Newbie to Longarm Quilting

I have become addicted to watching the video tutorials from MSQC and have just completed a few projects that I learned from there! Just finally discovered this forum after ordering some fabric from them last week.

So....here's my big question that I haven't quite found anywhere. Last year I took the plunge and bought my very first Longarm Quilting machine. It's a Queen Quilter 18 (or something like that!). It sat in the boxes for about 8 months until I finally cleared enough room in my loft to set it up. After a long 8 hour day we finally got it set up and leveled.

I've been sewing and quilting for nearly 40 years now, so I'm not new to quilting, just the longarm machine. My regular sewing machine came with a beautiful book with color pictures of everything from threading the machine, to how to sew in zippers and use all of the great stitches available. It also came with several trouble-shooting lists of what to check for. My beautiful new EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE machine came with a 15 page stapled together black and white hand-out that basically tells me nothing! I'm so frustrated! It shows a picture of where to put machine oil into a spot on the throat that doesn't exist. I have no clue how much oil to add, nor do I find the dip-stick it tells me to check. The pictures on how to thread the machine are not close-up pics, so I don't know if I'm doing that right. Directions for inserting the bobbin do not tell which way the thread should be going. The machine does not seem to glide smoothly across the conduit pipes. Can I wax the pipes at all? My thread breaks constantly. I bought good thread. It skips stitches a lot. From what I've read, that means that the tracking device is not properly reading that the machine is moving. How do I fix that? The thread is loopy on the bottom. I read that this indicates my top tension needs adjusting. I haven't been able to get it just right yet. Finally I decided that maybe I should change out the needle. I read some directions that indicated exactly which side needed to be facing away from me. Now....my machine won't even work. The motor just buzzes and the needle won't go down.

Besides taking Xanax, does anyone have any advice for me? I would gladly pay someone to come to my house to help me get it all set up and teach me how to use it, but I don't know of any Longarm dealers in the Dallas area. I ordered my machine from a place in California.

The last time I truly felt inept at sewing was when I was 8 years old and trying to hand-stitch together scraps of fabric to make clothes for my barbie doll. Every time I look at my machine I feel like that 8 year old once again.

Soooooooooo frustrated! Thanks in advance for ANY advice and help!

Debbie, I am so sorry that this isn't working for you. Have you looked on the internet for a website for the machine? There HAS to be some information out there someplace. Good luck to you. Let us know how things turn out.

Debbie, I know nothing about your machine but am so sorry you are having so much trouble with it. Have you checked for dealers in your area that might be willing to help you out or have a better manual for you? I would not put wax on the poles as that might come off on the encoders and gum them up. I had a problem with my machine skipping stitches and found that cleaning the poles with alcohol fixed the problem.

Best of luck.

Debbie, first of all, thanks for joining us here and WELCOME to the best quilting forum around. I feel all your frustrations because my Li'l Sis and I bought a machine together (not the same as yours) and for the first six or seven months had nothing but troubles - most of them the same as what you are describing. We finally had our machine sent back to the factory and they discovered that one of the lead wires to the computer was faulty. They also replaced the encoders and now it is humming along. I would do some internet searches and don't give up. Contact the place where you bought the machine and see if they can give you some advice and suggestions. I do know if you are out of level or if there is dust or lint on your rails that could definitely interfere with your stitches.

Give us some more detail about the brand of quilter, what computer you have, and what frame. We also have a group here (check at the top of the page in the blue banner to locate the groups) and there are several knowledgeable people who may be able to help you out. One way or the other you will be up and quilting your little heart out . . . hopefully soon!!

Hi and welcome to the forum :)

Sorry you're having so many problems..I don't know anything about long arm quilting...but I did find this site, your machine might be made by Tin Lizzie http://tinlizzie18.com/ you might be able to go from here and find something to help you. Good luck!

Check out your local library and see if they have the book The Ultimate Guide to LongArm Machine Quilting by Linda Taylor. I have found it to be helpful and informative. I have an old style long arm inherited from my mom, but have not gotten proficient at it yet. Still scared! This was a summer goal....to get it up and going! Good luck. I feel your frustration!

Don't know anything about your machine, but welcome to the forum from Missouri.

You might do a search on YouTube for videos relating to your machine that are available online. There are videos there for about anything I need to know about my HQ.

