Being new to quilting I know I am far from perfect. Most of my quilt tops are pretty easy. They do turn out kinda nice if I do say so myself :lol: I really like the quilting done by a LA. I just do the basic quilting on mine. I have yet to send out a top to be done. This is my thinking on it. Being new I'm afraid the person doing the quilting will look at my work and just rip it apart. Yes, it is just basic piecing but I'm still learning. If the top isn't perfectly square, or if my fabrics are not up to par, or my stitches are not perfect. I know it shouldn't bother me because you have to start somewhere. I'm just getting tired of the same old quilting. FM is out of the question right now. :shock: I'm thinking I'm going to be one of those quilters who does the tops and never finishes the sandwich. I will say I am great at buying everything you might need for quilting. That's the easy part.

Anyone have a LA that just refused to quilt your top?

Find a LA quilter and go talk to him or her. Show them your work and see if they will work with you. If you can't find anyone close there are quilters on the Board that will be able to help you. Don't let your fear that you aren't good enough be a barrier. This is your work of art and passion. Enjoy no matter what you think others might "think". Go for it!!:)

As a professional longarmer, I can't imagine someone refusing your top, unless it was simply impossible to quilt... and that would be pretty rare.

I've turned down an antique top before, because I felt that it needed to be handled with more care than I could give it on a frame, without possibly tearing the quilt.

And I have sent a quilt or two back home with the piecer, to correct wavy borders that couldn't possibly be quilted out since she wanted a pantograph, and pleats in the border were unacceptable.

Now, we get quilts that are perfect about once in a blue moon, but those that are going to have a pantograph done on them DO need to be a bit more square than those getting a custom quilt job, simply for the fact that a panto is worked from the back of the machine, and we can't see the quilt top as we're stitching to ease in any bulky areas or wavy borders.

These are much more easily addressed if the customer wants custom quilting. There's lots of tricks to work around problem quilts.

Usually, your longarmer will gently point out the problem areas and explain how to correct them in the future. But we never expect perfect quilts, we're all only human!

Art is ART, in any medium. Have you ever actually LOOKED at some of these multimillion dollar "art" canvases that have sold recently? Sheer confusion to most of us, it's all in the eyes of the beholders.

I have a small original J. Helbert canvas oil painting on display in my front room. Everyone circles around asking the value of it when they examine it, but I'm deaf to all that. It's lovely, a black and red swirls in it...with a blackish red sun coming up over a mountain......

It was painted by my then 6 year old daughter Joyce when she wanted to paint like my DH did!!!! He encouraged her a lot.

Art is in the eyes of the beholders...don't let anyone put you down.

Thank you thank you for asking this question!! I feel the same. I have a finished quilt top (not perfect) and I'm afraid to send it out because I'm afraid they'll send it back. Can't wait to see all the answers and hints.

Many of my customers have been '1st time quilters'. They bring their quilts with the same apprehensions & fears you talk of and they end up all 'oh wow, I can't wait to show all my friends'. (It's the favorite aspect of my job.)

I've seen wavy borders, fullness, etc.; longarm quilting can minimize a lot of imperfections. Most LA professionals care very much about making their customers happy and take extra time and care, treating customer quilts with even more love and tenderness than their very own quilts.

Oh and remember, we are our own worst critics! Usually others looking at your quilt aren't in 'inspection' mode; they are just looking at the overall product and love'n it!

HAve you considered a happy medium of having your tops quilted by someone who is learning the long arm quilting skills? Or you could work out a swap with someone who is a wiz at free motion quilting. I have a friend who is great at stretching and basting, and she does lovely bindings -- two chores I dislike. SO I do her free motion quilting (which I love) and she does my less loved chores -- win/win.
RST

I am a professional longarmer.

I have many new quilters and many 'seasoned 'quilters and I have never turned down a top to quilt.

If the top has 'issues'and I can quilt it out I will do it.

If the 'issues' are too great,like oversized borders that has waves,pleats.etc. I call the quilter,have them come over. I explain the who,what,why's and how to correct them. They take the top home fix it or they say do the best you can and then the tucks and pleats appear. 9 times out of 10 the top is fixed.
It takes a LA more time to quilt a top with major issues than minor issues.

while you LA's are on here, would you answer this for me/ Have any of you ever quilted on what use to be called "kettlecloth"? I used it for a quilt I did, a first, big applique butterflies, and the fusing I used is really on the stiff side. Other than that, seams etc. are okay, I just didn't know if it can be done on a QM.

Dingle, I sent out 2 quilts total. They were fine, not perfect b/c nothing I do is! I sent mine to other states so if there had been major problems I'm not sure what I would have done. I honestly didn't think of what THEY would think!! As the LA experts here say it has to be really bad not to quilt it.I think they just do the work they are paid to do and realize that most things aren't perfect :)