APQS Longarm Certification: Level-Up Your Longarming
Don’t forget! The APQS Longarm Certification Class for Fons and Porter taught by Dawn Cavanaugh is fast approaching. This is a 14-week-long online class filled with videos, images, and instructions with easy-to-follow steps guided by Dawn Cavanaugh, APQS National Education and Customer Service Director. Share your progress with fellow community members and work with an APQS instructor on a private forum in a collaborative and interactive online environment. Submit homework assignments by mail and email for evaluation and credit. Receive feedback and ask questions.
Why Register?
The time will come when you need to get serious about your longarm quilting. Maybe you recently purchased your machine and have pushed yourself as far as you can go on your own, or maybe it’s time to start taking in quilts as a business and you want some level of accreditation or credibility. When that time comes, check out the APQS Longarm Certification course. Taught by Dawn Cavanaugh, this 14-week course will turn you into the quilter you deserve to be.
Karen’s Story: Standing Out from the Competition through Certification
When Karen Kineman decided to go pro, she wanted a way to set herself apart from the competition, as well as starting her business, Graceful Touch Studio, on a positive note. Since few other longarmers in her area are certified, she felt that would give her a leg up. “I chose the Longarm Certification Class based on several things,” she says. “One was the price. I felt that the price was fair, and also the reputation was good.” The feedback she received was excellent. “I feel as if I’ve grown as a quilter,” Karen says. “And I’m doing three times the business since receiving certification.”
Patricia’s Story—Longarm Machine Mastery
Patricia Hale, a retired physician, had no interest in going into business. After all, she was retired. But she had just gotten her HandiQuilter Avanti, and wanted to push her skills. “I was trying to develop my skills on my own, but it was slow going,” she said. “I’d take a class at a shop, and then maybe I’d try it out when I got home, but I wanted something with more structure, with more of a regimen.”
Knowing that she had to turn things in made her work harder, she said. She put in more effort up front, and it was that effort that helped her improve. “That practice was incredible. I bought cheap muslin and cheap batting, and didn’t quilt anything else in that time.” The most valuable lessons for her, Patricia says, were the rudimentary shapes that built muscle memory, and the instruction on tension.
Heaps of Happy Participants
For the basic shapes, students have to create them over and over, going at them from different directions. “I could measure in miles the fabric I went through honing those shapes,” Patricia jokes. “It jumped my skill level and control level. I developed a motor control of the machine doing this that made feathering, and all the rest of the course do-able.”
As for the lessons on tension, Patricia says, “This course was outstanding. It really, really was.” The amount of detail provided on all the variables was more than she’d ever seen, she says, “And I’d scoured the Internet for information on tension.” Though the course is sponsored by APQS, what she learned absolutely applied to any machine.
“I have no problems with tension anymore,” she says. “If something comes up, I know exactly what to do about it, and how to monitor it.” The confidence that rings in her voice is striking. Since completing our APQS Longarm Certification course, she knows exactly what she’s doing with her machine, and how to use it to create exactly what she wants.
“I was pretty proud of what I turned in for the final assignment, which was whole cloth quilting,” she says. Patricia confesses that she’s a bit of a rebel, and strayed away from the typical medallion-style, whole cloth quilting. Instead, inspired by a trip she took with her son to see the 2017 eclipse, Patricia created a mythical bird in variegated thread, using her feathering skills to create the tail. She thread-painted the eclipsed sun in the background and then filled the rest of the sky in with dense quilting.
“You send your homework assignments in, and they’re not returned, because the cost of shipping isn’t worth it. The items are donated,” says Patricia. “But this one, I asked for it to be returned, and included a return shipping slip. When I got it back, I entered it into the Vermont Quilt Festival.” Her “homework assignment” now hangs in her house, with a second place ribbon pinned to it.
Join Us for Our APQS Longarm Certification Course
If you’ve ever considered getting your APQS longarm certification (or just learning how to long arm quilt), now is the time. Click here to register! Our Longarm Quilting Workshop starts Thursday, July 20, 2023.
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I took this excellent course in 2018. How do I find my course to review some portions I need to refresh my memory on? Back then we were able to keep it in a file of some sort to review at a later date.
Hello Francine. I have sent you a private email regarding the APQS Certification.
I would like to join this course, but I live in Germany. I see that some assignments have to be submitted to the instructor via mail. Is there a workaround for mail submissions? Shipping would become very expensive and the delivery of my quilted samples would also take a long time and potentially get lost somewhere in the mail.
Hello Monica
We apologize for the delay in answering this comment. The certification workshop for Longarm Quilting is not available to purchase at this time, but we do offer it throughout the year. Even though you live in Germany, you would still be required to turn in assignments just as we ask the stateside students.
I am interested in earning the APQS Longarm Certification, but have a computerized longarm machine. One of the classes is about pantographs. Since my machine is computerized, I don’t have it set-up to do pantographs by hand. Will I still be able to earn the certification if I submit a computerized design or E2E?
Good Morning , I just got my longarm quilting machine. I was wanting to know if this class would be good for just starting out as its hard to find classes around my area. I want to do quilts for other people as well. I get asked too. I have done quilts by hand but not long arm. I want to take this class, I think it would be good just to learn. What are your thoughts? Please answer. Thank you.
