How Long Do You Wait to Get on Your Long-Armer's Schedule?
 

I was wondering what the "average" expected wait is? One LA lady that is very busy both professionally and with family gave me an estimate of 4 weeks for 2 semi-custom quilt jobs. Another lady that is retired and doesn't have other significant commitments gave me an estimate of 6 to 7 weeks for a quilt she would be using a template for and it is only small lap size (I'm thinking she doesn't spend a lot of time doing the quilting and has a lot of backlog).

Just wondering if this is the norm. I know I have heard some people waiting months for their quilts to be finished. I just couldn't sign up for that I don't think

Several in this area are 4 to 6 months from when you book in.

As a result, many register their quilts for a date and then make them accordingly.
For me, I don't care for that, as I don't want the pressure of the deadline.
And from the other perspective, once I have it finished, I want it LAQ ASAP too.

You're the one who has to make the decision as to how long you are willing to wait ... or whether you need to look for someone else.

Regardless, what is most important IMHO is that when they give you a date to start and finish, that they will meet that date and not delay it further.

Have you thought about sending it off to shops that LAQ like Missouri Star Quilt Co. I know they long arm. There are others that do as well. I would be very careful, though, who I sent it to. They would have to be a very well established business.

I have a quilt at my LQS now and it's been there for about 6 months ... hopefully I'll have it back by the end of this month.

I've never waited months for LA, just a few weeks. There are so many talented LA quilters right here on the board, that I would never waste time looking anywhere else. Many of them post photos of their work here and also have many who can testify to their skills!

My DSIL is my LAQ and I know at the moment she's backed up due to everyone bringing in their quilts for Christmas gifts. She also works fulltime at another job so she does this at night and on weekends. Had one lady drive from 2 hours away and brought her 6 quilts and wants all of them by Nov 15th. Since I get the "family" discount, my quilts get pushed to the back burner, but I've never waited over a month for one.

I AM a LA'r...and I am beginning to feel the "Christmas crunch" a little early this year...I guess everyone is trying to get their presents early. Most of us do try to give very good and prompt service...if we don't, no repeat business. Mine usually book about 4-6 weeks out; and I won't accept any orders for Christmas delivery after November 10th this year. If there's any time left after I'm done with customer orders, then I work on family stuff that didn't get done early in the year. So good luck to you all!

A few weeks really isn't that bad to wait. My LQS has 3 women who do their quilting, so I usually only wait about 2-3 weeks. Others take several months to get a quilt back from them.

It depends on the time of year. Some won't take anymore "for Christmas gift" quilts after a certain time in the fall.

piney

I don't think 4 weeks for 2 quilts sounds bad at all. I've only sent one out and that was to Charisma and it didn't take long (don't remember exactly) even with mailing it both ways and all the beautiful work she did on it!!!!

I just wanted to clarify that I don't think 4 weeks is too long, especially a talented quilter. I do think that 8 weeks or more (some people mention 6 months!!!) is a long time. I am just speaking in generalitites as well. Not specifically about before Christmas because I know that is a very heavy period of activity.

Maybe I am a little impatient, but if I were to send out a quilt I couldn't wait several months for it. I haven't done it yet, but would be ecstatic to have an answer of 4-6 weeks return time. That would include quilting other than FMQ, because that I could do myself.

My longarmer has super quick turn around time. She usually has my quilts back to me in 2 weeks or less but during the holiday season it's 3 weeks or less.

Just more reason why I make all my quilts - start to finish. I don't trust anyone but myself. If I don't do a good job, it is all on me. I am not a patient person and hate waiting for anything. Therefore I do all my own quilting.

In our area its usually 4/6 weeks ....she already is about full for the Christmas season.

If I know I am giving a quilt for Christmas I book my "slot/space" in June or July. Most of the talented Long Arm Pros are booked solid by now with quilts that must be delivered before the holidays.

I have had about 6 quilts quilted by my LAQ. It takes about 2 months for me to get them back. The LAQ has a full time job. I am told that she will do faster work once she retires and has more time for quilting. When I am in a hurry, I do the quilting myself on my Bernina.

