Welcome back!
Catching up after the holidays? I’ve been putting away the decorations and getting the house back in order. I don’t know about you, but one area that needs some extra attention in my house is my quilting space. That last minute push to finish a few holiday gifts took its toll!
While I may have to clean up my quilt space, my longarm stands ready to go. You know how important regular machine maintenance is, right? Do you remember what to do and when? Since it’s the start of a new year, let’s do a quick longarm maintenance refresher!
Basic Maintenance of Your Longarm
Before Quilting
Lint is one of your longarm’s worst enemies! So even though you cleaned it after completing your last project, check to make sure your machine and frame have remained lint free.
Start by checking your longarm’s bobbin hook area.
If you own an APQS longarm or a newer Handi Quilter (e.g., the Amara, Forte or Infinity), you can use a small burst of canned air or an electric air duster to blow any dust out of this area.
However, if you own a smaller or older Handi Quilter (e.g., the Moxie, Moxie XL or Simply 16, Sweet Sixteen), you should brush out the bobbin hook area. Be careful not to catch any cables. You can also clean this area using vacuum suction.
Also check your machine, its carriage, your frame’s tracks and back table for any lint or stray threads. Dust or clean these areas if needed.
Once your lint check is complete, place one drop of oil on the bobbin race. Run your needle up and down for 10-12 cycles to lubricate the bobbin hook.
Load your bobbin and thread. Check your thread path. Make sure the thread flows evenly and sits snuggly in the tension disks.
Make sure your quilting foot is secure. If you are using a metal foot, firmly tighten the screw holding it in place. If you’re using a plastic foot, be careful not to tighten the screw too much as you could crack the plastic.
Finally, make sure your needle is the appropriate size for the thread you’re using.
Now you’re ready to quilt!
During Quilting – Every Other Bobbin
Lint builds up quickly and easily while you’re quilting. At least every other time you change your bobbin, brush out your bobbin case and bobbin hook area.
Again place one drop of oil on the bobbin race. Run your needle up and down in the batting off to the side of your quilt to make sure you don’t get any oil on it.
After Quilting
Every time you complete a quilting project, thoroughly clean your longarm and its frame!
Starting with your machine, repeat the procedure of cleaning your bobbin case and the bobbin hook area.
If you notice lint or thread caught in the bobbin case, gently remove it with a tweezer or by sliding the corner of a business card under the tension spring.
Next, change your longarm’s needle. Every quilt deserves a new needle!
- When inserting the needle, make sure the long groove faces front, and the scarf/notched area of the needle faces the back.
- Make sure the needle sits securely all the way up in its housing.
- Finally, using the old needle, make sure when you place its tip in the new needle’s eye, it is pointing straight back toward you in the 6 o’clock position.
Now for some more dusting!
- While standing at the front of your machine, brush off the posts holding the needle and quilting foot, the quilting foot itself, and the groove surrounding the needle plate of your longarm.
- Moving to the back of your longarm, use a duster or soft cloth to remove any lint or thread from the back table.
And next, a little cleaning.
- Start with cleaning the tracks. Dampen a small scrap of batting or paper towel with water and wipe off the two rails your machine’s carriage rides on. If you own Pro-Stitcher, verify the blue flex track that runs along the edge of your table is completely clean and clear of lint/thread.
- Next, using damp batting or paper towel, clean the rails of your longarm’s carriage that guide the machine’s wheels allowing it to move backward and forward.
- Then clean the wheels of both your longarm and its carriage. Place a damp piece of batting or paper towel into the groove of each wheel as you move the machine back and forth on its carriage and against each wheel as you move the carriage side to side on its tracks.
- Finally, wipe down your encoder wheels and make sure they are also free of lint and thread.
- If you own Pro-Stitcher, also check the white gear wheel that sits underneath the carriage to make sure it is clean and free of any lint or threads. This is the wheel that runs on the blue flex track.
Finally, make sure all the cables connected to your longarm and carriage are secure. If any cable becomes unplugged, make sure you plug it back into the correct port.
Shutdown Procedures
If you own Pro-Stitcher, make sure you use the shutdown function on your tablet before turning off your longarm. Click File, Shutdown, Shutdown and wait for the screen to turn completely off.
Turn off your machine using the main power switch.
Unplug your machine from your electrical power source. To be safe, you should be plugging your longarm into a surge protector which is then plugged into your power source.
Periodic Maintenance
Every now and again, it’s good to check over your frame. Make sure it’s still level and verify that the bolts are tight.
It’s also good to remove the throat plate to clean underneath it. First, remove the needle and the foot. When unscrewing the plate, be careful to put the screws in a safe place! After carefully lifting the plate, brush out the open area. If you look at the underside of the throat plate, you’ll probably find some lint stuck to the bottom of it too.
(See Handi Quilter’s “Deep Clean” blog post for more detailed instructions and pictures.)
Professional Maintenance
Every two years or 10 million stitches (whichever comes first), you should have your longarm professionally serviced.
When we service your machine, we thoroughly clean and check its internal components.
We’ll remove any lint that’s made its way into the housing and check/adjust mechanisms like timing and tension. We’ll also inspect your longarm for worn parts, relubricate necessary areas and check for proper needle and bobbin alignment.
