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• I need to Vent! by KarenInTucson [May 17, 2012, 08:41:10 PM]
• What Pat's working on, wh... by dixie [May 17, 2012, 04:04:02 PM]
• Pat's blog today by Pat [May 17, 2012, 07:34:50 AM]
• UFO Busting Chatter by chouxqltr [May 16, 2012, 10:27:04 PM]
• Craft Shows by KarenInTucson [May 15, 2012, 08:28:43 PM]
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[Sandi Andersen]

The machine quilting segment was really interesting. There is so much to learn! While I really enjoyed using the Millennium at Heidi's Retreat, I have realized that it is really important to know a lot about machine quilting before buying one. I wasn't sure what "NeedleFlex" was so went to the APQS site and read what Dawn had written. Yep, I want a long-arm but I have a lot to learn before I can even think of buying one. Plus, have to convince the husband, too, so got my work cut out for me. :-)

[Pat]

When you purchase and APQS machine the free class has a large segment  on how to start up a business... very excellent information.  You can also check their forum for info

I put the needle flex video link on my blog today

[dgallett]

I am doing a machine quilting sew along at www.afewscraps.blogspot.com  It is really great, she has a lot of great tips for setting up your machine.  It has worked out great for me and my plain old machine.  Now I just need to work on my technique.

[Annabelle]

I check in once in a while with this lady, Leah Day.  http://www.daystyledesigns.com/.
First I thought:  she looks so young, how can she be an experienced quilter!  But she has a lot of great ideas and designs.
I also ordered a DVD and workbook from Dawn Ramirez, the Pajama Quilter.  http://www.pajamaquilter.com/.  From the short trailer I saw, she seems to have a great sense of humor--besides the creative quilting designs.

[Mary Val]

I would LOVE to have a long arm machine and frame, it's one of my goals.  It's a big expense, and a lot of more important things on the "need this" list ahead of it, but I'm thinking next year is it.  I really am not interested in doing anyone else's quilts on it and running a business, I just want to do my own.   Every quilt show I'm at, you'll find me using somebody's demo model and asking questions, lol!   I may end up doing a few quilts for other people anyway.  One of my brothers-in-law has already sent me a hand-dyed and screen printed piece of fabric -- absolutely gorgeous, a Celtic design - big, but an odd size.  It's not a bed sheet, it's looks 100% cotton to me.  I'll add borders to make it fit his king sized bed and quilt it for him when I have a long arm.   

[Mary Val]

I have used several of Leah's videos too, esp the one on how to join the ends of a quilt binding.  I sometimes have a little trouble with the techniques vids and descriptions, because I'm left handed.    I would love to find some leftie instructional videos     If I do exactly what the person in the video does, it doesn't work for me -- I have to reverse and invert the steps.  Simply reversing doesn't work.   My grandmother tried for years to teach me to crochet, it just did NOT work! lol!  We were so mystified.   I bought a book with photos and illustrations of crochet stitches, and had to hold the book upside down, in front of a mirror, and follow the diagrams in the mirror.  It worked perfectly then.  For many things it doesn't matter of course, but being left handed can make a difference in the steps you follow in a particular technique.  And knitting, gah.   My mother-in-law and I have given up on that one, lol!   I could buy a book of illustrations on that too and go sit in front of the mirror, but I'm too busy quilting  

[Annabelle]

That's interesting what you told us about left-handed and what a difference it makes doing crafts and other projects!  My husband is left-handed, but is ambidextrous for sports, using his right hand for a baseball bat and tennis racket. 

[Annabelle]

I would LOVE to have a long arm machine and frame, it's one of my goals.  It's a big expense, and a lot of more important things on the "need this" list ahead of it, but I'm thinking next year is it.  I really am not interested in doing anyone else's quilts on it and running a business, I just want to do my own.   Every quilt show I'm at, you'll find me using somebody's demo model and asking questions, lol!   I may end up doing a few quilts for other people anyway.  One of my brothers-in-law has already sent me a hand-dyed and screen printed piece of fabric -- absolutely gorgeous, a Celtic design - big, but an odd size.  It's not a bed sheet, it's looks 100% cotton to me.  I'll add borders to make it fit his king sized bed and quilt it for him when I have a long arm.   

I don't have the room or money for a longarm either, but my dear hubby surprised me earlier this year with a APQS George quilting machine for my 50th birthday.  It is basically a long-arm machine but used like a domestic sewing machine in that I have to move the quilt, instead of moving the machine.  On my Bernina I didn't do anything too fancy with quilting, but now I want to learn how to do more interesting quilting designs.  This weekend I practiced on two lap quilts.  I have three more quilts to practice on.  I decided that the ones that come out reasonably nice will go to relatives as gifts, and the other ones I will donate to charity.  I have been using Karen McTavish's book as a guide:  Mastering the Art of McTavishing, http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Art-McTavishing-Karen-McTavish/dp/0974470619.  Karen's designs are really amazing!

[Pat]

Annabelle love your profile photo with George!! I just love how easy George makes quilting with that 20" space and I didn't have to learn a new way to quilt. Mary V when you are ready to think about a machine let me know as I'm an APQS dealer

I'd love to do more feathers but have to practice those more.. they are not what I do all the time so I have to do a practice one before I start.. hehe! 

Patsy Thompson has some great videos too.

I'm tried to teach Lefties hand blanket stitching in workshops.. I pretty much have to do it left handed (which is HARD) ... but we all learn!

[Sharon]

Guys! Left hand raised and waving here! All you really have to do to learn anything leftie is sit in FRONT of the demonstrater. Try it. Knitting, machine quilting. Can you turn your monitor upside down? I did mirror write in Kindergarten. YOu could hold my writing up to a mirror and read it perfectly. It made sens to me to start opposite to my hand b/c that's what the rightie teacher did. We lefties have to be crative living with all you righties. LOL

[KarenInTucson]

Lefties:  If you have a printer/scanner, many of them have a "mirror image" that you can scan or print anything mirrored.  That is what I use to make my templates for fusible if I want them to be in the same perspective as the original. 

Yes, also face the instructor.  Google, bing, yahoo may also help you to search for left handed YouTube videos, etc.

Hope this will help!

[madakamom]

I tried quilting with my DSM many years ago... total disaster!  I didn't know at the time that the feed dogs had to be covered or dropped!  When I started quilting again after moving here to TN I took my tops to the LQS to be quilted.  She let me try her gammill and I decided that longarm quilting was the way to go for me.  I started with a Pfaff Grandquilter on an Inspira frame and was just going to quilt for myself and a few close friends.  Mostly I used pantos and occasionally I did some free motion, but not much.  I enjoyed it so much I branched out and by word of mouth my bs. was started.  I saved my profits and 4.5 years later I've now gotten my Notling 20 inch and love it even more!  With more room to work I find freemotion quilting much easier and am starting to offer that to my customers.
hm

[Pat]

so glad you found what works for you...woot woot!!

[Sparker]

In reference to Leah Day...she is SOOO young--like 26...but she is GOOOODDD!  I met her at the North Carolina Quilt Symposium.  Pat--you met her too--she was Robbi Joy Eklow's "assistant" during Iron Quilter.  LOL  She also won best of show (I think) at the quilt show held at that event.  Anyway--she is doing a project through her website right now--something like 365 free motion quilt designs.  It's great!  She has a video every day showing something new.  Very cool, you should check it out...

[Pat]

She certainly decided to make machine quilting 'her thing'... I am going to be interviewing her soon!