I wouldn't wait longer than a month unless its christmas season, and then you should also realize that this time of year shortly before christmas is when LA get more busy with all the christmas gift

My longarmer books 6-8 months out. She's a friend and is well worth going to, so I book as soon as I know for sure the quilt will be made. For instance, as soon as the Hoffman Challenge fabric was revealed last month, I booked my quilt. The fabric isn't available yet and the quilt design isn't done yet, but my entry will be quilted in April.

I never leave quilts with her for months and months. I take them to her when they are scheduled. Why should they sit in a bin at her house when they can sit in one at mine? That makes no sense to me at all. If she's ready for it a bit early, she calls me to see if I'm ready for her to start on it. If I cancel, she easily fills the time slot. She has over 200 customers and quilts full-time. The whole system meets the needs of both of us very well and I couldn't ask for a better longarmer.

Just curious, if anyone is willing to share....how much do most LAQ's charge for a quilt? I know there's a huge difference between someone just stippling vs a computerized or detailed design. A friend of mine took a king size log cabin quilt to a LAQ and never asked them up front what they would charge. They did a nice job of FMQ feathers throughout, but charged her $1200. I can't believe someone would take a quilt to be done and have absolutely no clue how much it might cost them.

It's rather hard to say what "most" LAQs charge, because it depends on sooo many factors. How big is the quilt. How dense is the pattern. Is it hand or machine guided. What area of the country are you in - prices quoted in Seattle (for example) would be much higher than rural Arkansas, simply because the cost of living is higher. How skilled and in demand is the quilter - I know of a few LAQs who are so good at quilting, they are able to be very choosy about their clients and they charge a lot more.

Your best bet for pricing in YOUR area is to call around and ask for pricing info. Most quilters will give you a basic quote of cents per inch for pantos or edge-to-edge, and another rate for custom quilting. Some quilters will have pricing info on their websites, also.

$1200 seems awfully steep to me. The most I ever paid was $350 for a machine-guided panto on a 110" x 110" quilt.

My guy calls me about every 6 months. You can bring any number of quilts. He does amazing custom work but will do edge to edge. I asked him and he said one woman brought him 15 one time. I took in 5 but that is about my max. I currently have a closet of 16 ready for a long arm quilter and am about ready to talk to another local who is in my guild.

Thanks for stating this. I'm one of the LAer's listed on the board & do post pics of my work also. Currently there's no waiting 'cuz I just finished all the quilts that are at the quilt show this weekend. Everyone was concentrating on it, now they'll start thinking Christmas & I'm sure I'll be busy again. But I don't anticipate more than a 2 week turn around for anyone.
As far as price, we all charge by the square inch. Most all are pretty standard at .015 per sq for an all-over meandering type of quilting. The prices vary from that point on. Semi-custom & custom is where the prices really differ. It depends on the skill level of the LAer & how backlogged they are. $1200 is way too steep for anything but a full custom quilt job. It must have been show quality when it was finished.
Look here on the board for all the LAer's. Take a look at their postings & see which one's style fits what you're thinking of putting on your quilt & send them a PM to get the ball rolling. All of us will respond asap.

Different long armers, different time frames. My favorite takes more time because she's in high demand. She's excellent and I will wait 4 weeks for her. Others are 2 weeks and I send my easy quilts to them. But my hard quilts that I want custom go to Tracy because Tracy does awesome work and I know I will love the job.

I think it all depends on the quilter. I have sent a quilt to a LA for the first time the first week of September and when mentioned early October, she almost returned the quilt to me then and there. She said early November at the soonest. I have seen her work and choose to adjust my schedule. I suspect, like you, that the quilter has either over booked herself or has a backlog. My quilt is more than lap size but less than a single. Since it is now mid October I am starting to get anxious to see my quilt. Patience, Patience, Patience.

Do them yourself on your domestic machine!! I've done 2 King-size, 3 queen size, and can't count how many full size! The more you do it, the better you get and far more satisfying than those boring template patterns from the longarm budget category!

I am a long arm quilter, and no one waits more than a week or two to get their quilts back from me. I am single and I do not currently work another job, it is my only source of income, so I can't make people wait. They would go elsewhere, and I am always looking to grow my business. I do only pattern quilting no custom, maybe it is the custom work that slows them down, and this is one reason I don't do it. Besides the fact I can't tell some one they owe me 200+ dollars for a quilt. Communication is key in any business.

