IMQA - On Track Magazine & Membership

[DoryJM]

Being new to this longarm stuff (you\'d never know that by how much I post...right?? :P) I\'m trying to decide if membership and the On Track Magazine are money well spent? I\'ve been pretty good so far; I\'ve purchased lots of educational stuff (CDs/DVDs/Books), but not much in the way of tools and accessories.

So...is this money well spent?

[Mary Beth]

I think that when you become a member of IMQA, you automatically get "On TracK". and yes, it is well worth the money. There are other machine quilters magazines such as "Unlimited Possiblities" and "The Professional Quilter". Personally I take "On Track" and "Unlimited Possibilities" and read them cover to cover, and wear out the cover At one time I took "The Professional Quilter" but it is very much a business journal type magazine and I was never interested.

[Mary Beth]

Oh, and besides, you will get info about MQS sooner than those that don\'t have the membership. And I think you get a special rate for attending MQS with the membership...you would need to check their web site to be sure.

[barbm]

I don\'t think there\'s a break on MQS attendance, but you get first dibs on the classes! That\'s worth the membership all by itself. But the best thing is supporting Machine Quilters as a group through membership.

And as a beginner, Dory, you\'ll find all sorts of inspiration in On Track - they always have articles on different ways to quilt something.

[DoryJM]

Okay, Mary Beth & Barb...I\'m sold!! Do I send the commission checks directly to you??:D

Mary Beth, I loved your story in Unlimited Possibilities...very touching. I\'m so glad everything and everyone was fine in the end.

[bobbi]

Ok, here\'s a silly question... where\'s the site for IMQA? Love those magazines!

[barbm]

Bobbi,

You can find IMQA at www.imqa.org

[bobbi]

I guess I could have googled it too, but sooooo much information comes up!

Thanks so much Barb!

[Sandra Darlington]

After reading these comments, I joined too.

I just re-joined Unlimited Possibilities last night. I was waiting and waiting for my copy to arrive, so when it didn\'t, I thought perhaps my membership was up.

Anyway, I haven\'t been able to get my hands on a copy to read about Mary Beth. (:

[Boni]

In On Track, I\'ve always liked the articles by Cindy Roth, Dawn Cavanaugh and others that show how to quilt a variety of blocks. They show the picture of the quilt block with their suggestion for quilting it sort of scribbled over it. Each issue is different.

In UP, every article is helpful for a variety of reasons. Some are business related, some are design related, some computer related, and some are a series of lessons i.e. setting up your business, using Auto Sketch, custom worksheet, etc.

Usually the summer issue of On Track has a great summary of MQS. Last summer had articles about Sharon Schamber and her "Flower of Life", Doris Goins\' biography (this year\'s judge), and some little tidbits of what is to come for next year.

They are both great publications for us quilters.

Has anyone seen the Machine Quilting Unlimited? I\'m curious to know if it is completely different, or a repeat of these two publications.

Bonnie Russell

[Gator]

Machine Quilting Unlimited is a sister mag to Quilting Unlimited. Quilting Unlimited is for the longarm professional quilter and Machine Quilting Unlimited is geared toward the domestic (smaller) machine non-professional quilters. I hate to say non-professional but that\'s how the publisher explains the difference.