Me too!!! find another charity to do the wilting for. If they think they can get someone to do custom quilting on charity quilts they are in need of a lesson. those who do that have their own charities they quilt for and don't do for just anyone. You are not less than anyone. Anyone who quilts and gives to others is better than a lot of those who are the quilt police.

Wow! How snobby! I only do custom because I love the look, have fun coming up with the designs & need it to show off the large amount of hand applique/hand embroidery I do. But our craft is richer because of things like pantographs & I think it is kind & generous that you are willing to quilt for our military.
The only type of quilt I think always needs custom quilting is an art quilt. For anything else, the stitch pattern is part of the design & you should feel proud of what you created. :)

I can support you completely! And I'd rather hire someone to use a pantogram quilting design such that I know what I'm getting!

I agree. The quilts with pantographs I love. I love the consistency of the pattern.

IN this case, it just means that they have choices. If they had no custom quilter or were quilting on a DSM, you can bet they'd be jumping at your offer of stars!!!

(I know I sure would be!)

Actually, I'd be jumping at probably just about any panto! (I don't have a long arm nor access to one--all quilting is on the DSM.)

There is a local quilter here that does panto quilting. Her quilt won Best in Show at Paduca a few years ago. I love her work! Sounds like you have a group of silly quilt police. Tell them to do their own quilts and keep living what you do.

I have a HQ Avante with computer. I did some QOV, but I felt like they wanted "experts" instead of my allover computerized quilting, so I stopped volunteering my services. They want "professional style" work for nothing. The old addage Beggars can't be choosers fits here. I don't sell my services, but do quilts for charities, and for my friends, and myself. I have never tried pantograph on my machine, but use the computer for 99% of my work. I just don't feel like taking all that time to practice FM when I can be accomplishing something with the computer. I feel my work is as good as anyone elses. We are all artists in our own way, and should never be made to feel inferior to anyone else.

Quilting is something I do because I love to make quilts. I made my first quilt, a log cabin, starting in 1979 using a yard stick and sissors to cut out the logs. Made a few blocks, was discouraged because it wasn't going together perfectly. Joined the workforce and put it away. Ten years later a friend introduced me to the rotary cutter. My how the rotary cutter changed quilting and my life. My first quilts were hand quilted, tied or SID. Then I discovered ways to quilt designs with my DSM. Now I have a Sit Down machine.

I can do some free motion quilting but I am not good at it (and feel I would rather make quilts for people undergoing serious health problems thanuse the time to learn to FMQ) and prefer to use pentagrams. To have the attitude that unless you are a FMQer your are not a quilter is arrogance on that person's part. Don't let anyone make you feel you are less of a quilter because you do not FMQ. Why take the joy another person gets from her quilting away from her and make her feel inferior. May you continue to love what you do the way YOU want to do it.

Below is a picture of a recent quilt I finished with a pentagram.

NoraB, I'm with you; once I've spent so much on fabric and supplies and the many hours assembling the quilt I don't feel right practicing on it. If it didn't turn out? What a waste of money and time. So I'm right there with you; I do pantograms. I've only done 2 'custom' and was extremely nervous about it although the customers were thrilled. So I feel where you are coming from. Just keep pantogramming away like me. We are quilters.

Beautiful Fastpedal.