I am so sorry. I would really show the la quilter what is wrong> If you don't show her she will not learn from her mistake. and just take the stitching out if possable and quilt it yourself. I am so sorry that happened. I know she was sweet and all but she has to know. That's just what I think. Good luck

I had a quilt come back a mess from a longarm quilter. It had tucks and puckers and it was done in white thread on my beautiful gray and burgundy fabrics. She also trimmed it and it looked like she let the dog chew off the edges. It really was a total mess. I unstitched the worst tucks and puckers around the edges and got the binding on and done and washed it and gave it to a friend. Gray and burgundy are her most favorite colors and she totally loves that quilt. She sees the color and pattern of the quilt and not the mess the quilter made of it.

At the time I wondered how a longarm quilter in a good size shop in a community with such a large guild could have such a short turn around time. Then I figured out it's because if anybody took anything to her to be quilted it was only once!!

I would rip out all the quilting and have someone elae quilt it. Wash and dry before gifting it.
This is one reason I do my own quilting on my own quilts on my DSM. I love to do and the looks of FMQ and mostly what I do. My work pleases me and that is my aim.

Oh so sorry for you-but ripping out all the stitches on a whole quilt will take many hours.I would let her know you are not happy -washing may help it a lot.Can you show us a pic?Was the quilting design the problem? or tension with loopies on the back?

I've had 2 experiences. One was sent out of town to someone that was recommended to me. I should have known by how much she charged that she wasn't experienced. It was a pond quilt that Fat Cat patterns had and she quilted it in ripples to look like water. All the rows were evenly spaced but one and it runed the whole quilt. I didn't say anything. It was my mistake for sending it. The other was my son-in-laws fireman quilt. The back was to have a border all around and she didn't center it. I was sick. She is a professional that used to own a quilt shop and she was wonderful. She ripped it all out, even bought extra material to re-do the border and didn't charge me a penny extra. I would mention that you weren't happy with it. At the very least she might help you rip it out. That's a big job.

I had that happen - it was a freind who quilted it for my she quilted it to death. I was so dispaointed but pulling it out was way to much so I still have the quilt and everytime I look at it I think of how stupid I was. That was 25 years ago. I worked so hard on that quilt and was so disaponted. Thats when I stated to quilt my quilts myself!

I quilt on a regular sewing machine and find washing it helps a lot to make the stiches set and pull in. It hides a lot of flaws especially drying it in the dryer afterwards. People generally love the look and feel of a washed and dryed quilt.

My opinion? Take a picture so we can see what is going on. But w/onseeing it, i would first take it to the person that reccomended her to you and show them. Then i would take it back to the LA er and tell her that you are not happy and see if you can work out something agreeable. I feel for you- after all that work that you put into it and for a gift, you want it to be perfect. It's one thing if I ruin my own quilt, quite another if I ruin someone else's. Good luck with whatever you decide.

You could take any or all of the measures above but FIRST I would go to the person who did the work and explain why it is unacceptable to you. I believe you should give her a break and talk-face-to-face. Do this first before going to other people and destroying her reputation. There may be a reason why she found it difficult to do satisfactory work.....lack of communication, for example, or something in the quilt material, etc.

Second, don't go the ripping route, it's time better given to pleasanter tasks.--give the quilt as-is to your niece to use in her room, explain the problem and together plan the well-finished quilt you will make for her.
Remembering dorm rooms, it may be getting some very hard use.

I too am sad to say I share your experience. It was a quilt that was all pieced with 1 inch cut squares, and measured 70 inches by 70 inches .... I got it back and she had stitched in a huge tuck. Now I know that may have been possible if the quilt had not been square.... or had volcano type fabric bulges... but this was none of that.. The quilt was no longer square when I got it back .. 6 inches shorter on one side... 4 inches shorter on another... hence the Huge tuck. It was beyond quilted to death .. and it was all batiks .. no way to remove all the quilting .. and not have holes and risk seams coming apart. ..I had about 4000 hours into the top. This was to be a potential show quilt. I was literally in tears. I have no clue as to how this could have happened.
I now use some of the board members here... I will gladly put my quilts in the mail , before risking another outcome like I experienced. . The board members here that I have used have done amazing work on my quilts, and I want to cry from being overwhelmed at the beauty of their stitches.
Sending you big hugs ... wish I could wave a wand and make it better.

DO show this to the shop that refered you, they need to be able to refer to quality , competent profesionals.