Wow I think this is completely on the mark! I would be curious to know if this LAer ever made a single quilt before she purchased her machine!

Just one of many, many reasons I quilt my own quilts. I am always happy with how I do it. If I had to send my quilts out to be quilted, I would stop making quilts.

For me it would have been once! I figure each quilt top I make cost me between 120 to 150 dollars, $30.00 (at least) for backing, and then the batting, not counting my time. To me there is no excuse for not doing what the customer asks for.

That's what I think too. If she can't do what you asked she should have let you know in advance, especially after you sent batting and thread. There must be a better way.

Well I'm of the saying screw me once shame on you, screw me twice shame on me. A LAer does what you ask or tells you up front why they can't or why it won't work. I know because I am a LAer......... I had a few mess up my quilts, so I became one to do my quilts and now do them for other people.

If I had that experience with a LA'r I would not pay her the full amount that she asked for. You are not getting what you asked for and neither should she!

I think you said she told you she was the one who knew LAQ, not you.

I think there is enough said here to give her a wake up call. Either straighten up or ship out. Show her these above comments.

As one person pointed out, from her experience she no longer has her's quilted by someone else. I'm trying to get started with LA for other people. I don't need irresponsible LA's ruining my reputation simply because I also do long arm.

Besides batting and thread, there is also design. Everyone has their own signature even when LA'ing. It may be necessary to find a versitle design person.

FelineFanatic hit the nail right on the head.

You don't need to find a local LA ... you can always put your quilt in a box and send it off to a real professional.

There are people who send their quilts half way around the world to get them quilted.

Any LAer should never choose their own materials for anyones quilt without asking them first if they can make the change. It is unaceptable. Period.

Look on line and find some other LAers. Study well their web page. Does it show their work in detail. Are prices clearley set and extras added into the price. If the page looks really professional send an e-mail and ask some ? see if you like the way they speak and answer ?s. Make a decision based on what you research. There are many great LAers out there to find.

Hope this works out for you.
peace

EDIT: If you decide to send your quilts through the mail, insure them both ways for what you think it is worth.

I sent out the first 3 quilts I made and quickly decided no matter how bad I did I would have no one to blame but myself and bought a mid-arm for myself. I only do my own quilts but I get better with each one and have never made the mistakes others did on my quilts that I had to pay for. I probably piece a minimum of 20 quilts per year so in the long run I will have paid for my setup. I gave one LA'er 2 chances and the other one only one chance...you have more patience than me!

Theres plenty of LA'rs here on the board, I would suggest you try one of them. She should have notified you of any changes before making them, just my opinion. And I don't think she'll be in business long.

Does this LA Quilter not have any conscience? I am a LA Quilter for customers and I would never dream of using a different batting than what they request and I would never use a different color thread than what they want. I am so anal about making sure the customer gets what they want that even if they request a simple medium sized meander for the quilting, I even have paper and pen and draw out a simple meander in a couple different size samples so I can get an idea of what they have in mind when they say medium size meander. Their thought on medium size and my thought might be two completely different sizes. I can't believe that LA Quilter even has any clients. I would never go back a second time if someone quilted my quilt a different way than what I requested. (Why does she even ask her clients what they want when, obviously, she is just going to do it how she wants to).

sounds like a lot of LA quilters here. i have a question. can i butt in? is it possible to use a different color thread on the back, than what you used on the top? just wondering.

I cannot understand why you went back 3 times. I am not a LA'er and quilt myself with my home domestic machine, and enjoy this activity. I would like to one day get a LA and possibly set up a little business for myself. If I did not do as the customer requested, I would make it up to the client by a least a discount and if not a freebe. I am capable of making an error but when working on another's quilt I would think I would have to be responsible and meet their request. I don't think I would of went back the second time if she thought it was acceptable to do as she pleases with my quilt.

I TOTALLY AGREE! I had my longarm for 2 years before I added the computer. It is unbelievable how many people who can't even change a lightbulb think they can spend $20,000 to $30,000+ on a machine, thinking they just load and go. Absolutley NOT the way it goes. I also invested in myself by taking a private class in Minnesota with Karen McTavish, there is a local LA'er in my area who also gave me a class when I first got my machine. I do not take my craft lightly. Each quilt is a craft of love and care by the piecer and the LA'er. There are lots of us who put our heart into each project for our customers. And lots of us who have taken the time and made the investment in ourselves. Nobody is perfect, but you and your quilt deserve better!

