When and why hire a LA Quilter
 

I'm asking about someone who does it as a business. Not just having your friend with a mid arm do it as a favor.

"When" is when you don't want to do it yourself.
"Why" is because you don't want to do it yourself.
Maybe I don't understand the question? Lots of people love piecing/applique but prefer to quilt by checkbook. Others enjoy the quilting process or want to have total control of their quilt. There's plenty of room for both types.

I use a LAQ for all my quilts; unless I want handquilting, then I send to a handquilter.
I have no interest in quilting myself.

i think Dunster nailed it-
when you want to-
when you've finished that big wonderful quilt & you don't want to deal with (man-handling) it through your domestic machine-
when time is an issue-
when you don't like quilting- you like creating
many people love making tops-but have no interest in quilting them- they do not want to just stack the tops up, they want to get them done- so sending them out is a good option.

Why? Because my quilting ability is limited. When? When I've saved up my pennies to afford it.

Lots of people love the piecing and creating process. It's like professional singers. Not many of them write their own songs, but they make beautiful music. And those who write songs may have a terrible voice.

t-shirt quilts because I am worried about messing them up and they are hard to quilt through.
huge quilts because they don't fit in the harp of my domestic machine.
quilts where I am looking for alot of FMQ b/c I don't have the skills yet

I do it as a business, and a few of my customers have protable frames but never get to them so they bring them to me. I have a friend and we barter for her quilts to be done. Granted she knows hers will have to wait until I don't a customer waiting. I have a beautiful hand knitted irish knit sweater from one exchange, I think I came out ahead:)

Why? Because I want the quilting to be the same quality as my piecing. I can't do that myself.
When? As soon as I can get it in the budget.

Ditto! I enjoy the piecing process and don't enjoy the quilting process. If I didn't use a LAQ they would never be done.

When- when the quilt top is finished.
Why - because the quilt top is finished.

I don't see the difference between hiring someone who does it as a business and having your friend with a mid-arm do it. I would say friends with mid-arms who quilt for free are few and far between. Maybe I don't have the right friends...

Someone who does it as a business -might- be a better quilter than someone who does it as a hobby (there are some really great hobbyists out there and some really crappy "business" quilters, and the other way around too). If you want to show a quilt you would definitely want to find someone with exceptional quilting ability.

For me, I can't afford to hire a long-armer, so my answer is never.

I love the "quilt by checkbook" I've got to remember that.

Why.. ? because its a wonderful gift to myself... I love piecing .. the quilting ... not so much.

Not everyone likes to quilt.
Not everyone can handle the quilting on a HSM
Not everyone can do the fancy patterns.

I have only sent one quilt out - early in my quilting journey. Now I need to do it all, start to finish, or I can't label it "Made by Martina"

When...because you want quality work; why, because you love your LA'er and want to keep her around! LOL!

I enjoy piecing more than quilting, mainly because I'm terrible at quilting. (I'm relatively new to quilting.) However, I've done my own quilting because I want the work to be all mine. But, I use published patterns, so the work really isn't all mine, is it. I think if I were more experienced, I might use a pro LAQ.

I have customers that say having a long arm quilter enables them to have time to piece more tops.they don't have the space/equipment to quilt their quilts and are happy to move on to the next project. They put a lot of work into their tops and want to see them used...this makes the turn around process from quilt top to usable quilt faster.

I agree with Dunster.

However, I have a midarm and know of several who also have midarms and they do beautiful quilting. Mine even had the computer option so I can download quilting patterns off the internet and then do whatever I might want with them.

My midarm can go to almost 10 ft in one direction. Some of the gals I know have theirs out to 12 ft. So we can do almost all quilts. Please don't discount us.

ali

Ditto. The only decision I have is which LA'er to send it to (some have a larger variety of quitling patterns, some are cheaper, some are faster, etc).

I usually quilt my own quilts, nothing fancy just basic stitch in the ditch, a few stars or hearts, echo quilting, etc. as I haven't mastered free motion. When it comes to ltwin size or larger quilts I usually have them done by a LA quilter, meander for the most part because I like it and it's cheaper than fancier designs. The larger quilts were engagement gifts for my granddaughters.

