auntluc

It takes my long arm quilter 4 hours or less to get a quilt done. It takes me that long to prepare the binding for a quilt :!: I usually take her 4 or 5 at a time thru the summer in her slow months. She gives me a break on price, I don't rush her to get them done, I tell her to use her own judgement on thread choice and I haven't been disappointed yet. While she's quilting my quilts, I prepare the bindings for all of them, store them in a see thru plastic bin and be ready to apply them when I get my quilts back. That way, I can piece more quilts which is what I like to do best anyway. You might say I'm a piecer, not a quilter!

Quilting Aggi

I don't anyone around my area that has quilting services, so I tend to do my own. I don't mind machine quilting, but my favourite preference is hand quilting. It's just a shame it takes forever to finish them!!!

tlrnhi

I have tried hand quilting, but it comes out looking really, REALLY bad, so I don't do it.

humbird

I have one quilt that was "sent out" and it was a gift. I have machine quilted 2 quilts, simple cross hatch, and was not terriabley happy with the results, so I just hand quilt. I pin baste very closely, and use a small pvc (?) pipe frame that dh made for me. Kind of like the lap quilt frames I have seen, only on legs. I quilt a small area, then move the quilt. I do mostly queen size quilts. Works very well for me, and doesn't take up a lot of space. Good luck with what ever you deceide to do.

Phyllis

Joan

I am sending mine out for the time being. As a beginner, it is a major accomplishment just to get a quilt cut out correctly and pieced together. My long arm quilter does a good job and is reasonable but eventually I would like to learn to quilt them myself. If you are having difficulty finding a "good" long arm quilter, make it a habit to ask for samples of her finished work. (Yes, I would be extremely disappointed if the quilting was unsatisfactory!!!!!!!!) It also wouldn't hurt to "ask around". I bet there are several readers who do long arm quilting just on this board alone.

collettakay

My favorite parts of quilting are the planning and the quilting. I love to sit in front of the TV in the evening and hand-quilt. I love seeing the progress as I go. It's like a puzzle or mowing the yard. (I love to mow. lol)

If you don't have a deadline for the quilt, go for it yourself. I like the feeling I get from knowing I made a quilt from start to finish.

Rose Marie

I dont make large quilts as a rule. I only made one and sent it out to the quilter. I quilt up to a lap size on my home machine which has a 10 inch throat. The longer throat really helps alot. Not near as hard to stuff thru.
Mostly I use the walking foot then free motion the border.

DA Mayer

I have hand quilted, sent out and machine quilted my own. Depending on how fast and how your life is at the time is what may help you decide. A king size is really nice to send to a longarmer with a machine that will accomodate that size of quilt. Good luck deciding. My first really nice quilt went to a quilter and I was amazed how nice my quilt could look, I think it made my quilting look better.

MaxineB

As a new quilter, I decided I would have to quilt as well as piece. The cost was too much to send all my quilts out. That would make my new hobby a burden. My first 2 quilts were king size. I did a stitch in the ditch on the first one. I did a diamond design on the second one using a grid. My machine is a Bernina and the throat is not especially large. I just rolled it tight & secured it with baby diaper pins all the way down. I started in the middle. I just bought the Pounce because I read on this board that it worked well. I hope it helps me learn meandering stitching.

Elizabeth A.

(deep breath) I was going to send out the two tops I just completed last month... but then my DH lost his job, and it made me CRAZY thinking of my hard work just sitting there in the closet.

Since I was sick of thinking about it, and because I promised my daughter her quilt would be done by the time it got cold I planned out the quilting. Machine (by my little Elna) for the blocks and hand quilting for the sashing. This isn't how I'd intended and I have tendonitice in my hands, so I'll have to be very careful. But DH promised me before we started if I can't get it done he will find a hand quilter to finish it. Oh golly that reminds me... Time to get back to sewing.