How many of you have a longarm??
05-16-2011, 06:31 AM
#12
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 10,590
I took delivery last July but didn't start using it until September (too hot in my quilting room and no AC!)
I quilt for others and myself. Currently my most prolific client is my friend who just took up quilting and she has sent me 8 quilts so far and tells me more are on the way. Thank goodness for her because I am not near as prolific a piecer and would not have gained much experience except for her quilts. I have only quilted 2 of my own and so far I have quilted 4 of hers with one on the rack right now. I also quilted a quilt for a coworker's sister.
I like doing custom work from the front the most. I have done one panto and it was ok but a bit boring working from behind the machine like that. I will, however do more of those but prefer custom freehand from in front.
Edited to add, I am not sure if the market is saturated or not. I hope not as it is my intent to quilt for others more. I think there is always a market for unique work that is exceptional like Green Fairy who is now booked out over a year and Charismah who does such beautiful unique work.
I quilt for others and myself. Currently my most prolific client is my friend who just took up quilting and she has sent me 8 quilts so far and tells me more are on the way. Thank goodness for her because I am not near as prolific a piecer and would not have gained much experience except for her quilts. I have only quilted 2 of my own and so far I have quilted 4 of hers with one on the rack right now. I also quilted a quilt for a coworker's sister.
I like doing custom work from the front the most. I have done one panto and it was ok but a bit boring working from behind the machine like that. I will, however do more of those but prefer custom freehand from in front.
Edited to add, I am not sure if the market is saturated or not. I hope not as it is my intent to quilt for others more. I think there is always a market for unique work that is exceptional like Green Fairy who is now booked out over a year and Charismah who does such beautiful unique work.
05-16-2011, 06:31 AM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Lebanon, Missouri
Posts: 602
I have a longarm and do quilting for a business. Saturation will depend on the area in which you live. I live in a rural area of southern Missouri. I would not say we are saturated with longarm quilters, but have an over abuntance of "cheap" quilters. Longarm quilters that will do a king size quilt for $40.
The hard part is trying to explain the difference between good longarm quilting and "cheap" longarm quilting. One quilter, in my area, I would love to string up and disable the machine!
This quilter charges $40 for a king size AND provides the batting! They use one panto pattern for all quilts regardless of size. The poly batting is the cheap very lumpy type of batting. The panto pattern is very large so some spaces as large as 7 inches will have not stitching anywhere. These large spaces of no quilting accentuates the lumpy poor quality batt that is used. After 1 washing the quilt looks terrible! I know this personally because my aunt used this quilter ONCE.
Check with the local quilt shops in your area to see how many longarm quilters are listed with them. Talk to other quilters and find out who they use for longarm quilting. This should give you a decent idea of longarmers in the area. Also, find out their charges. Find out what they include in their quilting.
Some longarmers charge a design fee, thread fee, loading fee and the like. I just have a flat rate for different sizes of quilts. I differ from other quilters by offering to apply binding to the quilt free of charge.
Good luck with your research.
The hard part is trying to explain the difference between good longarm quilting and "cheap" longarm quilting. One quilter, in my area, I would love to string up and disable the machine!
This quilter charges $40 for a king size AND provides the batting! They use one panto pattern for all quilts regardless of size. The poly batting is the cheap very lumpy type of batting. The panto pattern is very large so some spaces as large as 7 inches will have not stitching anywhere. These large spaces of no quilting accentuates the lumpy poor quality batt that is used. After 1 washing the quilt looks terrible! I know this personally because my aunt used this quilter ONCE.
Check with the local quilt shops in your area to see how many longarm quilters are listed with them. Talk to other quilters and find out who they use for longarm quilting. This should give you a decent idea of longarmers in the area. Also, find out their charges. Find out what they include in their quilting.
Some longarmers charge a design fee, thread fee, loading fee and the like. I just have a flat rate for different sizes of quilts. I differ from other quilters by offering to apply binding to the quilt free of charge.
Good luck with your research.
05-16-2011, 06:40 AM
#15
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Utah
Posts: 1,197
Originally Posted by crashnquilt
I have a longarm and do quilting for a business. Saturation will depend on the area in which you live. I live in a rural area of southern Missouri. I would not say we are saturated with longarm quilters, but have an over abuntance of "cheap" quilters. Longarm quilters that will do a king size quilt for $40.
The hard part is trying to explain the difference between good longarm quilting and "cheap" longarm quilting. One quilter, in my area, I would love to string up and disable the machine!
This quilter charges $40 for a king size AND provides the batting! They use one panto pattern for all quilts regardless of size. The poly batting is the cheap very lumpy type of batting. The panto pattern is very large so some spaces as large as 7 inches will have not stitching anywhere. These large spaces of no quilting accentuates the lumpy poor quality batt that is used. After 1 washing the quilt looks terrible! I know this personally because my aunt used this quilter ONCE.
Check with the local quilt shops in your area to see how many longarm quilters are listed with them. Talk to other quilters and find out who they use for longarm quilting. This should give you a decent idea of longarmers in the area. Also, find out their charges. Find out what they include in their quilting.
Some longarmers charge a design fee, thread fee, loading fee and the like. I just have a flat rate for different sizes of quilts. I differ from other quilters by offering to apply binding to the quilt free of charge.
Good luck with your research.
The hard part is trying to explain the difference between good longarm quilting and "cheap" longarm quilting. One quilter, in my area, I would love to string up and disable the machine!
This quilter charges $40 for a king size AND provides the batting! They use one panto pattern for all quilts regardless of size. The poly batting is the cheap very lumpy type of batting. The panto pattern is very large so some spaces as large as 7 inches will have not stitching anywhere. These large spaces of no quilting accentuates the lumpy poor quality batt that is used. After 1 washing the quilt looks terrible! I know this personally because my aunt used this quilter ONCE.
Check with the local quilt shops in your area to see how many longarm quilters are listed with them. Talk to other quilters and find out who they use for longarm quilting. This should give you a decent idea of longarmers in the area. Also, find out their charges. Find out what they include in their quilting.
Some longarmers charge a design fee, thread fee, loading fee and the like. I just have a flat rate for different sizes of quilts. I differ from other quilters by offering to apply binding to the quilt free of charge.
Good luck with your research.
05-16-2011, 07:23 AM
#18
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Riverside Washington
Posts: 1,508
I'm new at longarm quilting. Got mine this last March, only do my own quilts. but injoy doing them. I got my Tin Lizzie because I am developing Arthric in hands and knees so in a few years hand work may be out, and I hate trying to work on the floor to pin my Quilts.
05-16-2011, 07:33 AM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Camdenton MO
Posts: 453
There can never be too many long arm quilters. LAQs fall into several groups; panagraphs, meanders, and free arm. There is room in all of these groups for new people. Find the style that you like, and become good at it by practicing.
Lanny
Lanny
05-16-2011, 08:03 AM
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Rushford, NY
Posts: 1,666
Proud Gammill owner for over 10 years upgraded about 5 years ago to the classic plus Started out with a used one do mostly panto's but (make a lot of my own)Customers keep me busy-- mostly by word of mouth haven't placed ads in years
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