PamelaA Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Hi, I purchased a Millennium at the Nashville show and just paid the rest of the purchase price off today. My baby will soon be here. Does anyone have any important suggestions for me. I am paying to have the APQS people set it up. That way I know it won't be me that messes it up. Pamela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzakel Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Welcome Pamela! Be patient is the best advice I can give you, and to go for it! Are you the Pamela A. from Canada? Sue Kelly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PamelaA Posted September 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Hi Sue, No I am not from Canada. I live in souther Ohio. Pamela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolyn Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Hi, Pamela. This must be 'newbie' week! I posted about the same thing, so if you browse you'll see the good advice and suggestions of those that have gone before us! Before my machine arrived, I asked the same question and the advice offered most often was to get Darlene Epp's pocket guides and practice, practice, practice. When is your machine going to be delivered? Carolyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belquilt Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Hi Pamela, Welcome to the forum and congrats on your Mille!! I know you are excited to get it. I have had my Liberty for 11 months, never touched a Long arm prior to getting it. My advice to you is take it slow, enjoy it and do your own thing. I started with the CD that comes with the machine showing you how to load the quilt and then I read the posts on this forum everyday. There are a lot of great people here to help. There are also some great CD/DVD's out there to help you learn about free motion and pantographs and there are books the are good too. You can search on any topic or word you want and find answers to questions you may have or just ask the question. I had problems with my free standing bobbin winder and had an answer the same day I asked it. Now I am not in the business - my machine is for me only, so if you are starting as a business, again the majority of the people on this site are doing this as a business and they are great. We also here from many APQS reps from all over the country who are fantastic!! So welcome and enjoy!!!:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzakel Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Hi Pamela! A good way to practice is to get some floral wrap. It's inexpensive and comes on a roll at places like Michael's and other craft stores. You'll also want some dry erase markers. You can practice free motion patterns over and over again without wasting fabric and batting. It really does help to practice this way and get your brain accustomed to the flow of the designs. The other nice thing about having the floral wrap and dry erase markers around is you can lay it on top of your quilts and draw potential designs on the floral wrap to preview before actually stitching. Again, welcome and enjoy! Sue Kelly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PamelaA Posted September 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Thanks for all the advice. I am really getting more excited each day. Now all I have to do is move furniture around to make room for that 14 foot table. I think that I can forget any idea about keeping a family room and sewing room. The sewing is about to overtake everthing. I am waiting to hear when the Milli will be delivered and when the set up people will come. Waiting is going to be harder than it was waiting for Christmas as a little girl. Some of my first projects will probably be mats for the dog (who doesn't need a bobbin winder to wrap me firmly around his tail). He won't know the difference between square circles and wierd stitching designs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuiltFaerie Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Furniture is highly overrated. If I couldn't have gotten the beast down into my basement, it was going in the living room. To h@ll with the furniture! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Hi Pamela, Oh, you are just like me, although I have the Liberty. As I live in the Netherlands I had to wait a good 2 months. It is in my studio downstairs now and I am going down there just to look at it. Still carrying my hobby stuff around and only then I have piece of mind to load my first fabric (would dare doing it to a quilt). Probably this Friday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jobuck Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Pamela: I too purchased my milenium at a show--Paducah is '06. I love my "Nellie" and my advice is to get one of those eraseable boards and some markers and just keep practicing until your "brain" has learned what your hand is doing. This is a Myrna Ficken tip--I took classes from her three months after I get Nellie. I am trying lots of free hand patterns and when I get one I like I record it in a skectch book I have. Good luck and the APQS group is right---practice, practice and more practice. Jo-Ellen:D:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dixieqwv Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Congrats on your new baby. Pamela is that eastern southern Ohio or western? I'm close to eastern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Congratulations! My best advice is to have fun. