Long Arm Quilting in Palm Springs, CA

If you're not laughing, you're not living!

Hi Everyone, 

     I am Adam Rateliff. I grew up in Bakersfield, Ca and that is where my quilting journey started. My partner came to me one day and told me he wanted to start quilting.  We had an old sewing machine and decided to upgrade.  We both knew how to sew but quilting was going to be a new adventure.  I've always been someone who jumps in and this was no different.  I saw the Tula Pink Anchors Aweigh quilt and I had to have it.  If you haven't seen it, it's just shy of a million 2" squares that have to all stay in order as you sew.  I had the loft in our house set up as my command base and went for it.  I was hooked!

      A co-worker found out I started quilting and she told me I needed to take a paper piecing class at our local Judy Niemeyer Certified shop.  Ben and I signed up and the owner was nice enough to lend me a machine.  It was during this class that we realized that we needed another machine, it was also the time I first saw and learned what a long arm machine was.  I gave my anchor quilt to the long armer who worked out of the shop and was mesmerized by the machine and what it could do.  At this point, I never imagined that I would own one.

      We then made a move to Eugene, Or and I met a great group of friends after joining the local guilds. It was in Eugene that we decided to purchase a Handi Quilter Infinity 26.  Again, I jumped right into things with the long arm and wasn't afraid to mess up.  I had a few small quilt tops the I decided to quilt in different ways, teaching myself different techniques along the way.  This was also when I started my relationship with Handi Quilter.  They put out a search for people to join their Quilt Your Desire campaign.  I submitted a video and was lucky enough to be selected.  I was whisked away to Salt Lake City to see the production facility and have a three day workshop with the studio educators.  There were 13 people selected and we have all remained friends since then.  We were asked to submit videos of things we were working on and all things quilting.  Click the link if you would like to meet the Quilt Your Desire crew.

     When I returned home, I started quilting for others and slowly began to develop my own aesthetic.  I tend to lean to the modern in my quilting, as I am attracted to modern bright fabrics.  I love what I can do and create with the Pro-Stitcher system I have on my HQ Infinity.  Edge 2 Edge designs are wonderful but some quilts just need a little bit of custom love and bringing a quilt to life is what I love.  

     I joined the Handi Quilter National Educator team in 2018 when I decided to leave my life of accounting and pursue long arm quilting full time.  Now I am living a dream, traveling the country teaching others how to use their long arm machines, and sharing my passion for quilting.  I also teach quilting classes at local quilt shops and love to teach and share my obsession with Quiltworx paper piecing patterns.  Check out my calendar to see where I will be next and if you see me at a show, come up and say Hi.  I love meeting and chatting with people and I'm always around to help if you have questions.