Luv Quilts and Cats

The woman who does my quilts makes suggestions and then I pick one. Usually she is right on the nose when I pick the design and she'll say "I knew you would pick that one." I dont' think I'd like the LAQ to pick the design without consulting me first. What if I didn't like it? Hope this helps!

Bobbielinks

I think what got me "skittish" is a quilt that I quilted a couple weeks ago that did not turn out as pretty as I thought it should. The customer seemed really pleased with it when she picked it up. But after it was quilted I wished I had quilted something different on it. I have quilted about 70 tops for her in the last several years and she has always told me "just do whatever you think will look good". I just think this time maybe I didn't know what looked good. About 95% of my customer quilts' are custom quilting and it seems to me lately that all I'm doing are feathers, crosshatching and SID. Maybe I just have quilt burnout and need a break. Thank each of you for bearing with me. I'm just kind of down now. Think I'll go look at some of your quilting pictures - that will surely cheer me up.

Bobbielinks

In reading these replys, it seems that most of you help select the designs and/or thread. I think that is great! Right now I'm wishing someone would make that choice for me. Now, I'm really off to look at your pictures!!

seamstome

I let her pick whatever she wants UNLESS it is super special and I have seen something I want then we talk about it.

I have used three women. One was slow and that drove me crazy. By the time she got one wallhanging done I had forgotten what it looked like!

One--the quilting was good but it was not balanced so the quilt was warped. I ended up paying to have it re-quilted because I was not happy. Looking back on it, it was mostly my fault because I did not know enough about quilting to understand that how it was going to look.

This one usually nails it without me saying a word. I have had her do about 8 quilts and I have two that I am sending her tomorrow. According to a mutual friend, she enjoys quilting my stuff because she never knows what "style" is going to pop out of the box I send it in, she claims they are usually well-pieced (remember I am paying her!) and I let her be creative.

quiltilicious

How much of your OWN quilting do you do? Like for yourself? Maybe you need to make a really bizarre "art quilt" and break out of your box of feathers, crosshatching and SID. Do some thread painting or something, just for you - to give yourself a break from "tradition" :)

hcarpanini

All of my customers say" do whatever". It is very nerve wrecking but it always seems to work out. I can look at the quilt for weeks and not have a clue what to do, but then I load it and because I am only seeing a section, suddenly it comes to me.
A great resource is to go on the web and look at images of a specific quilt and see how others quilted.

renee765

Actually, I think this feeling might not necessarily be a bad thing. It sounds to me like you have an innate need to be continually improving your craft. You are not satisfied with maintaining the status quo. If I were to send out a quilt to be quilted, you are exactly the type of longarmer I would be looking for!

Slow2Sew

My quilting lady asks if I have a preference. I usually want something that is not too closely stitched to give the quilt a puffier look (OK, that's not a quilting term, is it?). I recently dropped off one made for a wedding present and I requested it be stitched in a wedding bell pattern. I trust her judgment, but still appreciate being asked.

Bobbielinks

Renee, you may have something there. I do keep trying to improve, even after 10 years. And I am a "people pleaser". Maybe I am just being too hard on myself. I took a couple days off. Think I'll go take a bubble bath and polish my toenails and get ready to load a quilt that I have been setting aside - its time to get it done!!