At first I took your question as judgemental...that you might be in the 'have to do it all yourself or it's not your quilt' camp. Then I realized you have a longarm business and you're doing market research. Knowing that from the start would be helpful to both sides in this conversation. :)

when for me is always
why because I am learning and not ready to tackle a bedsize quilt
Even when I am ready special ones will go to the professional to quilt them. My aunt who taught me is also one of those that don't have any interest in quilting, just likes making the tops

I guess you could call it market research as I do have a business but I was just curious if people who fmq or have a mid arm always do their own or if they send some of them out. Also I'm having a hard time with terminology now that there are so many sizes and options out there. I have a 14 foot frame on our Millenium. Out bed is king size as is most members of my family so I quilt all my own. Sorry for the poorly worded question.

Also for me it's ll about the quilting design. even as I am enjoying piecing I'm thinking about all the digitized designs I've seen and which will complement the quilt the most

I second this comment

Well said, Dunster!
Cheryl, I longarm for others. Most of my customers enjoy the creative process & not the quilting process. Some prefer I do it so that it gets finished faster & better than their own FMQ. If you're doing market research, I suggest you look at the area your in & compare between the local LAQ. I know where I am, there's quite a few of us LAers & each of us have different areas that we specialize in. A friend of mine only does pantos, another only does meandering. Another uses strictly computerized. Me? I'm all freehand, ruler work, semi-custom to custom. I don't even own any pantos. I enjoy the creativity of doing it & hands on quilting of the whole quilt.

I quilt by check. I find the actual "quilting" very boring and tedious! Let those who have invested th big $$ into a craft they enjoy and pay them to quilt the top. A beautiful relationship! I prefer to start the next project . I do love to do the binding tho!
sandy

I find it difficult at times to ask for info on the kind of quilting specialty the LAQ does. It would be helpful if the LAQ would ask me the pertinent questions that they need answered prior to quilting the project. I don't know what I need to know to ask myself. BUT I am learning to ask these questions since I have learned the hard way. Please add other questions that I may not be aware to ask.

I don't want to see the thread..I want to see the fabric.
I don't want contrasting thread on the back. Please use a different bobbin thread if you need to in order to "hide" the stitching. example: I hate white bobbin thread on a colored backing. I need to clarify this with my LAQ for the future project.

PLEASE check your tension settings...nothing riles me like seeing the tension being off on the back of the quilt and "nests" of threads too. Good grief..I correct my own tension issues, etc when I piece a top, etc. Please do the same.

I don't pay for "custom". My projects are fun and a pantograph is just fine by me. I also love meandering. My quilt will not be entered into a contest but it may be exhibited for "show" only. Pantos are fine for my use.

Please inform me of the estimated turn around for my project(s). I fully understand wait times but please give me a ballpark estimated time of completion. Of course you also need to know if I have a "secret" deadline that I fail to mention. Let's talke timeframe on both sides, please.

What other questions should I be asking??
sandy

My SIL is a long-armer in Ca. I wouldn't hesitate for a minute to send a quilt to her. She can create beautiful
designs that I could never ever do on my home sewing machine.

I do not have the room in my house for a long arm. I also don't have the money to buy one. I don't have the strength in my arm, bad shoulder, to wrestle a large quilt through my DSM. I do a lot of QAYG but there are some quilts I want that beautiful quilting. I can send out a lot of quilts to a LA for the cost of a machine. Maybe if I won the lottery I could build a room for a longarm.

This past June I sent a quilt to a LA for the first time. Loved the results. I have been doing my own on my small throated Brother machine using waves and lines and it was OK. BUT CKCOWL on this board has now spoiled me!! She comes from the area I was born in and it was fun to meet her and to have her LA a quilt for me. It does make the quilt more expensive, but they are finished so nicely.

