I have had only one quilt done on a long arm and the lady gave me so many choices as to what I could have on it. She was fantastic, she listened to what I had to say about what I liked and didn't like and what the quilt meant to me.It was a special quilt done by many friends and two of them are no longer with us she then helped me pick out the final one from the designs I had chosen. She had samples of at least 75 or more designs done not just templates or pictures. I too despise stippleing and over done any design, it takes away from the cuddle of a quilt.
Just my opinon, I still like hand quiting best but knew this quilt would never get done as it was for me and I never find the time to do it.