A quiet place to share work away from the hustle of social media…
Maybe you’d love a source of passive income, or perhaps you just want the joy of seeing your personalized designs stitched into a loved ones quilt. I’ve been exactly where you are, and I can tell you — learning pantograph design has been one of the most rewarding journeys of my quilting life.
👉 Enroll in Barbie Mills’ Digital Pantograph Design Course Today
My First Steps into Pantograph Design
Back in 2018, I bought my computerized longarm quilting machine, a Statler with CS7. Like many quilters, I thought I’d be obsessed with the quilting itself. But to my surprise, I fell in love with the design software.
Still, I had questions. Were all the “good” pantographs already taken? Was there even room for me? That’s when I discovered Art and Stitch and spent months locked in a room with the user guide. I mastered lines and curves, even drew a nuclear power plant just to see if I could (yep, it’s on my quilt “For Ukraine, With Hope”). But the truth was: I still didn’t know how to design a pantograph.
Exploring Early Panto Design Resources
I began hunting everywhere for guidance. Along the way, I found some excellent resources that deserve mention.
Deborah from Dastardly Quilt Studio offers fun, free videos that gave me solid foundational walkthroughs. They’re perfect for curious beginners.
Jess at The Longarm League has built an incredible community of support. While her “Rookie Season” course didn’t cover panto design, the encouragement and connections I found there were invaluable.
Katie Hanson’s Pantograph Design School taught me heaps — especially about prepping files for sale. Though taught in Pro-Stitcher Designer, I loved watching another software in action and picked up great tips.
Each of these offerings gave me something useful. But I was still hungry for more. That’s when Jess mentioned that Barbie Mills was developing her own course. I immediately joined the waitlist.
In March 2025, Barbie released her fully revised Digital Pantograph Design Course, and let me tell you — it knocked my socks off. Barbie is a natural teacher. She gives crystal-clear assignments, demonstrates techniques in real time, and breaks even the most complex skills into manageable steps.
This isn’t just a “how-to” tutorial. It’s a full roadmap from beginner shapes to intricate extended-width pantographs, complete with lessons on graphics, stitchouts, and file prep across both Art and Stitch and Pro-Stitcher Designer. Whether you want to sell your pantos or simply create beautiful designs for your own quilts, Barbie equips you with the skills to do it confidently.
What Sets Barbie’s Course Apart
Here’s what made this course different for me:
Step-by-step growth: You start with simple repeats, then move to challenging designs you’d never imagine you could create — until you do.
Complex edge to edge designing. There’s in depth instruction for creating complex pantographs. These patterns were made during these modules.
Extended-width designs: Barbie dedicates an entire section to these, helping you understand why they’re so effective for large quilts.
Real-world selling prep: Want to turn your designs into products? Barbie covers every step, from file creation to shop-ready formatting.
Community support: The course platform includes a space for quilters to share their work, and celebrate each others wins.
It’s not always easy — I replayed some modules again and again. But that’s the beauty of it: you can revisit, practice, and truly master the skills.
How It Transformed My Journey
When Barbie launched the #100DayPantograph
DesignChallenge, on Instagram, I jumped in. I set goals, pushed past them, and before long, I wasn’t just designing — I was selling.
I opened an Etsy shop, refreshed my website, and even started a newsletter. On the day Barbie shared my story in her newsletter, I had record sales — enough to cover my entire course fee in one go. That kind of support goes way beyond teaching.
Respect for Other Courses
I want to emphasize — I’ve learned something valuable from every resource I’ve tried. Deborah’s videos, Katie’s course, and the Longarm League all contributed to my growth. If you’re curious, I encourage you to check them out.
But if you’re ready for the most comprehensive, step-by-step guide to pantograph design, Barbie’s course is where I’d start.
Enrollment for Barbie’s next cohort is open FOR A LIMITED TIME! And until October 8th you can use the code EARLYBIRD at checkout by following this link.
Here’s the crucial deets:
Code EARLYBIRD will save you $100 through October 8th.
Class begins October 13th.
Enrollment closes October 31st.
If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing your designs stitched across quilts — or of earning income from your creativity — this is your moment.
Don’t let another year pass with your ideas stuck in your head. Invest in your skills, your confidence, and your future as a pantograph designer.
Final Thoughts
Yes, this is ABSOLUTELY an affiliate link — and I couldn’t be more honored. I don’t promote things lightly, but this course has changed my quilting journey in ways I didn’t think possible.
As Barbie says, “There’s room for everyone.” And I truly believe that includes you.
