In May I took 2 tops to an established machine quilter. These have not even been started. Is there a 'usual' amount of time to expect these to be done? Would it be wrong of me to get them back so I can find a new quilter?

WOW! Did she give you any idea that she was this backed up?
I don't think it would be unreasonable to call around and find someone else after this long...

I agree with Amma. That's a long, long time unless she told you right from the start. I would ask her for them back.

They are your quilts and she is running a business. If you explain to her why, I'm sure she'd understand and maybe it would even help her out by freeing up time for quilts in line behind you. If the price is low, then I guess it's a trade off.

Since May?????? I think that is a bit too long. If she was backed up she should have told you it would be a while before she could get to them. You have every right to contact her and ask what the hold up is and to get them back for someone else to do.
Good Luck.

That is way too long without an explanation call to you. I would pick them up and take them to the next quilter and give a time frame when you need them.

This happened to me. It took 6 months to get it back.
By all means ask how much longer & if you don't want to wait...I'll call around.
She should have told you how long she was backed up when you dropped it off.

I know a quilter who takes reservations a year in advance. I do not like to keep others quilts more than a few weeks. I try and have 4-5 in house at a time and when I get low start calling to get the next load. Right now my wait time is about 3 weeks.

I agree, it's not fun to have a pile of customer quilts backed up. If she hads so many she can't deliver, she ought to turn away quilts for a while til she catches up.

Get your quilt top back if she cannot give you satisfaction pretty quick.
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That is much too long to wait. The lady I use will always call me if there is going to be a delay. She gives me the option to take them back if I don't want to wait that long. And she always lets me know an approximate date for them to be finished when I drop them off.

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.

I appreciate all the help. This is the first time to take tops to a pro and w/o your input it may have been the last. Since she doesn't 'do' voicemail it is very difficult to catch her. Of course, didn't know all this when I started with her. Now I have been reassured there are good quilters I can depend on. Thanks for all the reassurances.

I sew for people all the time. I always ask them if they have a time frame. If I can't meet that I tell them before I ever accept the job. I don't know anything about sending out quilts, but the lady should know how long it takes to do a quilt and how many she can handle. Sounds a little ridiculous to me....get it back and find someone else.

I would guess her home owners insurance covered her quilting business. I know my home owners insurance had an amendment for my day care business.

My SIL had a similar experience. She dropped off her quilt top last December and it was not ready until this June. She called the quilter a couple of times during those 6 months and suggested to the quilter that she would pick up the top and take it elsewhere. Each time, the quilter apologized and said she would get to it soon. My SIL had no idea it would take that long. In the end, the quilting was really quite beautiful, and the price was reasonable (not cheap, not too pricey).
I have had good luck with LA I use around here. She always lets me know when the quilt will be finished and does not disappoint.
I think keeping a quilt 3 to 6 months is unreasonable.

I sent 2 quilts on April 28th to a person who advertised on this forum who lives in another state. I have yet to see my quilts - one excuse after another. She never told me she had a "wait list" - and I paid up front (stupid me). Last I heard from her she said she'd quilt the 2nd one last Monday - here it is a week later and no word from her. She said she'd give me a discount on my next order - I don't think she'll be getting my business again. Also, found a local quilter and she had 2 quilts back to me in 2 1/2 weeks and they look beautiful.

No, it would not be wrong. You are the "boss" - she's working for you, and if you decide differently, get them back.

Have you followed up with the quilter? If not, please do so - it should help.

i have worked with many long arm quilters and many have you sign a contract and if not you are at least quoted a price and a turnaround time...i woud get them back and find someone else

One of the quilt shops I have used here plainly states that they have a 2 month turnaround for long arm quilting. What I got though was well worth the wait. They now have another machine so turnaround is quicker.

That's not right. Have you contacted her? I took a top into my machine quilter on 8/19, explained to here I needed it back no later than the 28th since I was not able to quilt it like I wanted and had torn it out several times and she told me she would put me in front of the rest and called me on Saturday the 21st and I picked it up. She was backed up for 3 months, but in a special "emergency" she worked very well. I gave here another top and asked if I could have it by 12/1/10. I would contact her and ask if there is a problem. :thumbdown:

I have a couple of good quilters. One is always backed up for months (she's already booked until the next year). The others can give me a turn around in a couple of weeks. The one who's backed up is an absolutely fabulous quilter and that's why she's so backed up. It's up to you whether you want to wait or try someone else. If you're not in a hurry, I'm betting she's an excellent quilter if she has that much business.

BTW, my quilter will put my name on her waiting list even if I haven't finished my quilt. If I know I'm going to have something for her, I call her in advance to get in line. Maybe your quilter will do that too. There's trust involved, of course, and I've always had my quilts to her before my name gets to the top of the list.

The gal that does my quilting tells me 4 -6 weeks although that last one I gave her, she has had for almost 8 weeks which isn't a big problem for me but it's getting to be awhile. I think where I go wrong is that I always tell her - no rush, I don't need it back by a certain date and I have a feeling that mine keeps on getting pushed to the bottom of the pile! Maybe I am wrong but nevertheless, I don't think I will make that comment again when I give her a quilt to quilt for me....

I ALSO HAD A PROBLEM WITH GETTING A QUILT QUILTED. I FINALY WENT TO HER HOUSE TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. MY QUILT WAS ON THE FLOOR AND THEY HAD BEEN WALKING ON IT. I TOLD HER I WANTED MY QUILT ..NOW. SHE SAID ..SHE WOULD GET IT QUILTED SOON. SHE WOULD NOT GIVE IT TO ME. I HAD TO LIE AND SAY I WAS LEAVING THE STATE NEVER TO RETURN. GOT MY QUILT AND LEFT. WHAT A MESS. YOU GO GET YOUR QUILT. GOOD LUCK.

I sew for people and I hate it when they tell me "no rush" because then it takes me forever to get in the groove. Now I jokingly tell them to tell me they need it "yesterday".

well that's good..i suppose it all depends on where you live..but mainly what really counts is if you are satisfied with the results ,always worth the wait...good luck with it

I suspect it depensd on how many long-arm quilters are in your area. Around here (central NJ), not nearly enough, apparently. I had taken a quilt to the LQS that has LAQ services in early January and just got it back a few weeks ago , so that's 7 months. Nice job, but still.

Another LAQer in the area also has a backlog, although not as long as the one above. But she doesn't necessarily return phone calls so you never know where you stand on her list.

May is absolutely too long without any kind of notice no matter how good they are. Not saying anything to you or not checking in with you is irresponsible. I would definately pull them. There are some great quilters right here. Give them a try... I don't think I will use anyone but someone here from now on. The quilters here care about their reputation. They are accountable. I have never had anything quilted by anyone here before, but I've seen the comments and the pictures and wouldn't hesitate. I'd go get them both...

When machine quilters have a long turn-around time, but they generally tell their customers that up front. I would be embarrassed if I kept a customer's quilt for 3-4 months without getting it done or at least calling them and letting them know I was running behind or had some sort of problem. If I were you, I would call her and tell her that you are coming to pick up your quilts and why, get your quilts and find another good longarmer to quilt for you.

My business insurance covers my quilting machine, all my quilting supplies (thread, rulers, templates, etc) and my customer's quilts. For $300 a year, great peace of mind for me - if my house burns down I will at least be able to replace everything, including at least the material for my customers. I never have more then 3 customer quilts at my house at a time, just to be safe - I live on a farm, nearest volunteer fire department is 8 miles away, I know the house would be a goner if it ever caught fire.

I would definately ask for them back and find out next time if they are backed up before you send your quilt out.