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Almost funny...


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I haven't been a long-armer for too long - 2010 - and I've had my share of wonderful clients and like a lot of you I've a few stinkeroos along the way.  And then when I think I'm prepared for anything along comes a horse of a different color.  

 

I emailed the client today, letting her know that her quilt is going on the machine this week and I'm wanting to confirm what we had decided 3 months ago when I accepted her quilt ... light to medium custom, batting, making/applying binding.    She responded postively to my email (yea!!) and then asked if she "could come help/watch throughout the process?"  What???  This is a Judy Neimeyer quilt so it can be challenging.  My method is to let it hang in my studio for a couple of days while I take pictures, draw on the photos, research, etc.  Then it goes on the machine and by the time I start work I pretty much know what I'm going to do.  Sometimes there is a bit of "flying by the seat of my britches" but I've learned that having a plan really helps.  Well, I automatically know the answer to  her question, but how to say no without offending.  

 

What she doesn't know is that my method of doing the "process" is ... get up, put on slippers, get coffee, swing down to the studio, look at the quilt, check emails, look at the quilt again, answer emails, start work on the quilt, do a row or two ... answer phone, put wash in washer, work some more, etc., etc., etc.  And I know that I am not the only one working this type of schedule.  I cannot for the life of me even begin to imagine having a spectator watching what I do ... answering questions, making nice, explaining every step ... oh it's a terrible thought!   Does anyone have customers watching/helping throughout the process?  Seriously...

 

Let me be clear ... if I ever get to a point where I'm not sure the customer will like or appreciate a design element, I do email them with a picture of what I'm thinking about and ask their preference.  I've always been told - Looks great!  Go for it!  So...

 

There's more to be written but you get the idea.  So I'll let her know tomorrow or the next day that my insurance doesn't allow visitors in my studio.  I'm trying to think of some other trade where a spectator is welcomed and I'm stumped.  The more I write about it the more I know that it is an innocent request.  She just has no idea what goes into this "process" ... 

 

Pizza makers!!

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Your take on this---and your answer--is spot on! I love the description of your day. Much like mine except that I procrastinate all day and am most proficient and prolific after dinner until midnight!

I have a customer, also very sweet and clueless, who has badgered me for over a year to "come watch". So far I've held her at bay, but the "no visitors allowed" doesn't work for me since I have customers in my studio all the time. I told her next time I have a breather ( :huh: ) I'll invite her over to play on the machine. She still insists she wants to watch me work on her very own quilt. Nope. Not gonna happen. Guess I'll have to put on the big girl panties and explain the realities to her... :blink:

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You can also let her know that the quality of quilting dramatically decreases when your mind is trying to answer her questions at the same time as you try to remember where you are quilting.  Also, the cost of quilting while being watched doubles or triples to cover the cost of nerves, distractions and ripping out the mistakes caused the by previously mentioned situations.

 

The insurance answer is good.

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I have customers come to my house to drop off but I think I would still use the Insurance angle - not insured for machine operation with customers present perhaps?

 

I have learned over the years that, whatever the sticky situation with customers, saying 'NO' gets easier the more situations you have to say it!  Good luck and let us know how it goes.

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Well I have a different take from a different perspective....I had a queen quilt that needed light custom quilting and the quilter asked if I wanted to come on over a watch for part of the time...as I was interested in quilting and had my little short arm set-up I jumped at the chance...she had the quilt on and had started and she explained what she would be doing including some "probable's"  It was fascinating ....her studio was also very interesting as she had quilts, flimsy's, design walls,,totes and piles of fabric everywhere....I loved it! I really did not watch much of her quilting my quilt as it does get a bit boring just standing there....I think I probably now would be ok with having them look at my set-up and showing them how I use the machine...but maybe not on their quilt...oh heck...it might as well be on their quilt...but now remember....I don't do custom....and I don't do this at all professionally....I might agree to do a simple meander on a utility quilt....if I know the person well and have given them all the disclaimers about my abilities....and the fee would probably be some sort of barter or ...maybe just do it for them....but I would be the one to decide if and when I would do that...I can say no too!  Lin

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I do not think it is a good idea to say the insurance does not allow it (unless it is true, which is unlikely).  If you have customers come in to deliver and pick up their quilts, or if she has knowledge of the insurance business, she will think you're not being entirely honest, which could backfire on you.  Just tell her the truth, that your quilting is an artistic process and it is too distracting for you to have onlookers when you are trying to concentrate on your work.  If she thinks about this, she will understand.  

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Back with update.  I did check with my insurance company and was told it was OK ... however ... and I didn't like the sounds of that "however" ... if someone falls it opens a whole can of worms that we just don't need to deal with ... and basically it's whatever we are comfortable with, and we're comfortable with having no visitors to the studio.

 

First of all, I don't have customers come to my studio in the first place.  When I first started I had two "customers" come to visit and it slowly dawned on me that they were there to check out the competition for their friend(s) ... nah, not going to play that game ..I meet them at the LQS or at some mutually convenient spot - their church, my church.  Whatever works.  . so in this instance I'm not having the looky-loos come in.

 

I have talked this over with 2 other friends and the more I talk about it the easier it became to just be able to say "I don't feel comfortable with an audience."  So that's that!

 

I love the quilting after 9 pm, preferably in the nude option! 

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