By Diane Harris, HQ Stitch Brand Ambassador

The HQ Capri stationary longarm with the Insight table comes as a set, and together they’re proving to be a great team.

I’ve been quilting a lot on the Capri to get my feet wet, but sometimes it’s as if I’ve fallen headlong into the lake! And I mean that in a good way.

In the past I might not have cared much about thread, for example. Now I can hardly get thread out of my head! So many possibilities, a whole drawer full of colors and fibers to try.

I’ve been quilting small things: crib-size, wall quilts and fat quarters layered up for practice.

But now I’m moving up.

I’m ready to quilt something larger. It will still be practice, because I have miles to go. But a little larger than a baby quilt, I’m thinking throw size. I have a couple basted and ready to go.

To that end, I’ve added the HQ Insight Table Extension to both ends of my table. My husband helped me install them and it was simple, but it was good to have two people.

The extensions are sold in single units so you can add just one if you like. They fold up and down easily, and each one gives an additional 18″ of space to support a quilt as you work.

I am thrilled to have 36 more inches of work surface! I’m going to put my first larger quilt on this weekend. I’m giddy to try it out!

I bought another helper for my Capri space in form of a three-tier wheeled craft cart. It is so handy!

The best idea I’ve had recently was to put the Handi Quilter bobbin winder into the top tray.

It fits perfectly and it’s always nearby without being in the way. I toss my Machingers quilting gloves in, too.

I keep thread and basting pins on the second tier.

My practice and warm-up quilt sandwiches are on the bottom, along with a few of my rulers for machine quilting.

I considered buying some shelves for my supplies, which had been languishing in a cardboard box on the floor. But then I remembered this tall basket unit I had in storage, and it’s perfect. It doesn’t take up much space and I have more than enough room for everything.

So this is my current HQ Capri work area. It has everything I need within arm’s reach. There’s a window just out of sight in this photo, so the daytime lighting is fine. In the evening, I supplement the bright lights on the Capri with a floor lamp behind the InSight table. Works great!

Here are a couple of things I’ve been practicing on recently.

Who knew that machine quilting could be so much fun?!?

Stitch on,