feline fanatic

A certification system would just be another cost a LAQ would have to endure and would eventually be passed on to the client. Quite honestly some LAQ have talent and sadly some do not. Not all are talented in all arenas. How would you go about cerifying someone who only does handguided as opposed to someone who only does Computer guided, someone who has a stitch regulator and someone who does not? I see no point in putting a regulation on a cottage industry thereby blocking someone who just barely has the funds to get the machine from entering the market.

Availability of funds does not equate skill, artistry and talent. So no, a certification process is not the answer, it is the maker of the top responsibility to ensure the LAQ they entrusted their top to does work that fits within THEIR (the piecers) standards, not some standard made up by a group of "professionals" in the industry.

I agree that communication is key. I have LA for several clients and only 2 have actually hand delivered the quilt to me and discussed options. Of those 2 only 1 actually picked up the quilt in person. I am honored by anyone who likes my work enough (based on photos) to entrust their tops to me. I want them to be confident in their decision that they entrusted their quilt to the right person. I want to make their quilt sing and be even more beautiful then when I received it. And I want my client to be over the moon happy with my work because I want them to recommend me to somebody else.

Reputation is everything to a LAQ so I really don't think a certification system is the answer.

amandasgramma

feline fanatic --- once again, we agree. I wouldn't like a certification program, either. For one thing, everyone has a different idea of "good". I have one customer that LIKES mistakes!!!!!! She swears it gives the quilt "character". 'nuff said!

hopetoquilt

I refuse to be picky. My LAQ knows this. My quilts are not perfect. I rely on her professional judgement to fix/make adjustments and if it is a significant problem, I will pay more. I also send my quilts across the country to be quilted. I also closely inspect my work before I send it in. Life is too short to worry about everything. I have been very happy with all 4 quilts she had LAQ'ed.

noveltyjunkie

Very informative thread. As a novice it is helping me to understand that pictures I see here of great quilting would not necessarily be possible for a quilt of mine, because I am not accurate enough in my piecing.

chickadeee55

I think communication is number one and understanding. I have lots of quilts done and I am now searching for a regular LA'er, since mine is not doing it anymore. There was only one quilt that I ever had done that I was not happy with, and it was just that the quilting design had too big of space between the repeats, that disappointed me. But I still put alot of trust in the LA'er, you have too.
They have a talent that is all their own and I appreciate their work.

Cindy60545

I've just started longarming. As with quilting, we all had to start somewhere. We all learned different techniques, & gained in our knowledge as we did our quilts. We all found our niches that we really enjoyed doing also. In Longarming, we go through the same process. We learn with each quilt that we do. We gain experience & are ever improving on our techniques. Each with have their own niche. I'm about to start quilting for others & am fearful of some of the quilt tops that are going to come my way. I've seen, already, quilts with major issues on other longarmers machines & know that I too will be faced with them. How am I going to go about resolving the issue? Communicate with the quilter on the problem. Let the quilter decide what they want done to the quilt. I know that since I've started longarming, I've become more conscientious of my own quilting so as not to have issues when I get to the frame. Certification? No. there are too many variables. Human factor plays too important a role here. What is that saying? Only God is perfect, but our quilts don't have to be? But we do strive for the best we can.

twinkie

Nov, I have always felt the same way you do. I feel my piecing of the tops is so inferior compared to many on this board. I a self taught and never took classes. I love doing it but most of mine are of my own design. Due to an injury that has required 3 surgeries (in 3 months) leaving me unable to do any quilting, I had to send my GD's wedding quilt to an LAQ all the way across the country. This is what she was ble to do with my quilt. I am really impressed.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...a-t196321.html This is the 2nd one she did for me in the same shipment.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/pictures-f5/different-kind-scrappy-quilt-t185454.html

You need to reconsider having an LAQ do one of your quilts. It is well worth it.

duckydo

I do LA and feel far from perfect... I would suggest before you have someone quilt your quilt you find out if they have some samples quilted up so that you can see their work.. and express to them exactly what you expect of them..
Then you also need to make sure that your quilt is ready for the quilter, meaning, no wavy borders, no seams coming apart, backing large enough. I don't think a LAer should have to be certified. If a person thinks someone might mess up their quilt by LA, then maybe they should quilt it themselves and then problem solved. Some folks are always ready to blame their short coming on someone else....

Grace MooreLinker

I DITTO on your answer. Well stated, cover your bases before starting.

DebbieG

I've been quilting for about 5-6 years now. I have had 3 longarmers in that time...the first LA was great and I never had any puckers or pleats or lost patterns, etc.....even tho' my piecing was terrible...I quit using her because she took months and months to return a quilt, and I occasionally found out she put someone else's quilt ahead of mine. The second LA would still be my one and only but I moved out of state, and altho' I could mail it to her I just won't risk the postal service and their inept delivery system (even tho' my husband worked for them for 30 yrs). My 3rd and LAST LA is great....Now that I know how to square up my quilts (as taught to me by the 2nd LA) I know before I send my quilt that it's flat and their aren't any wavy borders. I recently sent a baby quilt to her that I had some problems with because the precut 5 " squares, weren't 5" and I didn't discover it until everything was cut...I had some puckers in some of the blocks and I pointed that out to her....normally I machine quilt my own baby quilts but because of the puckers I wanted this to be LA'd because I know those puckers will "quilt out". I know that this LA would contact me if their was a problem because I've asked her to do that. She has quilted 5-6 quilts for me in the last year and they have all been fabulous!!