Annya

klgreene, I am glad that you worked out what I myself would do, that is SID I found out id you sew along the sashing always go the same way on both sides or it will wave at you. My Teddy bears picnic quilt will have to come out at the sashing and then be redone too. The quilts are great, it is the colors my whole family loves for at least 4 generations. Every female member loves the lavender color. Strange isn't it?

mayday

Contact her and tell her your feelings and ask for part refund if you gave her specific instructions; the top you made is so sweet ,colours go together v well and I personally don't like quilts that have been "sewn within an inch of their life---they make me feel sick ,so I could live with it very well but do understand your frustration.

Butterflyblue

So glad to hear that you found a solution that suits you. And the finished quilts are lovely. I like the idea of a matching doll quilt. I saved a bunch of scraps from the quilt my MIL and I made my daughter just for that purpose. Of course, who knows when I'll get it finished.

marla

You could do that!! Perhaps it is time to look outside the area for a LAQ.
If the quilt isn't a double size or larger, I've been doing my own. I may be able to handle a double after practice.

mbp

If that person IS the ONLY (I find that questionable,it's probably an excuse) longer-arm quilter then the work should show a more professional finish. I agree with the person who asked you to get back in touch with this quilter & demand that the shoddy work be fixed. As you have this forum to tell about your woes, then maybe you may have to remind your quilter that you will not recommend them AT ALL & that if they belong to a "professional" guild of long-arm quilters in your area ( you must have been given their name & address from some-one to find them in the first place) that you will complain to them.
Too much work is not an excuse for shoddy work. You pay for a professional finish, not for the shoddy work you recieved. mbp

klgreene

My feed dog doesn't drop unfortnately. And I've tried to freehand and just can't seem to make it look nice, or even.
I use the #4 length and I keep adjusting the tension. For some reason my stitches are smaller than I'd like, but I don't have an expensive machine. It does the job I need.

Sunflower7

love your quilt

marla

I heard of someone quilting w/o dropping their feed dogs. so I tried it and am soooooooooo pleased with the results. T
marla

bels

Without dropping the feed dogs ....do you get the rounded stipples?...I mean the up and down rounded hills and valleys of a bigger stipple?

Annya

You have to practice on a piece of sandwich fabric first to get into a rythmn and go slow so you do not get those big stitches. Keep your stitch length on what you normally sew and do not change it but most of all GO SLOW and do position your hands and do one section at a time. It you have some sort of gloves like the cheap garden gloves with the dots if you can't afford the right ones(I can't) They will help to grip the quilt as you sew. If you do a bit then leave the machine, get a drink or something, it will help release the tension from your neck. Flex it and your shoulders, it does help you to relax more. You do not have to do circles. what ever you want but be consistent with it. Always start from the center out too. If you go around applique, sew around it first to anchor the patch then go down one side then the next and meet at the top or bottom and continue across the square to the edges. Pin the backing fabric outside the top so it will not get caught underneath as you do the edges. I call the stippling a drunkards path, it goes all over and does not necessary have to cross over or not. You know how drunks walk. GOOD LUCK :thumbup: