What is Long arm quilting?

A quilt is three layers of fabric, blog post to find out more.

Long arm quilting is a technique of quilting a quilt, it involves the use of a long arm quilting machine to sew together the layers of a quilt. This technique is widely used by professional quilters as it allows them to complete large quilts with intricate designs in a shorter amount of time, without the hassle of putting the whole quilt under your domestic machine

The long arm quilting machine is a specialised sewing machine that features a long arm or throat space, hence the name. It consists of a metal frame and the specialised sewing machine is on wheels. The frame is used to hold the layers of the quilt in place while the quilter can control the machine and move it along the fabric, creating a design.

above: quilting I've done using free motion quilting technique, all guided by me.

Manual or computerised long arm machines?

The long arm quilting machine can be operated manually or through a computer program. In manual operation, the quilter moves the sewing machine along frame and the quilt using a handlebar attached to the machine. In computerised operation, the quilter designs the quilt on a computer program, and the machine stitches the design automatically.

My machine is not computerised therefore all the designs are bespoke quilting which are sympathetic to the quilt's patchwork design.This method of quilting is called Free motion quilting

What are the benefits of a long arm machine?

Long arm quilting offers several benefits to quilters. First, it allows them to complete quilts more quickly than they would using a traditional sewing machine. Second, it allows them to create complex designs that would be difficult to achieve by hand or with a regular sewing machine. Finally, it provides a consistent stitch length and tension throughout the quilt, resulting in a high-quality finished product.

In conclusion, long arm quilting is a technique that offers many benefits to quilters.A long arm quilting machine using the hand guided technique can help create beautiful, intricate designs in less time than traditional quilting methods. So, if you haven't time or space to quilt your quilts, why not give them to me and I can do the quilting for you, I offer a long arm quilting service in Ireland you will be one step closer to a snuggly finished quilt.