Ok, off my soapbox now. LOL. I know I already responded once, but I agree with feline fanatic very strongly. :)

Gee, I am glad I quilt my own. I would not be happy to not get what I asked for and then paid for. Why go back for more?

Sound like her thinking needs to be reprocessed.

check with Quilt shops for more names. they should know and have business cards too.
years ago i had someone do two quilts for me. she evidently didn't like her stitching about 1/3 of the way in, snipped all the threads but left them in. I had to spend an hour per quilt picking out all those clipped thread pieces. no idea why but that was the end.

I found a ldy to LA A quilt I made for my daughter that I needed in a hurry. She did a lovely job and in 2 days. She was leaving on a retreat, but had it ready for me. Would love to use her more. but money is a problem. I know her cards are in the fabric store, so I am sure other fabric stores have cards available. Since my quilts are fairly simple and old fashioned, I hand quilt or tie. So far no one has complained. :-)

I think I would go with.....three strikes your out! Just sayin.

Feline Fanatic,

The key to excellence in whatever you do, however you do it, is to care about the end result.

The LAQ spoken of in the original post doesn't understand that she has to CARE about the customer perception of the end result. She doesn't get it, and may never get it. But that has nothing to do with using a computerized system.

Bottom line is that if someone trusts you to LAQ a quilt they made, you must ALWAYS discuss any kind of change that is needed before making the change. That has nothing to do with the LAQs skills at quilting or the use of a robotic quilting system. It's simply good manners. And, if you're in the business of quilting for $$$, it's also good business.

In case you're wondering, yes, I use a robotic quilting system exclusively, and, no, I have never machine quilted without it. No, I do not quilt for $$$, but I do quilts for others and have had to ask a few folks if I could change something, but always with good reason. I would never presume to make a change without the quilt makers permission. Again, that is simply good manners.

Sure is. I've done it on several quilts. Works fine, looks good. But test it on a quilting sandwich first.

Found out from experience that what I imagined would look great, didn't, and picked a row of quilting out when I because my imagination failed me! Lesson learned!

Exactly once. Somebody screws up one of my quilts, they're done.

Excellence is achieved through caring about the end result, and your customers perception of the end result, no matter what you do or how you do it.

The LAQ in the original post does not understand that. Unfortunately, she may never understand that. But her lack of courtesy and business acumen has nothing to do with how she quilts or the path she followed to learn LAQ.

The first two (which were also the last two) quilts I had professionally long armed were done by a young woman who has published several books on quilting and long arming.

The results were less than stellar, but the cost was out of this world. That is why I bought my computer guided system and trained myself to quilt on it. My quilts now (not at first!) turn out much better than the ones she did for me. I often wish I could get them back and do them over.

I did not read all the replies. My reply is: contact Charismah and get on her list to LA your quilt. All that I have seen posted on the board (posts and pictures of her work) have been awesome! She is a member of the board and I am sure you can find her under the Member List.

Good Luck!

I agree with most of your replies - why did you go back even a second time?

There is an old saying, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. You have given her enough chances and the quilter has no right to change what you want done to your quilt

Well, after reading all the preceding posts, I must put my 2 cents in also. I agree with the comment that this LAer has no business sense. If she is unwilling to do what the customer asks for, then she needs to refuse the job. I also agree that she seems to not be interested in learning her craft. She's only learned one thing & doesn't seem to do that really well. I am one of the LAer's listed here on the board for hire. Doesn't matter what I want...it's what you want! Suggestions are gladly given, but you don't have to take them. To answer someones question, yes, you can use different thread top & bottom, I do it all the time. Any LAer who hires out their services had best listen to their customers or they won't be in business very long. I'm truly sorry that you have had this experience. Please take the advice of others & seek out a different LAer.

I totally agree that the LAer did not provide good customer service and at this point certainly I would choose someone else! However, when I first started sending quilts out I had no idea how to choose thread, batting, patterns, etc. I purchased a book by Barbara Persing called Listen to Your Quilt. It gave me insight on how to be specific with choosing what I wanted for my quilts and how to communicate to my LAer. The book would be helpful to any quilter whether choosing a LAer or a do-it-yourself. The book is an easy read and not hard to understand. It also made me appreciate what it would be like to be a LAer or quilter for someone else. In this case, I recommend moving on but I also recommend this book to a LAer or customer! Best of luck with your new LAer! I know there are plenty of them out there!

