And I dont like it. She did very little quilting in the large white areas of my quilt. And what she did do is very poor. I'm gonna have to fix it. Have any suggestions?

Maybe a feathered medallion type quilting in white blocks?
Can you show us the whole quilt so we can see the overall design?

I don't have suggestions for you but I agree--that's awful!

I am sorry your LA quilter did not do more actual quilting on your quilt and I hope you told her/him about your dissatfication. It's really sad when a person puts so much work in quilting a top to have it messed up by the LA quilter. Do they ever think that you might be a repeat customer or is their thinking more like that's the only quilt a person will ever make? You are right, the LA quilter did a really bad job.

so sorry.

Ooooo, sorry! My only quilt to a longarmer (so far!) went to our own FABULOUSLY talented artist, Charisma, so I was overjoyed, amazed, and delighted. when I got it back. I hope it's not too hard to fix yours. Hugs.

so sorry. that is definately not a professional job. can you get another longarm quilter to take a gander at making it beautiful?

I'm just glad it wasnt one of my good tops. I gave her 3 tops total and the other 2 were fine. I had the extra money and plenty of UFO's. I dont have the heart to tell her I dont like it. She's just starting out and her pricing was very reasonable. Get what you pay for I guess. My free motion isnt much better than what shes done on this quilt, but anything will be an improvement.

I hate to take it to the other lady I've used, afraid she might get offened that I didnt bring it to her in the first place.

Yes I could spend hours looking at Charismas quilting, she does wonder work.

In my opinion, that's unacceptable work. And I doubt sending it back to her would result in anything better. I'm sorry you got ripped on that one!!! If you want and can, if you were to do a tight stippling on the outside of the star but within the block, it would make the star pop..... Good luck

I think you should take it back to her, explain the other 2 were fine, but this one, well, it needs fixing. No need to be harsh, just honest. If she is to continue to work as a LA quilter, she needs to be spot on when it comes to neatness and customer satisfaction. You deserve a good job (no matter how reasonable her pricing) and she deserves to get some honest feedback. No point in you feeling ripped off and her blithely continuing to muddle her way along. I wouldn't be doing the stitch ripping either....leave that to her, it's character building :).

:XD: From what I could see it looks as if the colored blocks were done ok, is it just the white blocks? It is easy for us to say, but..........can you let her know that you wanted something more in the white blocks? If she is just starting out I am sure that she wants to make sure that her clients are happy. You said that the other two were fine, so maybe she can do something more to those blocks that you are not happy with. Give her a chance to fix it. BrendaK

:oops: Hi sorry guess we were both posting at the same time. I agree with you she needs to have a chance to fix it. BrendaK

HI,

Well I can tell you from experience on this side of the coin...a new LAQ and just customer service in general (I have had dissatisfied customers myself)...that I want to know and try to fix any issues that the quilter has. If it is something fixable...and that is something that is fixable. She can easily pin that on again and add more quilting and I really think she won't mind....I think it is just a matter of honesty and if your other two quilts were done well...you should give her a chance...we can't fix what we don't know.
Just my two cents worth. Quilting is so subjective ....so it's hard to gauge sometimes.

Dead on perfect advice!

If you don't tell her that you don't like it..how would she know you didn't. And she may do the same for another customer...I'd much rather be told myself

did you talk to her ahead of time and tell her what you wanted? or did you tell her to do what she thought was best? if you chose the second option i don't think you should be (confrontational) she did what you told her to do- if you did talk to her about specifics and she did not do what you requested by all means give her a call- and ask her to re-quilt it.

possibly -- lesson to be learned-- when you take a quilt to the long arm quilter you need to discuss the quilt with the quilter- let them know what you have in mind--even choose designs- if you drop off your quilt and say "do what every you think is best" you will get what the quilter 'thought' was best- it might not be anything close to what you thought would be best.--- long-armer's are quilters--not mind readers--if you don't tell us, we have no way to know

Charisma is right on. Please read her advise.

Yes, Charisma.

I agree she's new so give. Her a chance to fix it.

I'm also in agreement about letting the quilter know you were't happy. Unhappy clients lead to bad publicity. If she wants to build her business, she will gladly repair the area that wasn't done to your satisfaction.

