I would inquire if there was some family emergency at the quilters home. We recently had this happen with a very reliable long arm quilter (usually about a 3 week turnaround) and found out her Mother had had a stroke and she was spending most of her time there. Needless to say, we told her to do them when your able.
If its just not doing the quilts -I'd inquire and ask for mine back and find a new quilter.

I waited a month once, but the lady told me she was REALLY behind..she had a lot ahead of me....it was a month...but 6 months thats rediculous..Yes, I would make a call and tell her you r tired of waiting..and there r other LA people that would love to do it!

Absolutely take them back.
I will sometimes give an estimate of 4 - 6 weeks If I know I either have a busy schedule/life for awhile; and tell my customer it may well be half of that time frame. I ususally have them finished in 1 -2 weeks, but the extra time covers machine issure that can somethimes crop up (happened only once), or illness, etc.
recently with all the heat I have told the 2 customers it may be an extra week or so, my studio does not cool off this year, AC window just can't handle out unusal hot summer.
Unless she has a LONG waiting list it should not take 2 plus months! take them back and look for someone else.

That's too long call her and get them back, I hope she has not lost them, I could see that long if she was hand quilting, but not machine quilting.

A friend of mine is a LA'r and she says she never has more than 5 in her home at a time due to insurance regs. She one has 14 piled up and a wee little mouse got in and nibbled a hole threw a clients quilt and the insurance had to cover it. She said never again.Now she hangs them on quilted hangers from the ceiling. I didn't know the was Quilters Insurance. New to me.

I'd give her a call, she should've called you to let you know why it's taking so long.
Let us know what you find out.

I don't know if there is a "usual" amount of time required to quilt a top, but your quilter should have been able to give you an approximate time frame when she could have it completed.

As a longarm quilter, I work by appointment 99% of the time. I have 1 top that a customer left with me to "work in" when I can. She was told when she left it with me that it would be quilted if I had a cancellation prior to November, 2010 otherwise it would be quilted at the end of 2010. I do not make appointments for December each year as I use that month to make sure all tops are quilted and returned to the owners. My 2010 and 2011 calenders are full as my customers book well in advance, bring their tops about 1 to 2 weeks before their appointments and get them back 1 to 2 weeks after their appointment. I'm blessed to work for the best customers who know my schedule and plan accordingly and in consideration to them I try to do my best, both in workmanship and time. All this said, there are times when a customer will need a top quilted within a time frame (say for a special occasion) and I will adjust my schedule to accommodate them.

That does seem like a very long time to wait. Contact her and see what she has to say. Keep us posted.

I have a large family and understand problems.

However, a business is a business is a business!

Absolutely that is too much time.

Go get your quilts and look them over before you leave her house. Something could have happened and she is afraid to tell you.

Good Luck and you should have had them back by 4th of July. By the way don't call just go when you know it is convienent for her.

Quilter68
P.S. I plan my quilting time in advance and I only quilt for fun. I have one for Sept., one for Oct., and one for Nov. Dec. I am making a Christmas one for ME!

i have heard of long-arm quilters being anywhere between 6months and 18 months back-logged on quilts; i do not understand this, i do not believe you should be accepting quilts that far out. i have always tried to keep my work to where i can have it done and out the door within 2 weeks, if i find i am getting behind i do not accept any until i catch up with out explaining the situation with the quilt owner letting her know i am behind and it could be a month. and then i contact her at least once a week letting her know exactly where things stand. when you took her the quilts did you discuss the turn-over? i'm afraid i would be picking them up and taking them somewhere else.