Some ???s for professional quilters
 

I do not like to do my own quilting. I can manage it on quilts for the family since they forgive the mistakes. For special quilts, I would like to feel confident in sending my tops out for quilting.

I am an amateur quilter. I try my best but I'll never be really excellent.
Now I plan to send out a top for quilting but I am afraid that the quilter will not want to do it because of the 'mistakes'.

My questions for the pros is....what kind of 'flaws' can you deal with?...are there some tops you will not take?...how bad have some of the 'flaws' been?

Thank you.

What mistakes? Who says they are mistakes? Your work is your work. And what right does anyone have to just your sewing? If you are paying for an opinion, that is one thing. If you are paying for their work, their expertise, that should not include their opinion, UNLESS you have asked for it. And the Board has stated and reaffirmed, there are no quilt police. If a "professional quilter will not quilt your work, then they are not professional. They are picky and choosey about what they will do, they won't get much work. I doubt there are very many "perfect" stitchers in the world of quilting. We stitch quilts because we love it, we love the fabrics and the pleasure of seeing something accomplished.

Speaking for myself, I use a mid-arm machine, I do not do heirloom stitching. I do meander on my quilts. I make quilts for charities and they are made with love and the idea that they will bring comfort and warmth to the person who receives them. They will never become heirlooms to be put away in a cedar chest and never used. My quilts go into service and I hope they are welcomed and loved by those in need.

Never worry about someone's opinion. If you are not asking for their opinion but paying for a service rendered,
they should have no complaints. AND if they snicker behind your back and speak to other customers about the sloppy work, they are NOT professional, and do not deserve to quilt for other people.

Gather your courage, take the quilt to a quilter and speak only about the fact of how you want your quilt finished.
Leave out the comments about your workman ship. After all, once the quilt is finished, the mistakes on the back are hidden in the batting and backing. Get your quilt quilted and keep on going...make more quilts.

June in Cincinnati

Good post, I'll be following this post closely. As a newbie, I do the best I can, fix what's obvious, and when I gift my quilts I explain that it's not perfect as I'm learning, and smile :). Most people are simply genuinely happy to receive a hand made gift that is full of love and effort.

I have been quilting, and am not a professional, for almost 20 years. I still make mistakes. I was told not to compete with God's perfection.

So far the only the problem I've presented (that I know of) to my LA quilter is wavy borders. When she looked at it, it was worse than I thought but she said she thought she could work with it. I haven't made very many quilts - 4 or 5 lap size and none were even close to perfect but she has never said any were a problem - except the wavy borders. So just talk to her about what you want and she'll let you know if it's do-able.

June 6995, go head you said it all!! I hear ya girl and I agree with you 1000%!!!

We used to hear practice makes perfect. Just recently I heard Practice makes permanent. I agree 100%. My LAQ says everything quilts out so she takes what she is given and makes the most of it. It always seems beautiful when she is finished. Go for it and good luck. Keep practicing.

I'm not a professional but I FMQ for myself and as a sideline to support my quilt habit for 6 friends in local group. To say someone is not a professional if they don't quilt whatever you send is really unfair. If I get a top the borders are wavy I will not quilt it as I know it will look bad when finished. If I get a top that the borders are smaller than the center and it will have pleats, I won't quilt it as I know the finished top will not look good. And under no circumstances will I quilt one that has open seams. I check religiously now as I did one recently that my FMQ foot found the open seam before I did and when it caught tore a hole in the quilt top before I could stop. While it wasn't my fault I remade the top as it belonged to a friend.

Keep in mind that many people that do FMQ don't judge you, they just don't want to give you back something that doesn't look nice and you feel cheated. If you send it in saying quilt it "this way" and I'm not worred about finished project they will probably quilt it for you. Also keep in mind that if they have to do things like repair seams, square up backing, etc there is an addtional charge.