July 27th – 30th, 2022

Everyone can learn something new in this basic class – whether you’ve only pieced quilt tops or have finished a whole stack of quilts. Prepping your quilt top properly, choosing and marking designs on your quilt, and selecting batting and backings will all be covered in this class. Threads, needles, tension, and their relationship to finishing quilts will be discussed. Bring one of your finished quilt tops, if you like, to explore different design ideas for your quilt.

Day 1 | Morning Class

Longarm Machine Quilting Basics

Does longarm quilting interest you, and you’d like to learn more about it? Or do you just want a review of longarm quilting basics? This class removes the mystery of longarm quilting by explaining machine and frame elements and features, how to load a quilt, and vital facts about thread, needles and tension. Handi Quilter longarm machine and frame systems come in various sizes for every budget, and are user-friendly because they are designed by a quilter, for quilters – just like you!

Objective: Learn skills that will help you manages your long-arm machine with confidence

Topics Include:

• Basic machine and frame elements and features
• Bobbins, tension, needles and thread
• How to load a quilt onto a frame
• Quilting with Groovy Boards and pantographs
• Rulers, Adjustable and Micro Handles, and basic free-motion

Day 1 | Afternoon Class

Fast, Fun, Fabulous Free-Motion

Quilters everywhere love the excitement and fun of free-motion quilting – and it’s easier than you think! Create flowing designs by connecting simple design elements with continuous lines, traveling across the quilt or filling in a specific area. Learn how drawing and muscle memory contribute to beautiful free-motion quilting, and how you can create stunning designs.

Objective: Learn to create free motion designs that can be used to finish any quilt.

Topics Include:

• How to develop an inventory of free-motion designs
• Proper scaling and spacing of design elements
• Edge-to-edge free-motion quilting
• Adjusting your quilting path to create your own new designs
• Using Micro Handles and adjustable handlebars for free-motion control

Day 2 | Morning Class

Introduction to Pro-Stitcher Hands On

Pro-Stitcher is an intuitive computer-guided quilting system designed especially for use with Handi Quilter longarm quilting machines. User-friendly and simple to operate, the step-by-step process for each function is easy and fun. Whether finishing your own quilts or considering a quilting business, come see the elegant and precise quilting you can accomplish with Pro-Stitcher. New owners – start here!

Objective: Students will set up a design in an area and quilt it and set up an edge to edge design and learn the basics of advancing and repositioning designs

Topics Include:

• Basic overview of how to use Pro-Stitcher
• Create an area and place a block using Skew, Resize, Xform or Align
• Use the modify tools to make a design fit in any space
• Demo how to set up an e2e design
• Basic repositioning and advancing an e2e design

Day 2 | Afternoon Class

Hands On Ruler Essentials

If you love precision and consistency in your quilting designs, you will love using design rulers and templates! These handy tools assist in placing designs accurately and stitching them out precisely. Learn to handle rulers and templates safely with the ruler base and Sure Foot, and how to achieve accuracy with the markings. The wide variety of Handi Quilter rulers will inspire you to new design heights.

Objective: Learn the safe way to use rulers & templates. See ways that you can incorporate these tools in your quilting

Topics Include:

• Handle rulers safely
• Understand and use ruler markings for precision and accuracy
• Use piecing lines and marking tools to build ruler design confidence
• VersaTool quilting: stitch-in-the-ditch, cross-hatch, piano keys, clamshells and arcs
• Apply binding with the HQ VersaTool

Meet the Handi Quilter Educators