There's nothing quite like spending a day surrounded by people who love quilting as much as you do and I recently had the pleasure of doing just that at Pinhole Quilting!
I headed off for a day of longarm quilting training, excited to learn some new skills, build my confidence and hopefully pick up a few tricks to bring back to my own studio. And I certainly wasn't disappointed!
I've put together a vlog of the day, so if you'd like to see some of the demonstrations, the machine in action and a little glimpse behind the scenes, you can watch it below.
Getting to grips with the longarm
The training day gave me the opportunity to spend time working on a Handi Quilter Amara mounted on a Loft frame at Pinhole Quilting.
I already have my own Handi Quilter Simply Sixteen, so it was lovely to get some hands-on experience with a different machine and learn more about the technical side of longarm quilting.
We covered lots of the important basics, including how to set bobbin tension, choosing the right needles for different projects and understanding threads. We also learnt how to load a quilting frame correctly using the leaders and enders.
These might sound like fairly straightforward things, but getting the fundamentals right makes such a difference to the finished quilt. It's one thing to sit behind a longarm and start stitching, but understanding how everything works together is what really helps you get better results.
Learning new techniques
One of my favourite parts of the day was watching the demonstrations from our specialist tutor, Carolyn.
We explored different free-motion quilting techniques, using rulers and guides to create different shapes and designs, and got to see some of the additional accessories available for longarm machines.
Liz demonstrated the couching feet, square foot and a variety of free-motion techniques. It was fascinating to see how much you can achieve with different feet and accessories, and how they can open up so many creative possibilities.
The ruler work demonstrations were particularly useful and I came away with plenty of ideas for things I'd like to practise on my own machine.
Carolyn was incredibly knowledgeable, and being able to watch her demonstrate techniques and explain the little details was invaluable. Sometimes seeing something done in person makes all the difference compared to watching a video or trying to work it out yourself!
A very special new addition to the studio!
Of course, I couldn't visit Pinhole Quilting without coming home with a few new goodies!
One of the biggest surprises was coming home with the Little Buddy frame upgrade for my own Little Foot frame. And this wasn't just any purchase, my dad very kindly bought it for me!
I really do have the best dad ever. He's always so supportive of my quilting business and my rather growing collection of quilting equipment and I'm incredibly grateful.
The Little Buddy is going to be a fantastic upgrade to my existing setup and I can't wait to get it installed in the studio and start making the most of it.
I also picked up some new thread and a long straight ruler, which will be really useful for practising my ruler work and creating those lovely straight quilting lines.
All in all, I came home with some lovely new goodies, lots of inspiration and plenty of things to practise. Thank you, Dad!
A little setback, but a wonderful day nonetheless
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to spend quite as much time practising on the longarm as I would have liked.
I'd sprained my foot before the training day, so I was having to take regular breaks and rest throughout the day. Even with a saddle stool available, being on my feet and moving around wasn't particularly comfortable.
It was frustrating not being able to make the most of every opportunity to practise, especially when there was so much to learn, but I'm glad I still went.
Sometimes you just have to work around what your body allows you to do and I still managed to take away so much from the experience.
Thank you, Pinhole Quilting!
One of the best parts of the day was the people.
I had such a lovely time meeting other quilters, chatting about our projects and sharing our experiences. There's something really special about being in a room full of people who understand your enthusiasm for quilting!
A huge thank you to Liz and Pete, who run Pinhole Quilting, for making us feel so welcome. They're both absolutely lovely, and it's clear how much passion they have for what they do.
And of course, a massive thank you to Carolyn for sharing her knowledge, answering our questions and giving us such brilliant demonstrations. I learnt so much from her and her demonstrations were invaluable.
What's next for my longarm quilting journey?
I came away from the day feeling inspired, excited and with a rather long list of things I want to practise!
Having my own longarm machine is still a learning journey, and I think it's important to keep investing in my skills and knowledge. I want to be able to make the most of my Handi Quilter Simply Sixteen, experiment with different techniques and continue developing my free-motion quilting.
I'm particularly keen to practise my ruler work, explore some of the different feet and accessories and get more confident with creating different quilting designs.
I thoroughly enjoyed the day and I'm already looking forward to going back to Pinhole Quilting for more classes.
There's always something new to learn and I'm very much looking forward to seeing where this quilting journey takes me!
Have you been on a longarm quilting course? I'd love to hear what you've learnt and which techniques you enjoy using most. Leave me a comment below!
Fancy joining me for a day of quilting?
I have two upcoming Saturday workshops, Free-Motion Quilted Letters on 7th November and Stitch Bunny Pincushions on 14th November. Both workshops run from 10am to 4pm, include all materials and tuition and cost £50 per person.
There are just four places available on each workshop, so if you'd like to spend a day sewing, learning new skills and meeting fellow creatives, head to my website to find out more and book your place.
Click here to explore my upcoming workshops, online classes, quilting supplies and more.
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As always if you have any questions about anything or want me to make something in particular in my videos, please let me know.
