Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Blogspot Post #350


WooHoo, I had to share that this is my 350th post on my blog. I think I need to have a party to celebrate.

I hope that you all enjoy reading my blog as much as I love sharing my world with you.

3 comments:

Kathleen said...

350 posts that is a whole lot of inspiration! I love reading your blog...i just wish i knew why your posts do show up on my reader...its weird

oh btw i checked the subscribe by atom on the next post and it went to flickr...something weird is going on with your blog...lots of people might be missing out on your great posts for some weird reason!

chrisee said...

Congratulations on your 350th! I sure am enjoying reading your blog...I am about halfway through your postings...I 'found' you on the APQS Forum....GREAT place as I am researching LA's.....just wondering why you chose a Gamill and very interested to see that you are on the countdown to your Intelliquilter's arrival. Up till now, have you free handed and pantographed your MANY quilts. Why the change now to the IQuilter?
Would you suggest doing as you have done, or purchase the package at the start? I would really appreciate your opinion

Ramona-quilter said...

Hi Chrisee,
Thank you for that wonderful comment. I am so happy that you enjoy my blog.
Now about longarm. My first 2 machines were old APQS Ultimate I, they are work horses. i had figured out that I could tolerate stand-up to quilt. I sold the first and bought the second and later had Intellistitch retrofitted on it for about $3k. That is when I started my quilting business. Then a year and a half later I wanted a new machine. I bought what was best for me and you show try them all. I wanted perfect stitch quality and a big quilting area (I am almost 6 ft tall so have long arms (no pun intended LOL)). For me, both the APQS Millie and the Gammill have great stitch quality. The Gammill has a 30 inch throat whereas the Millie is only 26.
I practiced for almost a year before starting my biz. I did a lot of pantos, went to quilt shows, took many classes (50 longarm classes so far), and practiced and tried new things. I developed a nice portfolio of freemotion for some of my budget-minded clients; that's where those classes paid off. MQS, $30 class to learn a technique (no hands-on) and just practiced until I mastered it. I built a customer base quicker than I expected.
I do a lot of custom and freemotion now and very few pantos.
I wanted the IQ to record some of my freemo and some of my block work (mistakes and all) and then use those patterns along with the 200 or so that come with IQ to do customer quilts.
If you are asking my opinion, and I surely have lots, (LOL) about whether you should buy the machine and the computer at the same time, I would say NO. I have seen folks that buy the computerized quilters that never really learn how to quilt without the computer. Sad, really, because it is so fulfilling to take whats in your brain and use your arms to put those ideas onto fabric.
One last thing, try all the machines, not just the ones that hype in the magazines with big color ads. Drive all of them, find one that fits your body, that feels good to you. I have noticed that a lot of people 5'8" and under like the A-1, it is smaller and fits them and the machine is wonderful. My neighbor recently bought a Tin Lizzie. I was amazed at it's workmanship. So shop around, go to shows and test drive the machine. I love to quilt. Good luck.

My life has changed in the last couple of years - some bumps, I retired from quilting, and then I moved to Texas. I'm anxious to see what new adventures await me in the next phase of my life.

About Me

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Ramona, California, United States
I started quilting when a quilt shop opened in our little town in January 2004. I have been hooked ever since.

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  • The Help (Kindle)
  • The Appeal by John Grisham
  • Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
  • Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
  • To Kill a Mockingbird (again) by Harper Lee
  • Bleachers by John Grisham

This is called Fruit Cocktail

This is called Fruit Cocktail
It is all batiks