart and buy two twin flat sheets. They sell for $4.00 each so you are totalling $8.00. Then buy some cheap batting and load the sheets and the batting and Play! You're out probably less than $15 bucks total and you have tons and tons of free open space to quilt to your heart's content.

I put mine on zippers and will zip it on when I need to PPP

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Hi Mary! First congrats on your new longarm Mille, I got my Lenni in September, and because i work full time I find it hard to dedicate time to the machine, but everyone above has given you some great advice. I bought some inexpensive sheets and have that loaded on my machine, I do alot of doodling, and then I practice my feathers or whatever for that day. I have to say I am more confident that I was 4 months ago! I always say it is more like a learning circle than a curve, I learn something new everyday!! But I have not regretted getting my Lenni!! My next purchase is the bliss system, but not for awhile. Good luck, you can do it!!!!

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Shana nailed it. Just take time to learn something new all the time and you will be a pro in no time. I would suggest you start with things you love, say swirly designs or ruler work. Once you have that mastered add in a new technique. I think some people thing that once they can do one thing they can do another without any problem. It all takes practice but I think you learn what you love more easily, at least that is the way it works for me. Once you venture into feathers pick one learn it well and you will be amazed how quickly the rest will come. Try all the different styles too. THere are tons of utube video's out there. Pick one concentrate on it and then move onto the next one. You can do this!

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Hi and welcome!!! And congrats!

You need to talk to Irene Reising (Reising Star Quilts) and Judy Ingram. Both live in Paducah!! And both are fabulous quilters and wonderful people! Judy just got a Millie with Bliss and Irene just got Bliss on her Lenni. (I think) Anyway, I know they will be able and willing to help!! :P:D:P

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Guest Linda S

It didn't take me long to get used to quilting on my machine, but I can tell you that I generally learn something new with every single quilt. It's an on-going process.

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The advice you were given is great. The only other thing I would add, is take 10-15 minutes every day to quilt with your machine. Doodling really helped me because I was able to learn the designs so when I went to the machine, I didn't have to think about which way I was going. Just don't leave too many days in between your quilting. Good luck, you'll be terrific in no time. We've all gone through the "What was I thinking!!" phase.

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You have come to the right place for encouragement, Mary, and everyone here has a different story to tell.

Please realize that like all things, you do the work to become proficient at it.

So we all say practice, take classes, take photos of things that inspire you, look at quilts everywhere--magazines, shows, webshots, blogs--and as you learn the ins and outs of the machine you will get better and better.

Whether you quilt for yourself, charity, or customers, learning the basics and then finding your style will come with time. The Wall Street Journal published the article recently about Chinese mothers--and what I took away from that article was nothing becomes fun until you are good at it (talking about enforcing piano practice) and that struck me as being very true. But the fun starts early with a longarm!

I wish you great luck and much joy on your journey.

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Mary, I agree with everything above. Just wanted to let you know people in my guild liked my quilting and started asking me to quilt for them, which became a business. So I had lots of practice with others quilts BUT it took a good year of constant quilting before I became very comfortable. I would feel like throwing up every time I put a quilt on because I was so worried about screwing up. I think I would be half way through the quilt before the sick feeling went away only to start again with the next quilt.

You'll get there just give yourself time and practice.

Michele

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As far as your thread breaking, make sure you don't have your quilt sandwich too tight. Relax and stop trying to be perfect. Just get the feel for it and it WILL start to come naturally. Practice on paper to get the designs down in your head.It's motor memory. Right now you are trying to learn how to handle the machine and learn designs. Just doodle on the fabric it is just a big pencil after all:)

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Mary, Everyone is giving you great advise! Don't give up, just keep practicing. I haven't had my machine that long and I probably don't practice on my machine as much as I should...(I need to learn how to piece faster!) but I can honestly say that my quilting has improved over time. One thing that I did that seemed to help me a lot was to put a large practice piece on and I chalked blocks and borders on the practice piece, then I proceeded to stitch different designs in each block and border...helped a lot. You'll find what works right for you. Hang in there.

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Hi I am right there with you. I got my Millie in November and used the excuse "the holidays" but now they are over what is my excuse. I am so slow at learning this the turtles are passing me by. I too was having alot of trouble with the thread breakage. I love learning from all these pros on the the forum and wondering if I ever will be comfortable with this. I did one quilt with cheater fabric in the middle and rosettes and vines freehanded aroung the edge with scalloped edges but that is about it. I have practiced feathers till I feel like I'm a duck and they still have a mind of their own. Please keep in touch and let me know how your doing. What kind of things are you practicing on?

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Mary, Just wanted to let you know I bought Twirly Whirly Feathers by Kim Brunner and she makes it so easy to learn this technique. I bought a dry eraser board and markers and doodle on that alot. I also bought twin size sheets from Walmart to practice on but make sure you wash them first. I had alot problem with the sizing in them and Linnea suggested to wash them first and it does alot better. Happy Sewing:)

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Welcome to the Friendship Group of APQS, I owe a lot of what I have accomplished in Longarming from these ladies and gents. Very helpful and encouraging, all advises I ditto.

Anyways, I felt just like you did and thought it was a mistake to buy a big very expensive long arm machine. You can do it, just PPP and before you know, you are quilting happily.

Corey

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