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What is it with people waiting until the last minute????? VENTING !!!!


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Why do people wait until late October to call and want a quilt done ASAP because they want it for Christmas or before? I have turned down 3 people who have done that to me. I am lucky because I don't quilt for others as a business, so I have the luxury of saying NO. I have been passing them on to another gal and I doubt very much if she has time to get them done by Christmas either ! One lady has been abusing my time with two quilts already. I agreed to do them for her a few weeks ago and finally got them. One was OK, but the other had a backing that was wayyyy too narrow. I could have pieced some from the length, but decided I didn't want to do it and she wasn't about to pay extra for it. Instead she has made 3 trips out here (20 miles round trip) getting my "help" in piecing this backing ! With the $$ she has spent on gas and wasted time, she could have paid me and it would be done by now. I will not let her "trick" me into doing it for free. Although, I might as well have done it and been done with her. It's the principle of the thing now and I am digging in. haha She wanted to know exactly what it was going to cost for the quilting, so I gave her an amount according to HER written measurements - which were way off..........not in her favor either. Her quilt tops were way smaller than what she had written down. Not sure what she was measuring, but the numbers didn't even match her backing fabric. So, I was an honest person and told her that she was cheating herself and the quilting wouldn't cost as much as she thought. This happened before the mess with the backing. Should have kept my mouth shut and charged her by the measurements SHE had written down and pinned to each quilt top. I would have at least made some money from this job. Just got another call from a lady wanting a t-shirt quilt done and I said I didn't have time to get one done this close to the holidays, as I had a lot of my own projects to finish..........(sort of the truth). I am seriously rethinking this thing of quilting for others AT ALL. I don't need the frustration. My DH says I should raise my prices enough to weed out the ones who want everything for nothing............maybe he is right...........we will see how things go after the new year. A good time to raise prices if I decide to keep doing this.

Thanks for allowing me to vent.............it helps........... :unsure:

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Linda, your venting sounds so familiar!! I have only had my long arm for a little over 2 years and just started taking quilts the last year. I can count on one hand the quilts that were straight forward...and they were all the same customer. It is amazing what people will drop off. I don'have to quilt for others either but I have learned a lot by doing it, and solving "their" messes. I too am trying to decide if I should quilt for others. I wish it were easier and I guess it could be if I worked harder at the specifics right up front. Right now I am really craving doing some of my own and have 3 more customer ones before Christmas plus attending Houston quilt festival, 10 days vAcation with husband, 5 grand kids to spend adequate time with!!!!! Blah blah blah!,

Thanks for listening

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Linda, I feel for you.You need to learn not to let people take advantage of you. I agree with your husband, you probably need to raise your prices and be more selective about the quilts you take in. You need to put some $$$ in your pocket. I don't generally do quilts for others either, but I have had a few. I don't do it for nothing. I have a Mille to pay for. Good luck with what ever you decide to do. But figure it out and stick to your guns. You will get customers that are willing to pay for your talent.

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Over the years, there have been many ways that people on the forum have suggested dealing with this....very helpful!

One thing is to charge a ``rush charge``....just think, if you have to work extra than usual to get this type of job done, think of what a plumber would do....probably charge you time and a half for the overtime, (altho I`ve never been able to bring myself to do this, lol).

Another is to remember the saying - Just because you failed to plan ahead doesn`t constitute an emergency on my part!

Something that helps me say `no`` is to remember that these events like Christmas, babies being born, etc...are not surprises! They are dates that quilters know about in advance.

Now, something that has helped me....I have educated my customers over time to realise that they can book a spot on my calendar ahead of time when they have the quilt under construction. It`s an eye-opener for them...gets them out of the idea that the top has to be actually done before giving their longarmer a call. This has helped my schedule-ing immensely!

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I completly agree! Got an e-mail from a potentially new customer last week. What was my turn around time to quilt and bind a baby quilt. I told her that I'm about 3 months out at this time, and volunteered to send her some names of others quilters in the area. She responds "I was hoping to get it done sooner." Yes, and I was hoping to have a life myself. You've know about this baby for how long?

Guess I'm grumpy because I've had a quilt loaded and ready to go since Monday, but no chance to go down and play. Hopefully, this afternoon.

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I recently received a request for a start to finish T-shirt, that she wanted done for Christmas. So I put together an estimate for the prep work, piecing, quilting, and binding. Her response to my estimate was "That is out of my comfort range". Which is totally fine with me, since I am working on my daughter's wedding quilt that I need to have done for her wedding on December 29.

