When and why hire a LA Quilter
07-12-2012, 07:34 AM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 816
Not just having your friend with a mid arm do it as a favor.
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.
07-12-2012, 08:13 AM
#12
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,481
I handle most smaller quilts by FMQing them myself. If I have a large one that I want done special, I send it to a long armer. It is totally worth it to me to save my back and shoulder from trying to stuff a big quilt through my limited harp space on my domestic machine.
07-12-2012, 08:24 AM
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: S. W. Indiana
Posts: 7,484
"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.
"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.
07-12-2012, 08:43 AM
#15
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 15,639
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"
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"
07-12-2012, 09:09 AM
#17
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania
Posts: 27
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.
07-12-2012, 09:43 AM
#18
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 283
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.
07-12-2012, 12:40 PM
#19
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 2,943
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
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
07-12-2012, 12:54 PM
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Holmen, WI
Posts: 6,459
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).
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