2015 Plan Update!

Well it is over half way in 2015, so I would like to post a update on my yearly goals for Quilting Affection.

1st Goal - First, now that I have a few patterns published, and many more planned for 2015.  I would like to get them out to the stores.  So one of my main focuses is to advertising my patterns so that quilt stores will start carrying them.  We started some advertising back in 2014, going shop to shop showing examples in California, they loved the patterns, but it was the wrong time of year.  So hopefully 2015 will be the break out year for our patterns.

How we doing: As of April this year we were excepted by our first distributor - QuiltWoman.com.  Which is great we are starting to see a couple of the patterns be sold to the stores.  QuiltWoman is now printing all the patterns for us. In May, we were at Spring Quilt Market, we past out catalogs to different distributors at the show.  This fall we will be able to display our finished Quilts in a small booth with the Quilt Woman group at the Fall Quilt Market in Houston.  We are busy getting some brand new and exciting patterns ready for this Fall.  Middle July, I will be attending QuiltWoman first annual Designers retreat near Rochester, New York, it will give me a chance to learn more about the business and to network with other Designers.

2nd Goal - Patterns - I hope to have at least one pattern published every other month and for sale on my website.  I have patterns under development as I type this, and many patterns in my head ready to put to paper.

How we doing: Well we are not getting patterns out every month, we have decided to slow down and get the them done right.  I have at least 2 patterns that will be out by the end of the month.  As for putting them on the website, we have decided that we would let QuiltWoman.com sell our patterns for us.  If needed we can eventually, add them back on the website.  With QuiltWoman you don't have to be a Wholesale business to buy the patterns. They sell to individuals as well and they don't have a minimum number of patterns you have to order.

3rd Goal -  One of my weakness that I would like to strengthen this year is increasing my expertise with my APQS Long Arm Quilt Path Computer.  A year ago there was no training for this computer, but now there is.  So, this year I plan to take some classes and study online tutorials to strengthen my skills so I feel more confident at my long arm.

How we doing: 

In April, I attended the APQS longarm Quilt Path class in Raleigh, North Carolina. The 3 day class was so worth it.  I learned so much, on the Software that I was able to come home and start putting it all to work on various quilts.   I learned how to setup Pantographs, Custom Quilt a Quilt, Make my own designs. As what made this class special was the friends I made. It was nice to talk to them about the business and learn about different experiences.

4th Goal - I also plan to blog more, adding such things of how sales are going with the store, what is under development, and other quilting related items.

5th Goal - Finally, I want to learn how to use my social media pages, to get the most out of them. In the mean time I plan on adding more posts to my social media pages, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+.
 
How we doing: Ok, I have to say that on goals 4 and 5 have been lacking in the first half of the year.  I hope to get back to blogging more now that I have moved my blog back to blogger.  I think the Social Media will take sometime.

 

Playing with a new toy!

I realized this morning that I need to get a blog post in since I have not done one in a couple days.  Well I have been pretty busy since Friday with my youngest home from the Air Force technical school before he leave for his next duty station in Colorado and my father in law is also in town from California. So we have been having fun catching up.

My highlight is that I received a nice present from the UPS man.  I got my new Quilt Path Computer for my APQS Millennium.  So Friday morning my husband and I spent the morning installing it on my Millie.  Now, I have been learning how to use it and there is a learning curve, but each day I have mastered a couple of new things. The first thing I sewed out was a pantograph, that was so cool to watch.  Then I did some simple blocks. 

Yesterday I learned how to how to set up for borders, and sew them out.  Today, I hope to learn how to add new designs and use them.  So far I love my Quilt Path.

Hope you all having a great weekend!

Tina

Playing with a new toy!

I realized this morning that I need to get a blog post in since I have not done one in a couple days.  Well I have been pretty busy since Friday with my youngest home from the Air Force technical school before he leave for his next duty station in Colorado and my father in law is also in town from California. So we have been having fun catching up.

My highlight is that I received a nice present from the UPS man.  I got my new Quilt Path Computer for my APQS Millennium.  So Friday morning my husband and I spent the morning installing it on my Millie.  Now, I have been learning how to use it and there is a learning curve, but each day I have mastered a couple of new things. The first thing I sewed out was a pantograph, that was so cool to watch.  Then I did some simple blocks. 

