I'm pretty lucky...my Dad is the Longarm Quilter here....He has been at it about 2 years ...now and I get to play whenever I'm at there house...I love it....I tried quilting on my home machine and hated it....don't have the the time to hand quilt....I'm ready to move on to something new and I never would get rid of any quilts if I hand quilted them....I do smaller ones like wall hangings....Dad did do the disaster quilt and it came out wonderful....you have to learn just like with piecing...some fudge work goes a long ways....

I've been very fortunate. Before I ever took a quilt to a Longarmer, I called her and asked for her best tips for me to make my quilt something enjoyable for her to quilt on. I'm also an accountant - picky is just something I do. I rip it out if I cut off a point. So when I was started quilt my quilts, I had no problems.

The charity quilts that I quilt are made by a group of ladies who have been making tops for at least 20 years each. Again no problems.

I've been considering a tutorial on hints to make your Longarmer happy, things like staystitching the outside border if you have bias edges, measuring for borders so you don't end up with the waves, the importance of ironing, the importance of ironing the right direction if you want stitch in the ditch, etc.

Anyone interested?

As to the question about receiving a 'quilt with issues', no, not yet, I haven't received one. Frankly, I'm a little disappointed. I love problem solving, and welcome a challenge. I love quilting for other people. I get to work with colors and patterns that are not high on my list to make. Not that I don't like them, I do, it's just that my life will not be long enough to make every quilt I want to make, so like all of us, I have to prioritize.

I think anyone that has been doing longarming as a business for any length of time has run into quilts that aren't perfect........let's face it, no one is perfect. Sometimes we can't tell just by looking at a quilt top if there are going to be issues. They won't show up till we put them on the frame. Most are small, like wavy borders, and can either be steamed or managed some how and you can't really tell once the quilting is done.
I for one have never had a quilt come in that I just could not quilt. Knock on wood!

For those that want to know what we expect in a piecer:
1. make sure you iron your work from the top of the piece and not the back. Ironing from the back causes ridges in the seam lines that make it difficult to stitch in the ditch.
2. Clip all stray threads when doing your final pressing....both on top and the back of your top. These will shadow through after quilting.
3. If you have bias edges along the outside edge, stay stitch them so they won't stretch when we put them on the frame.
4. Try to cut your borders from the length of your fabric to avoid ripples in your border.
5. Your backing and batting need to be 3 to 4" larger than your top all the way around. So add 6 to 8" to the width and length of your backing and batting.
6. Piecing your backing is fine, just make sure all 4 edges are straight and true.
7. Remove all selvedges when piecing your backing.
8. Pick up your quilt as soon as possible after quilting is done. Or send payment as soon as possible. We are legally responsible for your quilt as long as it's in our possession.

What you can expect from your longarmer:
1. Your quilt top to be treated as tho it were the most precious thing on earth.
2. Explain in detail what can.....or cannot........be done to enhance your quilt as far as the quilting. A very busy quilt with busy fabric will not show fancy custom quilting but will turn out just as nice with something freehand or a pantograph.
3. Explain in writing what you are expected to pay up front so there are no surprises upon completion.
4. Your quilt quilted in a pet free, smoke free environment.

I think this pretty well sums it up on both parts.