Longarm Quilting for Beginners Part 5: BERNINA Q-matic Longarm Quilting Automation System
I love my BERNINA Q-matic Longarm Quilting Automation System. I know that those new to longarm quilting have lots of questions about Q-matic or any automated systems. I hope to answer a few for you in this post.
The first question is, “Who can use Q-matic or an automated system?”. The truth is anyone. The learning curve is small if you already have a basic knowledge of machine quilting. Our system, Q-matic, is built just for our Q 24 and our Q 20 machines when on a frame.
This means that it will work with the Sewhead and has integrated features that can be used on both the computer screen and the Sewhead screen. With the all-in-one computer mounted on the right end of the frame and the interactive screens on both Sewhead and computer, you will save time walking back to the end of the frame for many functions.
The large screen on the computer makes it easy to see and design your quilt layouts. So really the answer to who can use Q-matic is everyone who has a Q 24 or Q 20 on the frame and who want to get their quilting finished quickly and with a professional look.
I am sure the next question would be “What does it do?”. Q-matic allows you to place a design and quilt it out just like the design looks on the screen. You can put in your quilt size and create your own design layout. This layout can have the same design over and over such as this layout.
Or you can use a different design in every element of your quilt. Don’t forget, you can easily create borders, too.
You can put a design in every block or create a secondary design over the piecing of your quilt top. You can even quilt on a solid piece of fabric with no piecing at all. With Q-matic you can set your tying on and tying off at the beginning and the end of your designs so that you no longer have to do that manually.
So why chose Q-matic? The first reason is because it was made for and works seamlessly with the Q 24 and the Q 20 on the amazing BERNINA frame. It allows you to place a block exactly where you want it. With the Sewhead interaction, you can use the actual block on your quilt to select the boundaries you want your block to fit into. The piecing may not be perfect, but no one will ever know after the block design is placed and morphed to fit into that exact block. This is a win-win for everyone.
If edge to edge or pantograph is the way you want to go, Q-matic makes that so very easy too. Select the pantograph design you want from the library and place it on the screen. Use one of the tools called E2E+ and make a row. With that row ready, use the tool called Multiply and create the rows and adjust the spacing. And just like that, you are all ready to quilt.
There are so many ways you can use Q-matic to get the exact designs you want to quilt. If you need more than the 250 plus designs that are standard in the library, you have an additional 350 plus in the Art & Stitch library that you can use too.
Art & Stitch is a designing software written for quilters. You can create your own designs using this software that comes as part of Q-matic system. So if you have a simple drawing or an idea of what you would like to quilt you can recreate it in Art & Stitch.
Art & Stitch is also great if you like to purchase designs form a third party and they do not have our native file format .bqm. Just open Art & Stitch, open the design with the different file format in Art & Stitch then save as .bqm. All you have to do then is use the shortcut on screen to take the design to Q-matic or save and import into the Q-matic library.
So are you an amazing piecer? Or maybe you just want to finish your quilt yourself? Q-matic may be for you!
Do you need more time to practice the beautiful quilting designs you see everywhere? Q-matic may be for you!
Do you want to machine quilt your quilts instead of hand quilting them? Q-matic may be for you!
I encourage you to check out Q-matic, this amazing automated quilting system, at your BERNINA Longarm dealer or visit a quilt show in your area to get a demo on how this system works.
Happy Quilting!
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12 comments on “Longarm Quilting for Beginners Part 5: BERNINA Q-matic Longarm Quilting Automation System”
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Hi Sue,
Yes that is correct you will need to advance the quilt then realign so that the next row is where it should be then stitch away. BERNINA Q-matic is an amazing automated quilting system. Easy to use.
Thanks,
Denise
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i loved your video on e to e and borders and makers. do are you going to make more video for the q matic. or do you have other class for the q matic thank you Fran
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Thank you so much. Yes there are lots of things coming. We will go back to having Creative Center Retreats as soon as we can. There are some webinars schedule and we will have a couple of different online classes this year through the Creative Center location. We have some blog post planned for the WeAllSew blog as well. Keep a close eye on the BERNINA website and check under the Classes at the Creative Center.
Thanks,
Denise-
i am trying to fine the print out on borders and makers i have been watching the video on it. i made a simple quilt with 25 blocks to practice. i live in ogegon is there ever any class out west and how do i take online classes thanks fran
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i meant to say boundaries and maker . fran
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Hi Fran,
To find printable instructions for Boundary and Markers your best bet is to use the Mastery Workbook for Q-matic. https://www.bernina.com/en-US/Learn-Create-US/Mastery-Workbooks/Longarm-Quilting/Q-matic Copy and paste this address into you browser and find the workbook there. You will want to download it also because there are video links in the book that you may want to watch.
I mostly teach in the Aurora office at the Creative Center. To find the online class that we at BERNINA offer take a look on the BERNINA site under Learn & Create>Classes>Creative Center Classes. We are also offering Webinars through out the year on Q-matic.
I hope to see you on a webinar or in a class soon. Have a great time with Q-matic.
Happy Quilting,
Denise-
is there any class on basic borders and corners there was not much info on boundaries and marker videos. how do i change the design from q matic to work for borders and makers.
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There is a Borders and Corners class coming up but this is not a beginners class. The attendees will want to be very familiar with Q-matic. Here is the link for information and registration. https://www.bernina.com/en-US/Learn-Create-US/Classes/Creative-Center
You will want to scroll down until you see Borders and Corners with Q-matic. This is an in person class that is held in Aurora. There will also be and online class offered soon.
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Hi. I’m trying to open a .csq file in art & stitch to convert to a .bqm and I’m not able. Could you give me some direction?
Thank you so much
Amber -
Hi Amber,
From what i can find .csq is a file format for Gammill. I am not sure why Art & Stitch will not open or save in the file format. I would suggest to you that you contact the company you purchased the design from and ask for a different file format.
Thank you,
Denise -
How do you resume edge to edge after opening a saved design on a Qmatic 24?
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Hello! I purchased a 770QE last August and have been looking at longarm quilting automation systems since I have trouble free-motion a large quilt. When using the Bernina Q-Matic attachment, one would still need to turn each row after the E2E design has been completed for a row, correct?
Thanks,
Sue Shive
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