Longarm quilters...have you retired any patterns that are difficult?
 

Those of you that use hand guided machines, are there any patterns that you don't like to use. I dislike circles and have just refused to quilt them for customers. Recently I was asked to quilts some boxes/squares...I practiced and when they brought the quilt I showed them my kinda wonky boxes they still wanted them...I have quilted 2 and have 2 more to quilt with that same pattern. These ladies quilt together and liked this pattern.

I'm also hand guided and I almost never use pantos--kills my neck/back. I did recently tell a customer that wanted ribbon candy on a border that I wasn't a very good ribbon candy quilter--and besides the border was 8" wide! We agreed on feathers instead.

I am still dreaming of the day I will have my own LA...since I rent one currently I just quilt simple spirals.

I don't quilt for customers. I do all hand-guided quilting, and have never used a pantograph. I make circles with rulers, so they aren't a problem. I have been trying to stretch my abilities by taking classes and using at least some of the teacher's designs in quilts. I still have trouble with some of them, but practice makes them better, if not perfect. I think that applies to both free motion and pantos.

I use pantographs almost always when I quilt. My best quilting buddy and I bought an APQS Lenni in October 2016 and we have quilted more than 350 quilts. As our quilts will be used and washed frequently, we don't like really dense pantos as that makes the quilt stiff and flat and not as cuddly. We also do not want to spend hours quilting very intense design as many of our quilts end up at the Youth Shelter and don't need that much quilting. I like to zip down a row and like continuous flowing or curved designs while my buddy likes a few points in the design which she can use as a resting spot. I don't like designs featuring perfect circles or lots of straight lines as they are hard to do when you have a hand guided machine.

Even with a computerized system, I quilt with pantographs. Most of my quilting is done on charity quilts. Panto's take less time, I can get more quilts done. Also have some health issues that would interfere with doing more complex quilting, but even if I did not, it is likely that only panto's would show up on the quilts that I quilt.

The LQS is so overbooked that they are not accepting any quilts until after Feb. of 2019, so I have 2 done and 4 more to go before Dec 5, they need to be mailed for Christmas, then I have 3 for April. Since I am the least expensive quilter around here I am kept quite busy at this time of the year. Most customers are happy with meander, leaves, flowers, swirls, clouds which are very forgiving. I don't charge too much because most of the time I really enjoy it and the work funds my hobby....more fabric. I am just going to say no to some of the patterns are are not fun and I am not comfortable quilting.

I am envious of you gifted persons that can free hand.