quiltnutt

I have my longarm for about 5 yrs but have been quilting for oevr 20.
It takes lots of practice for free motion work,like featehrs and ruler work.

I do pantos also however my love is custom.
The best way to learn of get DVDs and longarm bboks. My favorite DVD is Kimmy Bruner for feathers.
The key is PPP and more PPP.

duckydo

quiltuniversity.com has some free tutorials on feathers. And I don't draw either but I did start using my scrap computer paper and when I am on the phone doodle. One thing that help was to draw one long curved spine then when you loop back to make the feather think half heart, half heart, say that on each loop and keep practicing. Or draw a straight verticle line and do half hearts on each side of that straight line. There are all kinds of feathers and if they don't look quite right just echo back around and it makes them look lots better. Good Luck Keep PPP

jgriinke

Sorry to say that it does take hours of practice. I've been at it for a few years and it takes patience and practice. Some days are better than others. The pajama quilter video is great. I bought that and the workbook.
Another thing that has helped me tons - is a sheet of plexiglass that fits between the rails on my frame. PUT TAPE ROUND THE EDGES FIRST. Ok, then, lay it on top of the quilt you are about to do. Start drawing with a visa ve marker or washable marker. Doodle on it. Use this plexiglass as a practice sheet. Drawing on that first helps with the hand eye coordination. Doing that has helped me lots.

Dianne1

Practice is the key. I have had my longarm about a year and a half and unless you really try -the darn thing intimidates you. Keep working with it, it will come. I also bought a Quiltazoid, you can google this, and like you I just have not gotten into it yet. Ny DH gave it to me for my birthday 5mnths ago. Guess I had better take my own advice.

dunster

I've had my longarm about a year now and my New Year's resolution is to challenge myself more and attempt new things with it. I'm in a rut, and I want to get out.

I find feathers incredibly easy, but maybe that's because I'm not fussy about how they turn out. My feathers may not look like anyone else's feathers, but they still make a nice statement on the quilt. I have not even tried a pantograph yet, because I don't think I want to work from the back of the frame. On the other hand I think I should try doing them, because if I decide to longarm as a business they would be a necessary part of that endeavor. I was afraid to try straight lines or SID (using a ruler) for the longest time, because I thought it would be hard. But guess what, I tried it and it was not that hard after all.

I think all of us wind up doing different things with our longarm machines, just as we wind up doing different things with our quilting. The main thing is, don't get stuck in a rut, unless you are really happy in that rut. If you are, no one says you have to get out of it. But if you want to be successful with new patterns or techniques, you will have to practice to get good at them, and you need to give yourself permission to be less than perfect while you're practicing. Now let's see if I can follow my own advice...

GladGrams

Whoa, and I thought the machine kind of did it all. Can see I would probably drive myself crazy with a LA machine. :-(

JJane

I have a longarm and have done over 50 quilts in the last two years. I have found practicing on a dry easrer board is a good way to help with pattern practice. Also if I have a pattern that is on a quilt that I like I can trace it will my finger over and over again then I can do it with the long arm.

sewwhat85

i couldnt master any thing great either

Shelley

Take a 12" ruler, attach a couple of handles facing upwards, and attach a pen facing downward, then draw. This is kind-of what it's like to run a longarm.

IndyQuilter

Think about doing a panto like driving a car. When driving a car your eyes aren't focused on the hood or the nose of the car, you have them focused down the road. It's the same with a panto. Don't focus on the spot where you laser light is shining, look ahead a bit to the next curve or point. It doesn't matter if you stay exactly on the line. When the quilt is off the machine you won't be able to see the little imperfections unless you lay the panto across the quilt. So who will know the difference? Take is easy on yourselves, it just takes practice.

I say it's just like making gravy. When I was first married I couldn't make gravy to save myself. It always came out lumpy. But, I kept trying and one day I made gravy and there were no lumps!! It just took practice. I'm sure all of you have had some experience like that, so don't get depressed and just keep practicing. (P.S. I still can't do feathers either, but just the other day I did notice that they are getting better.)