Yesterday I learned how to how to set up for borders, and sew them out.  Today, I hope to learn how to add new designs and use them.  So far I love my Quilt Path.

Hope you all having a great weekend!

Tina

Hartley Perfect Circle

On Tuesday afternoon, toward the end of the lesson with Myrna Ficken, she showed me the neatest tool for the APQS Longarm that makes the perfect circle.  Myrna has the perfect circle maker. 

The circle maker sets on the back of the machine, its like your machine becomes a big compass, but you are not using a pencil to draw the lines, instead you are using your needle and thread.

With this tool it allows you make all kinds of circles and arches.  She showed me how to do make baptist fans.  She did the first set, and had me try the others. It was much easier to make the circles than using a ruler, and much fastest and more accurate on the spacing.  Once you get use to the starting and stopping of each of the lines you get into a rhythm and it is fun and fast to make them.  

Defiantly, fell in love with the perfect circle, have to investigate it more and maybe getting one for myself.

Tina

Hartley Perfect Circle

On Tuesday afternoon, toward the end of the lesson with Myrna Ficken, she showed me the neatest tool for the APQS Longarm that makes the perfect circle.  Myrna has the perfect circle maker. 

The circle maker sets on the back of the machine, its like your machine becomes a big compass, but you are not using a pencil to draw the lines, instead you are using your needle and thread.

With this tool it allows you make all kinds of circles and arches.  She showed me how to do make baptist fans.  She did the first set, and had me try the others. It was much easier to make the circles than using a ruler, and much fastest and more accurate on the spacing.  Once you get use to the starting and stopping of each of the lines you get into a rhythm and it is fun and fast to make them.  

Defiantly, fell in love with the perfect circle, have to investigate it more and maybe getting one for myself.

Tina

APQS Training

When I bought my APQS Millennium, it came with a free one day beginning training class. So Today I had my class with my local APQS Representative and Educator, Myna Flicken. 

The class was broken up into two parts.  The first half was on the business side of longarm quilting.  She discuss what it takes to start and run the business, also where to get supplies, such as batting, thread, and other notions.  There was a lot of great information in the first half of the day.

sampler

After lunch, we moved down to the her studio, and started right away on learning the basics of the machine, such as maintenance, and tension.  She showed us how to load a quilt on the table.  We went over the setup and using pantograph.  Then we moved the laser light to the front of the machine and learned how to use it with templates. Next we move on to using rulers, she also demonstrated how to use the Harley Fence, a nice accessory for the APQS machine that makes great circles and arches.  

I came home with the fabric samples of everything we worked with today.  It was a great day of learning, and look forward to practicing these new skills on Millie.



Tina

APQS Training

When I bought my APQS Millennium, it came with a free one day beginning training class. So Today I had my class with my local APQS Representative and Educator, Myna Flicken. 

The class was broken up into two parts.  The first half was on the business side of longarm quilting.  She discuss what it takes to start and run the business, also where to get supplies, such as batting, thread, and other notions.  There was a lot of great information in the first half of the day.

sampler

After lunch, we moved down to the her studio, and started right away on learning the basics of the machine, such as maintenance, and tension.  She showed us how to load a quilt on the table.  We went over the setup and using pantograph.  Then we moved the laser light to the front of the machine and learned how to use it with templates. Next we move on to using rulers, she also demonstrated how to use the Harley Fence, a nice accessory for the APQS machine that makes great circles and arches.  

I came home with the fabric samples of everything we worked with today.  It was a great day of learning, and look forward to practicing these new skills on Millie.



Tina

Saturday Fun!

My new APQS Millennium Machine

Well for a Saturday it has been a busy and fun day.   This afternoon, I had a great lunch with my husband and oldest son, Patrick.  Then my husband and I ran out for a couple things at Lowes, and Hancock Fabrics, due to the fact I could not get what I was looking for at Micheal's.  I just got home, so I can write this blog.  Ok, you are probably thinking what did she do this morning, well let me tell you.

