quiltingshorttimer

You might find some actual hands-on classes at big quilting shows. Last year I took the best classes at the Original Sewing Expo. Many brands have FB or yahoo groups and google machine quilting guilds in your area. Check out some long arm books and put a practice piece of fabric and just get starte.

Pam S

Gammil, APQS and HQ all have videos on the internet that cover everything from loading a quilt to simple maintenance. Then, when you get comfortable with your LA, there are lots of people on Youtube showing how to do various designs. My favorites overall are the APQS videos on Youtube - they have a bunch - and Judy Madsen (Green Fairy). Then, like a lot of people said, practice on charity quilts or inexpensive quilts tops you find at yard sales. Once you overcome your fear of the LA (and after all, it's just a big sewing machine), you'll have fun with it.

heyjami

I took a class for the Gammill at the local quilt shop. It got me started with the basics. They rent that thing by the hour so they require this class first.
Good luck!

oldtnquiltinglady

Jump right in there and do it, do it, do it. If you had the heart to buy a long arm, you must have figured you would be able to use it. This, from one who has had a Gammill Classic since 2008, and have only this year started to quilt on it--my son has been the one who used it up to now and has moved to another city, and I can't get him over here to do my quilts for me. So, I have started using it myself; and love it. It is a dream to use; a little finicky tension wise, but I guess that's peculiar to the Gammill; I am getting used to it and have made five really pretty quilts since May.

Good luck.

JustAbitCrazy

There are also lots of great instructional dvd's available to buy. Very helpful. Go for it!

PlanoDebbie

Definitely search youtube for some basic longarm videos. You want to look for ones that tell you how to change the needle, thread the machine, oil it, etc. I learned how to sew on a regular machine when I was about 10, so I figured with my many years of sewing that using a longarm would be easy.

WRONG!

The directions that came with my machine were about a dozen sheets of xeroxed instructions just stapled together. The pictures were small and hard to see any details. Youtube has become my best friend. I have taken lots of notes on how to do the basics. After 2 years, I still consider myself just a notch above a beginner. I kept telling my husband that I just want to quilt, but with a longarm you also need to be a mechanic to understand everything.

Peckish

Yahoo Groups has a group for just about every model machine. The groups have members who own, use, and repair those machines, and are a wealth of information just waiting to be tapped. Use a search engine, include the name of your machine and the words "yahoo groups" and you will likely find a group.