Sandy,
It's wonderful that you're asking these questions and giving your input to the longarmer. (I have a longarm, but I don't quilt professionally, just for myself, friends and charity.) As far as thread color, be aware that it's sometimes difficult to use a different bobbin thread and not have "pokies" on either side. Sometimes they go away when the quilt is washed, but I don't think you can count on that. If that would aggravate you, you might want to use a backing that will look good with the thread color used on top. Another input you should give is the type of batting you like (if you don't supply it). Also you could help select the panto if one is used. If you want the longarmer to trim the quilt (assuming that's an option) tell her where to trim it. If you don't want it trimmed, make that clear. If you want to bind by turning over the backing, the longarmer needs to know so she doesn't do any practice stitches outside the quilt top, or run the stitches off the edge of the top. If you have a strong preference for cotton thread, or want a shiny thread... There's probably a lot more that a professional longarmer would like to know, and should be asking.

thats good, what other reason would u need

I have always taken my quilts to a LAer. I love piecing them. I did do one small wall hanging with hand quilting and that was enough for me. I can't imagine trying to machine quilt on my sewing machine. My quilts are toooooo big for me to wrestle with. I love being able to talk with my LAer and decide what my quilt is going to look like. She does it all. Panto, meanders, customs. There are about 10 LAers within 1 1/2 hours of me and they are all backlogged so I know that a lot of quilters don't quilt their own quilts.

Why can't you live near me??? I'd trade LAQ for binding!!! I love the quilting portion of the process the best, that's why it's my business. I love to have the quilt talk to me and tell me what it wants on it...frustrating when the quilt is silent! I think my customers have me quilt for them is so they can get custom quilting on their quilt that they can't do on their DSM and they don't want to take the time to hand quilt a quilt. I'm so lucky to get paid to do what I love to do!

I am about 50/50 in my LAQ. I machine quilt my smaller projects (even though I am still learning!) Everything I piece that is from table runners, lap quilts, and baby quilts, I quilt myself. When it is a Queen or larger...I want her to do it as it isn't fun for me to FMQ on my home machine when they are that big. The bummer of that is of course, I have to have my quilt fit into her schedule...not always fast.

The main difference between mid-arm and Long-arm quilting machines is the depth, from the needle to the back of the machine ("reach" on the frame front to back). Most mid-arm machines can accomplish what our longarm machines can, so I totally agree...don't discount a midarm machine user...he/she can do the job just as well (if not better) than those of us who have longarm machines.

It really depends on what you like to do & don't like to do...If you love to piece a quilt, but dread the quilting process, especially for larger quilts...then a LAQ is probably the way to go...but don't discount a MAQ...his/her machine may not be as large as LAQ's...but they can still get the job done just as nicely as a LAQ.

I have a computerized machine & love using it, but I also enjoy doing freehand. I also like doing binding, and don't mind sheets for backings (no different than a batik for backing).

I will take your not so perfect quilts, as long as you are aware I may have to take a tuck here and there, and if I run into a loose seam, I'll stitch it (blind stitch by hand) right there on the machine. I'll take older quilts and replace bindings (I leave the old, just put new over it)...I will take a picture of a fabric you have on the quilt & make a replacement for a piece that is damaged beyond repair (or missing)...and print that pic onto fabric, making a new "print" to match the fabric in the quilt (I charge 12.50 usd for the printer sheet fabric). It takes a bit of testing /combining to make the right color/size needed for the repair...so part is fee for my time & ink also.

In other words...if it's old, tattered...or just not pieced very well...and no other long arm quilter will do it...I will. I love saving a quilt from the scrap heap. I've got a couple really new to quilting customers...I've been watching their quilt piecing improve with each quilt they send me....and I always try to include a magazine or other how to's when I return their quilt to them.

I also make quilts and embroidered labels for myself and my customers...the fee depends on what is wanted.

I love my LAQ. She does a beautiful job after I pick out the edge to edge pattern I want. I am afraid if I tried to quilt them on my machine I would really mess up all my work. Not worth the chance.

I've never sent one out, but am working on one now that I plan to send out. I only have a regular sewing machine, and this is going to be a large quilt for my sons wedding gift.