Ripped is exactly right. I am a longarmer, and this is NOT acceptable on any level. Unless there is a compelling reason---one that will ruin the looks of the quilt---a good longarmer will abide by the customer's instructions. Find another longarmer.

I just started long arming for customers to earn a little fabric money...I have to say your post and similar posts impact me two ways. They tell me that there are a lot of people out there doing less than amazing work - and it also scares the heck out of me!! I hope that I'm dong good enough! Right now I am offering my quilting at a pretty deep discount because I'm new to my long arm, and I tell you, I can do pretty darn good heirloom quilting on my domestic but the long arm is just in it's own category. While quilting on a domestic and a long arm are similar in ways, they are totally different skills.

I love it though, and I hope to never disappoint a customer the way I have seen some disappointed on this board.

I certainly would never give you a different batting than you request, that is pretty stinky. You CAN make the rules for your own business, however you need to discuss the rules and boundaries you have set with your customer. After all it was YOUR quilt. You should have the right to decide if you want to continue on with a long armer who doesn't share your thoughts on how your own quilt should be quilted. The thread I can sort of understand, it's not uncommon for many long armers to want to stick to one brand or weight of thread. Tension is a real pain on the long arm, it's much more finicky than on your domestic and I don't think it's unreasonable to stick with one thread that works. I wouldn't want a long armer experimenting with new thread on my quilt, know what I mean? But if you ask for a certain color, she she either give it to you or explain why she thinks something different would be better. Let you decide first if you want to proceed.

So sorry this happened to you, and good luck finding someone new to quilt for you!! :)

That's appalling! You must have felt so upset the first time it happened. But the third time you must have been furious! IMHO she had to have understood what you wanted ... you gave her the supplies to use! That, coupled with her flimsy excuses, leads me to think she was being dishonest with you. The 50% refund would not have been enough reparation for the damage done. You are right to warn your fellow guild members about what goes on there.

I give a long arm quilter one chance. I take the time ask questions of the quilter first after getting recommendations from others. I give clear exacting directions on what I want and expect, ask for input to make sure my expectations are reasonable, establish a time line for completion of the piece and release my work to the quilter. I am hiring a skilled service provider. If they do not provide the service I need, then they are not the individual I should be working with.

Just a thought, but you can mail your quilts to someone....there is NO excuse for not getting what you've asked for.....I have never been treated that way by a LA, and I've known 3 due to moving, either they have or I have...and I can mail to either of my previous LA, one in Nevada and one in Wisconsin...I know mailing a quilt scary but there are tons of people that do it!

There are lots of long arm quilters on this board. You would have to mail your quilt to them, but from what I have been reading for several years, everyone was satisfied. Just look around some.
The lady who quilted my first quilt gave me a choice of thread - I provided the batting. The only thing she changed was from variegated to cream when she quilted the cream blocks in the 4 corners and I'm glad she did. It's my avatar quilt.

I would have stopped at the 1st one!! If she can't deliver what the customer wants, she won't be in business long. I'd tell her why and go some where else!

Find a new Longarmer!
Go to your local quilt shows and see who is quilting in your area.
Google long arm quilting in your state or city.
Ask at your LQS for recommendations. (and who to avoid)
Tom
Oak Leaf Quilting

I am shocked that the longarmer would not use your batting or thread. If she had a problem with either, she should have told you upfront and then you could have decided whether to find someone else or not. I let my customer choose their batting and thread color. Right now I have Hobbs 80/20, Legacy 70/30 and Wool batting to choose from but if they wanted something different, I would get it. I use predominately Permacore or Glide thread and have a variety of colors. I even have the thread charts in case the customer can't find what she wants and I will order it. I took classes, but my instructor never said we could deviate from what the customer wanted. Good luck in finding another longarmer in your area.

Two times at most. I was lucky enough to finda great LA quilter and I would never try anybody else.

I always fill out a paper with batting, thread and quilt pattern and sign it and so does the person doing the job. If they have a problem of any kind, they call and discuss it with me before proceeding. I would never accept a change in thread color or batting without atleast a 50% discount. I never would have given her a second chance either.