The Insider Secrets to Long Arm Quilting Machines and Long Arm Quilters

As you start your quilting journey as a beginner quilter you will be excited about your different quilts and will probably get them finished. You will do the quilting yourself until you realize there must be an easier way. There is and it's called longarm quilting.

Ask your friends who they like for the quilting, ask if they have great long arm quilting patterns. The pattern is what sets off your quilt and you want someone has wonderful ones or is not hesitant about finding new ones for you.

When you take your quilt to the long arm quilter you might ask to see the quilting machine. It is really pretty interesting to see how large this machine is and what it can do. In many places it is tucked in garage or a large guest bedroom. Your long arm quilter will have samples of their work and possibly a book of patterns that you can review.

Pantograph

This refers to all over quilting, even on the borders “edge to edge” quilting. The quilter will use a variety of methods to get this design. They will have templates that are made of acrylic, wood or paper. A laser or stylus follows the templates.

The machine quilter can also have a computer program that reads the long arm quilting patterns and will quilt from left to right and is an all over quilting design.

Free Hand Quilting

Some long arm quilters are wonderful artists and don’t use a computer or templates, but quilt free hand. You will definitely want to look at their previous work. You might fall in love or out of love with their work.

You want to ask her what she would do with your quilt, if she has great ideas and you like her work, go for it. If you don’t like the ideas she has, stick to the pantograph.

Stitch-In-The-Ditch

This one of the hardest stitches for a long arm quilting machine, it is free hand so you have to follow the seams and edges. Sometimes you can do better on your home machine with this stitch. Definitely make sure to get examples of this work, you don’t want to be disappointed. You can expect to pay a higher amount for this type of quilting.

Outline and Shadow Curve QuiltingOutline stitching is exactly what it sounds like, it is stitched about ¼” inch around the focal point and then shadow curve just follows that stitching line about ¼” inch apart to the edge. This will really make the focal point stand out.

Stipple

Stipple is a stitch that looks like it is jigsaw pieces. This can be large or small. The lines sometimes cross, but mostly don’t.

Meandering

Pretty much anything goes here. It could be loops, connected to stipple, swirls. It is a very free form quilting pattern and it can be beautiful.

Before you leave the long arm quilter have a few things understood:

1) What is your design going to be?

2) What kind and color of thread will be used?

3) Will the quilter bind your quilt or leave raw edges?

4) Ask to get a copy of the work order or have it emailed to you.

5) Cost - what is your budget and what is the estimate?

6) References – ask for some before you have the quilter start the stitching and call the references. You want to find out what their experiences have been.

Long arm quilting can really free you up to create some wonderful quilts. Just don't let them pile up to long before taking them to the quilter!

If you would like to attempt machine quilting at home click here