This workshop sounds like it might be good for you. You can aim for certification and turn in all your assignments by the deadlines (which is pretty demanding; you’ll need to make and quilt 4 tops, and mail those in, in addition to photographing other assignments), or simply take the course for the videos and hand-outs and fellow student interaction, which are all extremely valuable. The lessons and examples on the business of quilting are incredibly useful if you’re taking quilts in–how to talk to the piecer about what they want, what to charge, sample forms, etc. And you don’t need an APQS machine for this course, either. A lot of people ask that. All that said, we have two other longarm workshops that we regularly offer that aren’t QUITE as intense, Longarm Fundamentals and Express Lane to the Free-Motion Quilting Highway, both taught by Angela Huffman. We just closed Fundamentals about a month ago or so, and haven’t set our 2023 calendar yet. But keep your eyes peeled, if those sound more your speed! – Vanessa
Thank you. I think I can do this. I printed out the lessons and what is needed. Going over it. To me this will be a very good learning tool. I have a professional camera as I do photography and photograph my products I make for our store. So no problem there. I have about everything needed. So cool. Thank you again for your input.
Vanessa, will the class schedule for 2023 be sent out via email? I’m interested in attending as well.
We haven’t set our course schedules for 2023 yet, but we will certainly include that info in our newsletters!
Hi! I am interested in the Longarm Certification course. I have not yet bought a machine but I want to learn how to do this and I am ready to get a machine. I just don’t know all the “extras” I need to start. I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convivence.
Respectfully,
Kelley Meckes
Hi Kelley, I apologize for the delay in response — it looks like your comment fell through the cracks. If you visit the link below, you can find a full list of all the “extras” you’ll need to get started! Hope this helps 🙂
https://media2fwpublications.s3.amazonaws.com/APQS_Supply_List_by_Lesson.pdf
I live in a remote area with the nearest quilting shop over an hour away. I am looking forward to taking this online class. When will it be available? Also how do I register?
Hi Michele, I apologize for the delay in response — it looks like your comment fell through the cracks. Our APQS Longarm Certification course is now open for registration until 3/23! You can visit the link below for more information 🙂
https://www.quiltingdaily.com/product/apqs-longarm-certification-sponsored-by-fons-porter-starts-march-16-2023/
I have only had my long arm about 3 weeks. I spent one week and went thru all the tutorials for the quilter. I have the Gallant an Pro-Stitcher Lite. I spent the next 2 weeks learning Pro-Stitcher Designer and that’s a great program. It’s machine embroidery on the long arm. I would really be interested in your classes if you think I’m experienced enough. I’ve mainly been doing different designs in different squares, including importing designs from designer and those concepts. Not so much on side to side yet I can do it. I just have problems with changing rows and staying in sequence. So I’d be interested if you think I can keep up. Oh yes and my freehand machine embroidery is unacceptable but I’m pretty good at following a pattern (lines drawn on fabric with fabric marker, etc.) I have the laser for the back but it’s not installed yet. I could get it done rite away if necessary. I also don’t know dates and times, etc. Thanks for the assistance.
Terry
[email protected]
This course is a part of my purchase plan, but I won’t have my machine until April. When will the course be offered again?
Hi there! Yes, the course is offered twice a year. The next APQS class will be from 8/15/2022 – 11/20/2022 🙂
I am not a “new” longarmer, but I’ve only had my own machine 2 years. And I’ve already upgraded from a 15” to a 19”. I want to get with it and need the disciple of a class to practice and learn. Relying on the automation at local quilt shops is nice, but I really want to get running on my own machine and frame. I’m looking forward to this. Thanks for accepting me
I’m very interested in this course. Please send more information.
Hi! This sounds like a great class! My dream is to become a longarm quilter so I can retire from nursing after 35 years. Problem is this course looks pretty intense. Any chance future courses can be more self-paced to accommodate people who work at other jobs?
Hi when is the next Longarm certification class?
I’m very interested in this class. Is there any other information available about it? Also, I looked at the store listing for the class and it says the class starts on March 18th, but registration is open until April 8th. Is that correct? Thanks!
Will the course be run in 2019, and if so, when? I am just finishing the course this week. It is excellent! A number of people I know are interested in taking this course as well. Thanks.
Hi Marian – our apologies for the confusion. This course is no longer available for 2018 (we’ve noted this in the blog—thank you for bringing this to our attention), although you will find two courses that are currently available at the bottom of this article. They’re taught by expert longarm quilter, Angela Huffman, whom you may have seen on Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting PBS TV show. Keep an eye out in 2019 when this course is available once again. Thank you for your patience and your inquiry!
Hi Marian! This course is officially available for purchase and will begin on 3/19/19. Here’s the link to the course for more information: https://www.quiltingcompany.com/store/courses-videos/courses/apqs-longarm-certification-sponsored-by-fons-porter-2019-03-18. Enjoy!
Is there a link to a schedule, or when the next course would start…and price for the course? The link in the article doesn’t seem to be working and gives a 404 error. Thank you.
I am also very interested in this program. Could you send me more info and how this would work for someone in Canada. Thank you in advance for your help.
Hi Marianne,
As part of the APQS Longarm Certification, there are assignments that need to be mailed directly to the instructor. Here is a PDF with a list of the assignments and when they are due. You can do assignments early and send them all at once to cut back on the number of mailings.
Best,
Brenna
The Quilting Company Team
Hi when is the next Longarm certification class?
I am interested in taking this long arm certication course. Do you have more information on how this works> please send more information with pictures.
Lynn,
Thanks for reaching out! I forwarded your question and information to Vanessa for help. The team should be reaching out soon to provide more information.
Best,
Tiffany
The Quilting Company Team