This morning a little after 9am, Myrna Finch, the local APQS Representative, and the owner of a Professional Quilting business, called A Quilter's Choice,   came to the house, and set up my beautiful APQS ongarm, Millie. After she arrived, we started right away opening all 7 boxes, to find all the hardware and things needed for the assembly.  When we opened Millie's box, we found her all wrapped up with a nice red bow, that was so cool.  Then, we started assembly of the tabletop.  Once that was done we added the table legs to the tabletop.  After they were attached and secured the table was complete. We added the pantograph board across the top of the table, and began the process of adding Millie to the table and  adding the new bliss system to the carriage. Now it was time to slide Millie out of her box, carefully.   After we pulled here out, Myrna noticed that the tension thread assembly was broken off.  So on Monday was are going to call APQS to have them ship us a brand new one.  After that little shock, we continued to add all 4 rails posts to the table. Then she and my husband leveled the table to my height.  

After it was all level she added the auto advance system and the break to the rails.  Then she showed us how to get started with the machine.  So when my new tension assembly comes, I can load some fabric and start playing and practicing.   Myna was so nice and very helpfully in answering our questions.  Can't wait to start using her, then next month  I get my free class with Myna in her studio. In the mean time I will be writing down any questions that I have.


So if anyone that has a longarm machine, has any suggestions or pointers for me please feel free to comment below.


Tina

Saturday Fun!

My new APQS Millennium Machine

Well for a Saturday it has been a busy and fun day.   This afternoon, I had a great lunch with my husband and oldest son, Patrick.  Then my husband and I ran out for a couple things at Lowes, and Hancock Fabrics, due to the fact I could not get what I was looking for at Micheal's.  I just got home, so I can write this blog.  Ok, you are probably thinking what did she do this morning, well let me tell you.

This morning a little after 9am, Myrna Finch, the local APQS Representative, and the owner of a Professional Quilting business, called A Quilter's Choice,   came to the house, and set up my beautiful APQS ongarm, Millie. After she arrived, we started right away opening all 7 boxes, to find all the hardware and things needed for the assembly.  When we opened Millie's box, we found her all wrapped up with a nice red bow, that was so cool.  Then, we started assembly of the tabletop.  Once that was done we added the table legs to the tabletop.  After they were attached and secured the table was complete. We added the pantograph board across the top of the table, and began the process of adding Millie to the table and  adding the new bliss system to the carriage. Now it was time to slide Millie out of her box, carefully.   After we pulled here out, Myrna noticed that the tension thread assembly was broken off.  So on Monday was are going to call APQS to have them ship us a brand new one.  After that little shock, we continued to add all 4 rails posts to the table. Then she and my husband leveled the table to my height.  

After it was all level she added the auto advance system and the break to the rails.  Then she showed us how to get started with the machine.  So when my new tension assembly comes, I can load some fabric and start playing and practicing.   Myna was so nice and very helpfully in answering our questions.  Can't wait to start using her, then next month  I get my free class with Myna in her studio. In the mean time I will be writing down any questions that I have.


So if anyone that has a longarm machine, has any suggestions or pointers for me please feel free to comment below.


Tina

Millie has Arrived

Yesterday was an exciting day for me, I finally received my APQS Millennium.   Around 3:30pm an 18 wheeler came down the street and parked in front of the house.  With the help of my husband and the driver of the truck, the 7 boxes were unloaded.  

Afterward we called our local APQS Representative, and it looks she will be able to help us set it up on Saturday.  I really can't wait for the machine to be setup so I can start practicing quilting on this machine. 

Do you own a Longarm? If so which one do you have and what are your thoughts on using it?

Tina

Millie has Arrived

Yesterday was an exciting day for me, I finally received my APQS Millennium.   Around 3:30pm an 18 wheeler came down the street and parked in front of the house.  With the help of my husband and the driver of the truck, the 7 boxes were unloaded.  

Afterward we called our local APQS Representative, and it looks she will be able to help us set it up on Saturday.  I really can't wait for the machine to be setup so I can start practicing quilting on this machine. 

Do you own a Longarm? If so which one do you have and what are your thoughts on using it?

Tina