Maybe this will help. It's the manual for a Queen Quilter. If it's the one for your machine you can print it.

http://www.empress18.com/New_Manual_...en_Quilter.pdf

My Pfaff is a Tin Lizzie machine, as are the Viking Husquavarna machines. I got a lot of information from the Husky website, because my 15 page stapled together instruction didn't help Me much. I bought a DVD called "i've got a longarm and am not afraid to use it" that is very good. I"ll look up the link and post it. I bought a machine in April and it isn't plugged in yet, so you are farther ahead than I am!

This information is from Denis, he is very knowledgable and has a lot of experience and good advice on long arm quilting. He gave me this link and I got the DVD.

If you don't have any, I recommend you get some instructional DVDs. I think you'd really like the DVDs by Mindy Wylie (formerly Caspersen). She has some amazing Dvds for beginner quilters. Her site is www.atqsales.com .
Her first DVD is called "I have a longarm and I"m not afraid to use it". She uses a Nolting Funquilter in her videos as she used to be a Nolting dealer. This DVD is great for starters. her second one is caller "Longarmed and Fabulous". Another great video. Her last one expands on the first 2 and introduces you to templates "T-N-T; templates and techniques".

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Originally Posted by Pattycake

Maybe this will help. It's the manual for a Queen Quilter. If it's the one for your machine you can print it.

http://www.empress18.com/New_Manual_...en_Quilter.pdf

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Patty, thank you for this link. I need to get more ink for my printer first, but this looks promising. It looks very similar to my machine, but there are a few differences. On page 9 it shows the place on the throat area to check the oil with the dipstick. That's in my instructions as well, but mine doesn't have that.

Here's a number to call to find the dealer nearest you.

1-888-784-5818

Did your dealer not offer any training at all? That bugs me when manufacturers of these machines, whether it's a $2000 hobby machine or a $20,000 professional machine, allow their machines to be sold by fly by night businesses like sew and vac centres and such where there is no trained or qualified technician or even quilter on hand to guide you.

You received some contact info above and other info. I hope you can get the help you're looking for. I have a Hinterberg Voyager which is similar to the machine you have so I may be able to help you somewhat.

My frame uses the conduit poles as well and it moves smoothly and effortlessly. I'm not sure why your carriage isn't working this well.

If you can't get a hold of the folks at TinLizzie or a dealer near you, I recommend you contact Carrie Duggan at Quilt Frog. She is located in Spring TX (north of Houston). She is an experienced quliter and is a dealer for many manufaturers. I know she dealt with Nolting/Hinterberg, ABM International, Handyquilter to name a few. I thought she sold TinLizzie machines but I don't see them on her site. I know she can help anyway. She has training classes available and I'm sure you can bring your machine down to her to look at it. You might even be able to bring your frame so she can see what is wrong with your poles. You're about a 4 hour drive. She provides lodging for students at her quilting school.

this is her site:

http://www.quiltfrog.com/

Hi...I just found this thread and wanted to comment on your purchase of the queen quilter...I also ordered a tin Lizzie a few years ago but the California co. sent me the queen quilter and I realized that the manual does not match the machine. It is the tin Lizzie manual. I figured out that the threading of the upper thread was wrong and so that's why the skipped stitches and thread breaking all the time. Also, the machine is very picky about thread. My machine does not like the expensive thread like king tut so I only use signature thread. The machine also does not like cheap fabric. I had to raise the presser foot because she doesn't go well over seams when you follow the recommendations of the manual. But!!!! Now that I figured everything out, she is a joy to operate.
Hope this helps someone out there!

http://www.queenquilter18.com/Queen_...s_09-04-09.pdf

I found this but it looks like it is the manual for setting up the frame. What machine sits upon your frame?

Oh it looks like I found the machine, just for the sit down model is all. Maybe this will help you out.
http://www.queenquilter18.com/New_Ma...wn_Machine.pdf

I also recommend the quiltfrog.com or they also go by texasquiltmachines. Tom and Carrie have lots of knowledge and sell various brands. I purchased my TinLizzie ESP from them last year. Purchase included a 2 day class on the machines. Even if you didn't buy from them, I think it may be around $200 for the class. Tom does part of the class on maintenance and tension, and Carrie teaches the quilting. They are my favorite shop in the area. Hope this helps you.