I have only sent one quilt out to be done by a long-armer. It was a set of 20's butterflies that came from a friend's grandma's stash and I had put it together for her. It required more than SID and I was nowhere near ready to do anything else. SO I paid to have it done.
Now I am taking classes so I can finish my own. It is not a matter of money for me but a matter of stubbornness that I "need" to do the work start to finish.
I did ask for (and received) help to finish the FMQ on Kennedy's Raffle quilt. Again - above my competence. I so do appreciate anyone who has the skill to do the swirly patterns.