So sorry. Hope you can get it fixed.

I am a longarmer, and if you were not happy with my work, I'd really prefer that you tell me and let me correct the problem. It's a lot easier to add more quilting than to take quilting out.

it was great to have charisma chime in with her experience and good advice.

Ditto. Give her a chance to fix it. If she's new to LA'ing, I'm sure she would like the feedback, so she knows what to do next time.

I would frog stitch the white blocks, make an appointment and take it back. Just as you would appreciate constructive critism, so would she. Begin by telling her she did a great job on the other two (always start positive). Ask her if there is something she can do to make the quilt more evenly quilted. After mutually deciding on what will be done in the alternate blocks, end on a positive note...."I knew you would make this right". It is unfair to just be unhappy, never take anything back or give a bad recommendation if she doesn't know she has done wrong. Since she is a newbie, she will be eager to remedy the situation. :) We have all been newbies and need to know when something is not right....JMHO

I agree with Charismah and others who advised you to talk to her. As a Newb myself I would want any feedback on quilting I do for others, good and bad. However, there is a distinct difference between feedback and nit-picking because you don't like the quilting design. While I agree the star quilted in the big white center is sparse, it is not bad quilting, the tension looks good and the lines for the most part are straight. She looks like she was trying to do ruler work which isn't as easy as you may think. If you had absolutely no input or suggestions in how you wanted the quilt quilted the responsibility does not lie 100% with your LAer. If you were not specific in how much quilting you wanted those white squares quilted or if you envisioned a feather wreath in the white squares but did not say so that is not the fault of the LAer. It is a learning experience for all of us. Some beginning LAers just don't realize the balance needed in quilting. While some quilts will look great with densely and sparsely quilted areas combined, there still needs to be some balance. You said you were happy with the other two quilts and you need to let her know that as well and why you are happy. You need to be very specific about the areas you are not happy with on the 3rd quilt. "I just don't like it" won't cut it. Do you like the star but just feel there should be more background fill? Say so. Do you not like the star and want a feather wreath or feather heart in the area or a stencil motif? Say that too. Perhaps the agreed upon price did not include something as elaborate as you envisioned. If that is the case you and the LA also need to discuss it. In my mind the biggest problem right now is lack of communication between you and your LAer. Your quilt is completely fixable and not ruined and I am sure she will appreciate the opportunity to make it right for you. I would be mortified if I quilted for someone and they were unhappy with what I did and never told me.

I have a friend that is a professional longarm quilter, she always
asks her customers for the pattern they want to be used. I would suggest you always make sure you tell them exactly what you want.
So sorry they did not do a good job for you.

I have a friend that is a professional longarm quilter, she always
asks her customers for the pattern they want to be used. I would suggest you always make sure you tell them exactly what you want.
So sorry they did not do a good job for you.

Ditto on what Charismah said - really she needs to know in order to improve her skills - a little constructive criticism is a good thing. Of course, she may be hurt but if you are tactful and approach it as a learning experience it can be good all around. Perfect opportunity for improvement.

Okay I was looking for ways to fix the quilt myself, but after the response I got I suppose talking the the LA'er is the answer. Thank you all for your help. She really is a good quilter, and a very nice woman I wouldn't want her to give up or feel bad because we didnt see eye to eye on the quilting. I'll find a tactful way to approach this.

Most people are proud of their work and would welcome feedback good or bad so that they know where it is that their strength is and where it is that they are not as strong and needing a little more attention. I'm sure that you will find that she would appreciate your feedback rather than being kept in the dark. Best wishes.

You've already found it! Just say this!

I agree .. if you do not say anything .. she/he will think she did a fine job. ....

I know its not easy to say ... but do find the words, you will both benefit.

Any good business person wants to be told the truth - politely.

When you start the conversation, start on a positive note. Tell her how much you like the other quilts. The tell her the part you have problems with on this quilt. Ask if she is willing to add what you would like and when she says yes,
that her and tell her you can't wait to see. I bet she will be fine.

As a Longarm Quilter.... I would absolutely want to know that I have not met your expectations. I think you need to bring it back to the same quilter that did the work and show her that you are not happy and then ask her what she can do to fix it.
Rose