Friday1961

I know nothing about how long arm quilters work, but is it possible they are subbing these jobs out? As in paying other LA quilters, maybe with less experience, to quilt jobs they've contracted to do? Without telling their customers? I'd assume that's highly unethical, but it might explain why a long armer with 10 years experience turned out a bad product without, apparently, knowing it. Also, the quilter who took notes, appeared to understand the instructions, and yet did something completely different - that sounds like a communication problem to me, not between the customer and the quilter but maybe between the quilter and another quilter.

Absolutely no offense is meant by these questions. I certainly don't think anyone here would do this, and maybe no one does it, ever. Just speculating.

My time

I agree. If she did a poor job of your quilt, she more than likely did a poor quilting job on other quilts as well. You don't want to give away a quilt that may fall apart. I mean you would be better off tying the quilt. Nice of her to volunteer her quilting but it should be done right. I would fix a wrong if I were you.

sval

Great minds must think alike: That's exactly what my husband said. He thinks she let someone else get some experience on my quilt. And why she is so eager to make it right. She knows she goofed up. I heard someone at the group say she quilts for two different groups. So she might have gotten some "help".

quiltingshorttimer

Well--with charity quilts she just may have given it to another long armer to work on. But I'm not sure why this is such a big offense--unless you were paying for HER to do the work. but it did not sound like that was the case. In my area, there is a long armer who coordinates QOV quilts and asks for volunteer quilters at the long arm quild. No one long arm quilter can do the work of an entire QOV group unless that is all they do. And once it was brought to her attention,she has volunteered to make corrections.
That being said, some of your concern was about tension--on most long arm machines back tension (which you stated was the problem) can not be seen/checked until the quilted section is rolled on the take-up roller--unless you crawl under the machine! But whoever quilted it should have checked at some point

On another matter--was just amazed when you said you'd paid $500 for quilting before--I just had a lady turn down an estimate of $286 for custom quilting on a queen size (going rate in my area) saying her deceased quilter only charged $55 for a queen!

Preeti

When I finished the top of my first twin size quilt, I was nervous to quilt it myself. I had only done baby quilts till that time. So I sent to a long-arm quilter. Firstly, there were so many conditions - I will only do this one type of over all stippling. This is the thread I will choose, It will take a month. Please provide the backing and the batting and no I do not bind. I was okay with all those things - this was my first time and I did not know any different. I was glad that she agreed to do it. But then when I got it back, I did not like it. I paid her and I learned to live with it. Lesson - either do it yourself or send it to MSQC (based on glowing reviews). And I am happy to bind my quilts :-) No mistakes in life - just learning experiences :-)