Basically, we’re giving your longarm a complete inspection and tune-up so your machine continues to function properly!
When it’s time for servicing, you can bring your machine into either our Elkhorn or Appleton shop, or we can arrange in-home service. When you call to schedule your longarm’s maintenance, we’ll tell you what to bring in with your machine or work out the details of the service call.
If you’re bringing in your machine for service, we’ll gladly walk you through what you need to do to remove your longarm from its frame. You can also watch Handi Quilter’s “How to Maintain Your Longarm Machine | Give It A Spa Day!” Youtube video.
Additional Resources on Longarm Maintenance
If you’d like more information on machine maintenance, here are a few other resources you can explore:
From The Quilting Connection
Our October 30, 2023 blog post, “Important Tips on Maintaining Your Longarm!”
Angie’s Answers YouTube video, “Handi Quilter longarm – How to clean and oil M size bobbin”
From Handi Quilter
Blog Posts
“How to Maintain your Longarm Machine” September 28, 2024
“Deep Clean” October 31, 2020
YouTube Videos
“Performing basic maintenance” (4:16)
“Bobbin and Tension Maintenance” (4:16)
“Super-Easy Handi Quilter Maintenance – Clean and Oil” (9:18)
“Prepare Your Longarm for Quilting – Prep Steps + Cleaning Tips – Watch and Learn” (23:08)
“How to Maintain Your Longarm Machine | Give It A Spa Day!” (18:18)
From APQS
Blog Posts
“Simple maintenance tips for keeping your APQS quilting machine in top shape” Oct 8, 2024
“Keeping your longarm machine in tip-top-shape” April 2, 2024
“What’s a ‘Spa Treatment’ and should I get one for my longarm?” February 21, 2023
“How much maintenance does an APQS longarm machine need?” September 9, 2022
YouTube videos
“APQS Instructional: Oiling Wicks” (1:23)
“APQS Instructional: Bobbin Case Maintenance” (3:14)
“APQS: Changing Needles” (1:12)
Okay, that’s A LOT of information! Please call or email us with ANY questions! We’re always here to help!
Let’s wind down and wrap-up with some upcoming event information and our current sales.
Upcoming Classes
Pro-Stitcher Designer Basics (2-day Zoom Workshop)
FULL - JOIN THE WAITLIST!
February 14 & 15, 2025
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM CST
This 2-day basics class teaches you the many functions and tools in Designer that allow you to create your own digital designs. It also teaches you how to modify existing designs.
Designer’s user-friendly tool bar allows you to customize your designs to fit quilt blocks, borders and sashings.
Pro-Stitcher Designer Advanced (1-day Zoom Workshop)
Only 6 spaces left!
February 16, 2025
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM CST
This 1-day advanced class provides more time for you to really master Designer! You’ll dive deeper into the program’s functions.
Audrey will also show you actual examples as well as how to use the layout functions that allow you to visualize how a design will look on your quilt.
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Free-Motion Longarm Quilting with Wendy Fuller
Free-Motion Longarm Quilting (Appleton)
Friday, February 28, 2025
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Lunch included)
or
Free-Motion Longarm Quilting (Elkhorn)
Saturday, March 1, 2025
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Lunch included)
This is a small group, hands-on class.
Wendy will show you how to create/draw your designs. Then you’ll practice stitching them on the longarm. (And take home your finished project!)
Wendy will follow-up with showing you how to use your designs in a variety of ways to fill your quilt blocks and borders. You’ll also learn about marking your quilt top, using stencils as guides and incorporating other techniques like echo quilting.
Click on the links above for even more information on these fantastic opportunities!
Upcoming Events
Join us, The Quilting Connection – Appleton, and Going to Pieces Quilt Company as we celebrate our anniversaries!
Please stop in! There’ll be fun and refreshments for all!
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Next, ready for a winter road trip? Here’s the first quilt show we’ll be vending at this year!
Saturday, February 8, 2025
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Washington County Fair Park & Conference Center
3000 Highway PV
West Bend, Wisconsin 53095
Admission: $10
Please stop by and say hi!
Sales! Sales! Sales!
Handi Quilter’s having one of their wonderful Bounce Back Shopping Spree sales!
This sale goes through February 24th! Contact us for more details!
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APQS is sponsoring two sales:
The first is the “We Love Lucey” sale!
This incredible deal runs through February 28, 2025!
The second sale is for those of you who want to add Quilt Path to your APQS longarm!
This fantastic opportunity also runs through February 28, 2025!
Again, please contact us for more details!
Wow! That’s everything for now.
Please remember, if you ever have ANY questions or want additional information about ANY of the products and services we offer, please call us at (262) 723-6775 or email us at info@QuiltingConnection.com.
You can also visit us online at QuiltingConnection.com or in person at 21 Adams Street in Elkhorn, WI (usually M-F 9-4, please call to confirm we’re open) or 1017 W. Northland in Appleton, WI (W, Th & F 10-4, S 10-3).
Finally, check out our blog at QuiltingConnection.com/blog and our Facebook posts.
And please share your thoughts and questions. I’d love to hear from you!
Angie