Learning Curves

I don't know what the learning curve would be to becoming good on a long arm machine but I do know I'm not there yet! :) It's kinda hard when you don't own the machine you are trying to learn to use and it cost you money to rent one to practice on. Learning takes time....mistakes take more time....and time is money. Yesterday I went to quilt this beautiful top that was made for me by a friend (also named Cindy) in a swap I did last year. I decided to try an pantograph design with curves since I'm the worst at doing that. You can see the design I was following below:

The first half of each row looks the worst (my curves are flat topped) but by the end of the pass I do pretty good. See....this looks good, right?

But yesterday was not a good day for me and machine quilting. I stitched an entire pass before I noticed my bobbin thread had run out....so had to go back and do it over.....learning I better look up once in a while! My learning curve on that was non-existent cuz 2 passes later I find that the top thread had broke and I had to do another pass all over again. Jeepers, Cindy! The kicker was at the end when I noticed my backing fabric was too short! What? I'm always so careful....what the heck?.....where was my brain? Look....only 3 inches!!!! Another mistake that costs time.

I was so mad at myself! Sigh. I will have to go back next week (after I sew a strip to the back to make it the correct length) and finish. More money. At this rate I could have paid someone to do it for cheaper than it's gonna cost me.

If only I had my own long arm............if........! :)