Wow, Conyers, Georgia, sure isn't near you -- but I sure wish it could be! Maybe Marcia, also from Georgia, I see, and I could "carpool". Sounds like a fun thing to be able to visit with you in your wonderful space.

Cute buns! How do you like your HQ Sixteen? Pros AND cons!! Starting to delve into the world of long arms. There are soooo many to choose from with sewwww many prices... ANybody else have a HOME long arm they like and would recommend. Thanks in advance! Would love to come sew with you but too far away in Washington. ROAD TRIP!!!! :D

Hi and welcome from Mass.

Hello from NW Calgary!!!
If only I was a little closer..... :(
I look forward to seeing your work. Please post pictures when you can.
Bonnie

I have yet to turn it on, okay I turned it on the HQ sixteen but don't have anything done yet to go on it. I am just going to load some stuff on it and do some practicing, My daughters 15th birthday is on Mon so I was hoping to get something done for then. I have the groovie boards for it and hope to be able to use them and do freehand as well. Practice, I need to practice lots. You never know. I do have pics of previous works, like ones from this summer, they are recently posted under pictures. I am hoping to be able to get some done here shortly, I am working on some custom embroidery for uniforms for my kids biathlon team. They should be done in the next day or two. I have to do some cleaning and sorting before delving in to deep, my cutting table has a corner of it showing where I have been hooping. The quilting table is also piled high with the uniforms etc. I figure in about 20 years I should be organized and all of the, I lost my round tuit that my mom gave me and I blame it all on that.

Hi form Florida. I have belonged to our American Sewing Guild for the past twenty years. We cover central FL and for convenience, meet in smaller neighborhood groups. There's nothing like sewing with friends. And boy, do you learn a lot. Do you have a local newspaper? Maybe you can put an article in there. Or try a note up on the local market bulletin board. You'd be surprised how quickly others will want to join you. Let us know if you have any luck.

Check out the quilt shop in st albert. It's fabulous and the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. I will be back in edmonton at the end of March and can hardly wait to go there again! There's also a great one in southern Edmonton but I haven't been to that one yet. Hear that it is great too. Have fun.

Sounds wonderful. Hope you find a quilting buddy or two. I have my sis and sometimes a friend comes over. Makes it nice.
Welcome to the board.

I am hoping to find one or two. I am going to try a couple of the suggestions. We will see if it works, I am hopeful anyway. It will encourage me to get some of it cleaned up and stuff. I have been procrastinating on some if it. Just hoping I think that it will do itself.

May I suggest something to you. It would probably be very beneficial for you to take a beginner's course first, even though you have quilted on your own before. In the beginner's class you will learn the basics that will give you a good foundation. And then you can go on from there. (Also, since you are shy and probably lack confidence, being in a class that is not a complete "foreign language" to you, will build up your confidence and make you feel more comfortable.)

I'm a shy person too, but I've found a way to ease myself into a group or class that really works for me. When I register for a class or event, I get there early -- sometimes I'm the first one to arrive. That way I get to meet the teacher/presenter one on one. Usually I "apologize" for being early and that helps break the ice. It's much more comfortable to meet the others as they trickle in. This may sound silly, but it works for me. Try it at least once and see how it's not so bad. The fun you have and the things you learn far ourweigh your lack of confidence and your shyness. Good luck and happy quilting.