Sometimes when customers call and want to have their quilt quilted in a short amount of time, I get the feeling that since we are a "home" based business, we are just sitting around waiting for their calls. I would love to know how to get the message out to customers, that if they want it done for Christmas they need to have it to me by a certain date.

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I completly agree! Got an e-mail from a potentially new customer last week. What was my turn around time to quilt and bind a baby quilt. I told her that I'm about 3 months out at this time, and volunteered to send her some names of others quilters in the area. She responds "I was hoping to get it done sooner." Yes, and I was hoping to have a life myself. You've know about this baby for how long?

Guess I'm grumpy because I've had a quilt loaded and ready to go since Monday, but no chance to go down and play. Hopefully, this afternoon.

I completly agree! Got an e-mail from a potentially new customer last week. What was my turn around time to quilt and bind a baby quilt. I told her that I'm about 3 months out at this time, and volunteered to send her some names of others quilters in the area. She responds "I was hoping to get it done sooner." Yes, and I was hoping to have a life myself. You've know about this baby for how long?

Guess I'm grumpy because I've had a quilt loaded and ready to go since Monday, but no chance to go down and play. Hopefully, this afternoon.

It amazes me that people do seem to think we are just sitting around waiting for their quilt to come through the door to work on. haha Some almost get indignent when I tell them I don't have time, etc, etc. Had a lady e-mail me while we were on vacation last month..........she and her daughter had FIVE quilts they wanted done before Christmas ! I had no idea who this lady was, how big those quilts were, what condition they were in, so I told her I was booked up and didn't have time. She was a little miffed! I gave her the name of another gal. When I got home, I ran into the other quilter and she did get a call from this lady and I found out the FIVE quilts weren't even done yet, so that would lead me to believe I would have been strung out with this gal right up til the very last second before Christmas. I won't do it. I have my own things to do, family here and all for the holidays and don't plan to quilt myself into a corner.

I did take DH advice and raised my prices starting 1/1/13. I won't take on any more jobs until after the holidays either. I quilt for a couple gals in my quilt group who do a lot of charity quilting and ask "if you have time......", but I won't raise the prices on them, but have told them those prices are only for them and any referrals they send me will pay the higher price. If they don't like the price, they can go elsewhere and I am pretty sure those other prices will be higher than mine yet.

It's nice to hear others have some of the same issues. :unsure:

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One way that helps to get these late-lids to get their quilts to you within the time you can schedule, is to tell

them you have to have the quilt by such and such a day or they will lose their turn in line. I don't think asking

to have them to you two weeks ahead is unreasonable. I had to do that with one hurry up quilt, and she got

it to me. This year I will only be working on my quilts for QoV and personal quilts in Dec. if I want.!!

I have a date to send Penny in for a going over in Dec. so I really won't have time for part of the month, to

quilt.

RitaR

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My "backing lady" just called and finally has it ready to bring to me. I told her she had to come within the hour, as I was leaving for the day.......(I really am leaving :) ) She said she would bring it right out, but I didn't have to do it right now............DUH??? I will probably get to it this weekend. Keeping my fingers crossed the backing will work now.

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Ladies-

I don't think you will be able to "educate" all quilters- some dont know any better and face it some will NEVER change!

Dont let them get to you-give them your answer and "adjusted" prices and let them deal with it! They will either fold or pay for your time. In any case you will come out ahead! And remember-depending on who you are you will always be able to "vent"

here free from judgement of others! LOL ;)

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I have my customers in an email distribution list. I email them around APRIL to let them know how many more 'Christmas' spots I have left (which is usually around 10 as I'm very slow and only schedule about 4 a month). If they don't get back to me then they are out of luck. This works for me. I have never had anyone contact me at this time of year with a rush job - and even if they did I would tell them I'm booked...

Just be firm - this is your business!

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Bravo! This is how you run a business! You keep it on a professional level, you set your own rules, and then you have the cajones to stick to those rules. In a nice way, of course! Plenty of " I would love to quilt for you. My next opening is xx/yy/2013. Can I schedule your quilt for that time?"

I learned early on (when I was finishing a customer quilt on Dec 23rd) that it isn't worth missing your special family times to provide special family times for a customer. I make sure all December quilts are finished by the 15th and take the rest of December off!

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Great topic! I hope it rubs off on me as I tend to be the one saying yes, I should say, "tended to be" I am learning the word No. My goodness what a great word that is and I happily have given some of my quilting buddies some business and they do the same for me. My fear is I will run out of business instead of trusting Him with what I need, but learning not to stress about that any more either.

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