coldquilter

I try really hard to not take quilts if I have a large line up to do already. I guess it depends on what is in your area for LAQ but I feel that should have been expressed when you dropped off the quilt. It might make a difference if the person works outside of the home as well as quilting but again, you should know that up front. seems like a long time for me.

Rose Marie

My long armer is very busy and takes several months so I plan for it to take that long.
If they are good thay have alot of business and I would be leary of one that could get a quilt out fast.

MarthaT

I would guess it depends on how busy she is (and a good long-armer will probably by busy). If she puts you in line with all the others she has and does yours when yours comes up, it could take awhile. But if that is the case, she should be honest and say, "I have x-number of quilts ahead of yours, so it will be approx. x-number of weeks until I get to yours." As a custom hand quilter that takes about 3-6 weeks to hand quilt a quilt, I can give my customers an approx. time, but always let them know how many quilts are already in line before theirs. Right now, with my daughter's wedding in less than two weeks, they know all quilting is on hold for now. It all boils down to honest communication. If you ask for it in a month and she knows there is no way she can do it that soon, she should be honest. Occasionally I will skip a place in line if someone has a small baby quilt they want done by a certain date for a baby shower, since they are small and won't mess up the time line that much. Communication is key.

hoppa

4 weeks is the usual turnaround time For a LA quilter here.I think she is inconsiderate the way she has treated you and I am sure they may be other ones in your guild.

sewNso

i found a LAQ just before xmas. sister lives in my little town. i initially called her about quilting, and she and i discussed time, and money, then she sent me to her sister. the turn around is/was one day. do you all want her name and number?
if she scedules 4 quilts, she does them that day. simple larger meandering, or panagrams. not that i want to share her, but i would.

KimS

As a business owner myself I know how important it is to be upfront and honest with customers about when a product and/or service should be expected complete. Unexpected issues can arise and most people are very understanding but to make it a habit to be "late" is unacceptable to me. I'd rather be completely honest with a person and face losing that customer one time than to have it continue and face losing their business altogether. I'd just be completely honest with the person who does your quilting and explain to her you're not pressuring her in any way but would also like her to keep the timeframe she has put into place to have your quilt finished. JMO.

sewdamncute

I would like to share another point of view....as a longarmer. Say I have 25 quilts waiting to be done. 10 are squared up and pieced perfectly. So I am able to complete them in a reasonable time. 10 are really big, but piecing is ok and time still reasonable. The last 5 are, shall we say, challenging. I take as much time as I need to quilt every quilt as if it was my own, or a precious gift for someone special. My business is not an assembly line. Aside from "construction" isssues, sometimes I need time to study a quilt and come up with appropriate designs. If you are happy with the quality of quilting, talk to your longarmer about the "due" date again. I hope you can work it out!
Just another point of view....
Darlene

newestnana

I too live in NJ and find that the wait time for longarmers is, well, long. From what I've learned, the pricing is about the same as other places. It certainly is frustrating that your longarmer is not better at scheduling. Even if, as the previous poster states, some quilts take much longer than others, it seems like she should consider that possibility (or likelihood) into her estimate for completion date. You'd rather be surprised with an early completion than a late one.

I'm assuming that when you speak to a longarmer and she says "one more week" (or whatever) that the quilt should already be on the frame or next in line to go on the frame. Your situation does make me wonder if she has a schedule of first-in-first-out or whether others move up on the priority list for some reason (equivalent to others cutting in line), which would make me very unhappy. Perhaps you could ask her to keep a list and show it to you when you drop off your quilt...so you know exactly how many quilts are ahead of you in line.

Meanwhile, I'd look elsewhere.

marla

I would be firm on the time frame. I like the suggestion to let her know when you need the quilt and if she is unable to handle that time, you take it elsewhere. Try to give her 2 months though. If you are quilting as a gift, keep that time frame in mind. It sounds like she is in demand and tries to meet the timeframe. Perhaps she is not keeping track of timeframes or that she tells everyone the same thing and phone calls work to move her along. I am sure she doesn't want to loose you as a customer.

I took a queen size to a LAQ in my area. She said 6 months. I did not hear from her til the 6 mo and was ready to just pick it up, asking for my deposit be returned It was done at 6 mo. and she was expensive. I was not impressed with the quilting in comparison with what I have seen on this board. She had won a few blue ribbons and that was why I went to her. So I was willing to pay more. But way to much for quilting and the quilting was simple with 3 patterns on it, 2 in the quilt and one for the border.
I have had another LAQ do a few for me but she only does an all over pattern. I saw someones applique with meandering through it and it ruined the look of the quilt instead of enhancing it. She kept my quilts for 2 to 3 months. She does a good job and I will use her for the all over pattern, if that is what I want on the quilt. I have heard of other LAQ who keep the quilts for months. I wonder if they have another job or what is happening.
One gal took her quilt to someone who did not have good tension on her bobbin and the quilt was returned to her with a mangled mess of threads. I am not sure if she ever fixed it but she didn't want to take it back to the LAQ-boy, I sure would.

sguillot

To Me, that is very unacceptable and doesn't do anything for her word of mouth and repeat business. I have friends that do longarm quilting and are very good at doing what they say they will. I have a longarm and when I retire I hope to do some quilting for others on a limited basis. Your not expecting to much, it's just common curtesy to get them in the time you asked for them. I would try her one more time and if you have the same experience, shoparound. There are a lot of longarmers out there that do beautiful work and rely on that as income and would love to have your business. Good Luck