You can square blocks, press the heck out of a quilt...but if you have one little piece out of place, that pressing made look ok...when it gets put on the frame...ah there is when missed issues show up. Usually, I load the quilt and float the top...I check that every block is equal...no extra fullness anywhere. If I find any, it helps me decide how to proceed. Pantos/e2e are nice, but if there is a slight fullness somewhere, or a thick seam...oops! tuck/pucker. It can happen. I do use e2e on customer's everyday quilts...but with computerized quilting...I can take any motif and fit it to a block. There are too many digitized "sets" out there to not be able to use a computer to semi-customize a quilt.
The key is to stay at the machine and watch the job as it goes along

I agree with crashnquilt, especially since you say she quilted another one for you earlier and you didn't say whether you had a problem with that one.

[QUOTE=Krisb;5414308]Posts like this one make me wonder whether there is or should be some certification process for LAQ's, demonstrating a basic level of competency. Or could I go and buy a frame, put my Janome 1600p on it, put ads in stores and/or papers, and start a LA business? And if I did want to engage the services of LA quilter, how would I be sure that the person was competent and reputable? I know---use somebody from this board, of course!



I agree that this is very serious. A lot of money and time goes into the top. I would never let someone quilt mine if I hadn't watched them work and seen a lot of their work. Mistakes happen, but obviously she thought it was okay to return it like that and, I'm sure, accept payment. Do let us know what happens. I've never had good luck getting the holes stitching makes to close up, even after the fabric has been dried.

Wow, sorry to hear of your unfortunate situation. I completely agree with Bobbielinks. It can and should be fixed. As far as the post goes for certification of LAQ????are you kidding me??? honestly I think its up to the customer to research your LAQ prior to doing business. Ask to see some of his/her work. Hope you get this resolved, keep us posted.

If you measured through the center of the quilt lengthwise and crosswise and cut BOTH borders the measurement you got, you should have a very flat quilt and the longarmer, (I'm one too) shouldn't be putting tucks in your border. I recently finished one for a new customer that had wavy borders but since she told me to do the best I could, I did and will be hopeful that she loves what I did. An e2e pattern that has lots of back and forth motion which helps suck up extra fabric. A tight meander will be the best way to handle the waves if you don't waant to remove the border and do it right. Many people cut each border separately and cut off the fabric when they run out of quilt top. This rarely results in a nice flat quilt.
Judy

Makes me nervous, because I'm working on one right now that I'm planning on taking to a LA'er. It'll be my first one to have done, and it's for my son's wedding, want it to be as near perfect as is possible!

So sorry about your quilt.keep us posted as to how things turn out.

Did you use STARCH? I starch everything before I cut. It makes the entire project BETTER ! ! ! Seams come together better, no stretching, no fraying, etc., etc.

I agree with crashnquilt I don't think LA quilters should have to be certified, You need to see some of their work before you have them quilt for you

So sorry this happened to you. I am a LA quilter, and if I see there are going to be tucks, I call the owner of the quilt and explain. I had one quilt the size of yours, and it was the ladie's very first quilt. Her borders were so wavy that I took it upon myself to remove them and fix them. I removed 3 inches from each border once it was fixed. When she picked up the quilt, I gave her a tutorial with samples to explain and she was very grateful. It is our job to educate as well as quilt, in my opinion...but it could also be, in your case, that you were using an inexperienced LA quilter. You must tell her and show her, if for no other reason than to keep it from happening to another customer of hers. I always call the owner when I see a tuck is going to be inevitable, but I can usually see that before I put it on the frame. Michelle