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Pamela, Congratulations on your new machine! I just got mine a couple of weeks ago and I set-up myself, with hubby's help of course! You will find that the manual and cd are great resources to get you started. You can also find a lot of online videos to get ideas...trust me there are more ideas out there than any one person has the time to see! I find new things all the time. I loaded a muslin play piece, 2 yards just to use as a doodle cloth. I tried different speeds, stitch regulator, non-sr, panto front and back and anything else I thought might be helpful. Play with the tension too because you want to be able to identify what a good vs bad stitch is. Oh yeah remember to breath! Heidi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Pamela, I'm a newbie, too - set up my used Millie in March and have been having fun ever since (except when I'm beating my head against the wall in frustration!). When you're frustrated with something, this is the very best place to come - someone (usually LOTS of someones!) have been exactly where you are and will lead you back out of the darkness. So don't suffer in silence like I did… And the dry-erase pens are a wonderful idea - and if you can get a sheet of transparency (like they use with overhead projectors) you can lay it over a pattern in a book (Darlene Epps' stuff is wonderful!) and practice over and over and over and over, until it's engrained in your muscles. One word of caution: I've never done this, but I've been warned about it - if you're using the clear floral wrap to "audition" patterns on top of a quilt, be VERY careful not to draw off the edges of the wrap! Not a good thing at all… Enjoy your Millie when she arrives, and welcome to the Sisterhood! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 How very exciting for all of you "newbies" out there... Of course you are excited. It will get worse!! For a few days before the delivery of your new baby, you won't be able to sleep...then when she gets here, you won't be able to sleep. Then you start thinking...."What was I thinking?!%^$#@#%&*". But trust me, it will all be for the best. There is a "getting to know each other" period. You may have problems getting the tension just right, and about the time you think you've got it, ya don't! That is normal. This forum is a great place to get the help you need. You can search topics and almost always find someone who has gone through the same problems you have. Or just post a distress signal and we will all jump on it. Congratulations...and have a ball!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bekah Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 I echo Mary Beth, have fun, remember to breath, practice a lot, and don't be afraid to come here with even the little questions and frustrations. these ladies here are the best at encouragement. oh yea, it is okay to stomp your feet and say not nice words at your machine if she is misbehaving, but I wouldn't recommend kicking her, it hurts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Hi Pamela, Great to see you here. Are you so excited? Practice freehand on paper, DONT be too hard on your self, relax and have fun, allow your creativity to grow. Keep me posted on your adventure and give me a call if you need anything or have questions. I have arranged classes at Sewclever Quilt shop in Chillicothe in Feb, Dates will be Feb 11-17 2008 and I am working on the class roster and will keep you posted. breath;) Myrna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PamelaA Posted September 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Myra, I am glad it worked out with Rita for the Chillicothe classes. Please remember to let me know what and when (I know where!). I am sure I will have a lot of questions by February. The commute will only take a few minutes too! I am going to out an get that white erase board. It is a good idea and I can be practicing for the big event. I had also better get downstairs to move the cutting table, so I can move the sofa ,so I can move the bookcases, so I can move all the fabric, and not forget the ski machine (what was I thinking of when I bought that?).... Thanks for all the help everone. I know that I will be a frequent visitor with lots of questions. Pamela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janeta Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Hi Pamela, and welcome. I have a millie as well and all I can suggest is that you play with it, and take classes when you have the chance. There is a wonderful longarm retreat in Mansfield Ohio (Oct. 8-11) this year and this will be my third year to attend. You stay at the retreat and take various classes from teachers like DeLoa Jones, Jamie Wallen, Sue Patten and Jodie Robinson who does very unique feathers. If you are interested, contact DeLoa Jones at: deloa@deloasquiltshop.com It is well worth the money and time spent, you learn SO much and get to meet other longarmers as well. Janet. (I live in New Albany, Ohio) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iquiltit Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Girls you newbies can use sheets from the Goodwill to practice with. That is what I done.My son kept the first one and it is 13 yrs old. LOL you can get some almost new and sometimes ,new ones, from there for about $2 bucks. Congratulations on your new Millie!!!!!!!!:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dixieqwv Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 I'm going to Deloa's Retreat this year .... 1st time. You can read about it here http://www.deloasquiltshop.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 I'm going to Deloa's retreat too and it will be my 1st time. I can't wait! Heidi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Congrats!! Here are a couple of things I have learned: PPP (practice, practice, practice!!!) Listen to your machines voice, if (more like when) she sounds funny, the bobbin area may be needing to be cleaned and oiled. (I learned the hard way, and kept going only to see that the back side was messy and all the thread had to be taken out!) Take as many hands on classes as you can (Dawn Cavanaugh~hope that is spelled right!!~ has a way of teaching the unteachable (me) and I have learned how to make beautiful feathers just from the way she has you understand how you the individual can do it, cause my way may not be the way you could do the feathering)(sorry I know that is hard to read and understand!) Come to MQS in Overland Park next May, but you have to sign up in January to get the classes you want most. Keep a white board for practicing on, muscle memory is not a joke, they do remember motion and all! I write down things that I have learned from each quilt, what to do again and what to never do again!! LOL Immerse yourself in everything quilting, I have several magazines that I think are so helpful, Unlimited Possibilities is great. This forum is awesome for tips and just wonderful moral support! This is getting too long!! Sorry... ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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