Do you want to finish your quilts start to finish? Perhaps try our machines, before you consider purchasing one. In the renters certification class you will learn all about using the machines. How to prepare your quit for quilting, operate the longarm, threading, bobbins and tension.. Load a quilt to the frame perfectly. Setting up a pantograph pattern and advancing your quilt. Everything you need will be provided in class. This is a hands on the machine class. Get your confidence on! Once you have taken the class you may rent by the hour at $32. per hour. Minimum of 2 hours after that you will only be charge for the time to complete your project.
Considering a longarm quilting machine? Whether you’re envisioning completing your own quilts or launching a quilting business, the APQS Road Show is your opportunity to explore, learn, and experience our machines firsthand.
With the beginner class offered at APQS West, our goal is to teach you the skills you'll need to accomplish your quilting projects on your new longarm machine. We will discuss tension, threads, loading, pantos, basis maintenance. This class is "demonstration" so we can squeeze in as much information as possible. The class is free for students who purchased a quilting machine from APQS, APQS store, dealer, within the last year. Tuition is $200 to students that just want to be educated on our APQS machines. Perhaps you are considering purchasing a machine.
Machine Rental Certification class
Classes
From the studio of award-winning quilter Myrna Ficken... Sample of classes
Learning Your Longarm: Set Yourself Up for Success
I always recommend taking a couple of classes when you’re getting started. Did you take a new owner’s class for your machine? It makes a world of difference.
I tell all my new owners and students the same thing. Find an instructor you connect with and build a solid foundation first.
Handso n learning is especially important in the beginning — feeling the machine, understanding the motion, and getting comfortable with the basics sets you up for everything else. Once you’ve got that foundation, then you can start adding new styles, techniques, and tools.
Practice Tip
Practice your designs on paper with a lead pencil. Avoid markers, whiteboards, or tablets at first — they don’t mimic the same resistance and control you’ll feel when quilting. Pencil on paper builds real muscle memory. One more thing, everyone has their own way of teaching, and listening to twenty different people right away can get overwhelming. You invested good money in your machine — invest in yourself by learning to use it well.
- Private classes can be designed to suite your needs. $50.00 per hour Minimum 2 hours.
- APQS startup for new machine owners, beginner classes
- Hands on workshop
- Demo/lecture classes available
Intermediate into Advanced Longarm Quilting
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Are you ready to jump into some custom work and are just too afraid to go freehand just yet. Well, I have a super class for you. There are so many beautiful stencils and rules available, they are easy to learn how and where to use them. Get ideas for mixing and matching. Discover the best tools for safely marking.
Have you used your laser light from the front of the machine to do block patterns? Another priceless tool for custom block work. Then if that's not enough, there are rulers.
All this in one great class. I will show you all the tips and tricks. All the tools will be available for purchase at the studio. You will leave with your head spinning with ideas. You’ll want to rush home and get started on your own quilts!
Borders and Sashing
Myrna will teach free-motion designs you can use on everyday customer quilt. Leaves, flowers, and geometric without turning your quilt for you side borders. You will also learn how to use mark with a couple of simple rulers to make fun and beautiful borders
Feathers Galore
This is an intermediate level class, but confident beginners should accept this class as a bit of a challenge. So many feathers….so little time! Whether yours are long and narrow, short and wide, spiky, curvy, fluffy or flat --- everybody loves feathers and everybody has their own style! We’re going to get started with the most simple feather designs and we’ll jazz them up until they sizzle! I’ll show you techniques for swags and wreaths and adding decorative threads. It’s all designed to make those feather designs blaze on your quilts! Bring your imagination, pencil and paper along with a full dose of energy and attitude! 
Troubleshooting, what you want to know?
Join a class that will address all your queries and curiosities, from thread choices and design selection to tensions and pricing. Whether it's custom work or edge-to-edge quilting, modern quilts, machines, threads, tension issues, or cleaning techniques, this session will cover it all. In just three hours, you'll gain the insights and knowledge accumulated over 25 years of experience. Prepare to uncover things you didn’t even know you didn’t know. This is truly just the beginning, and the answers to your countless questions await.