I do mine on my machine, just because if I had to send them out, I wouldn't be able to afford this hobby. I am not perfect by any means, but the last few quilts (Crib size) that I have done, have looked really good, and I have gotten lots of compliments on them.

I LOVE MY L.A.Q.!!!!! Right around this time of year I have several projects in the pipeline, and a schedule to keep. My LAQ allows me to call and get on her schedule before I've even begun the quilt. Since I know I have to finish a quilt by this-and-such a date (because another is right after that on my schedule), I get on the schedule within a day or two after finishing the top. If I finish early, I take it over anyway - several times someone's cancelled at the last minute and my quilt's been put on the frame in its stead, and the quilt gets finished even earlier!

Maybe - if you're certain when a top is going to be finished, you could get on her schedule. I used to finish, then call .... and then wait until my LAQ told me I could schedule way ahead, and how. You probably wouldn't have to get an agreement with your LAQ - as long as you finish by the agreed-on drop-off date: no harm, no foul, no deception.

The LQS I go to has a LA that you can rent. The rental book is open on the counter and all you have to do is put your name and phone num's bert down. I did my grandson's baseball quilt last week and have 2 days in Dec. for two more quilts I will have finished by then. I am just learning to use it and totally enjoy it. The employees are very helpful and the ability to do your own quilt is great. The cost is very reasonable and it sure beats going out and buying a LA. I would have to do around 100+ quilts to just pay for the LA plus the added expense of thread etc. I did my GS's quilt plus batting for less than $100. To me this is the way to go.

I have two quilts at my LQS since the middle of February. talked to her a two months agoand was told it will be done shortly. Talked again to her 2 weeks ago should be done last week. Saw her last week should have this week, still no quilts. I found another LQS that a friend went to and was told 4 weeks. She brought it there on Monday and had the quilt back on Friday. Will have to try this one when I finish my 2 quilts I am working on now.

I would not hesitate one minute to send a quilt to Missouri Star Quilt Co......I know their turn around is very fast....Give them a call and see, they are excellent on the phone.

I nearly fainted here in my chair when I read the $1200 price.....surely it was a juried winner!!!!!! And since I have never entered that type of quilt in a competition, I wouldn't be able to make a fair judgement here. But $1200...Unbelievable. Not my league at all; I have charged as little as $50 for a quilt and furnished the batting. But I am not a professional; one who makes a living out of my Gammill products. It is purely a pleasure machine, and I quilt only what I want to quilt, or for family. I have had my LA for nearly four years now, and have probably only done maybe a hundred quilts. I have a good collection of pantos (and thought of entering the conversation I read yesterday of the most pricey items you have bought in the past and don't use, that would be mine), my son and I both do real pretty stippling and free hand patterns. I am not advertising, but you can PM me if you want to discuss us doing a quilt for you. I LOVE this board, and watch for your comments just about every day.....

We only have two or three LASers in our area, so it is very difficult to even get in. I just got back three quilts from the new gal I tried. I waited several months, but the results were well worth the wait. The price and work were fabulous. She apologized for the long wait and kept me in the loop. She had taken on more work than she could do in a timely way because of the local QSs. My quilts were not being entered so I was willing to wait. Will definitely use her again for my big quilts and fancy stuff. I have a LA which I use for my own charity, kid etc. quilts.

I recently called my LQS and asked if they basted quilts. They did, and told me I would have to go the "end of the line" to put my job on the queue. They estimated an 8 week wait.!

p.s. the quilt shop is in Berkeley, CA.

Very interesting to read all the comments. I know of several LAQs in my area. Price does vary as done turn around time, but 2-4 weeks is within reason. I always get the price first so I know what to expect. I would have fainted if I had been told $1200!

It's not unusual for the wait to be 6 months from the LQS. When I inquired from some independents, it was 4-6 months too. The person I've used usually takes about 3-4 months and mine have been lap quilts.

Wow! I am lucky that we have a shop here that rents time on the LA and she teaches you how to use it the first time then you rent it by the hour. I really like that. I wish that I could have one in my home, but I don't have the space. Maybe when the kids move out......YEARS from now!! LOL!

I know the shop and I think that they are VERY pricey!