kerileann Posted December 3, 2011 Report Share Posted December 3, 2011 What were you most surprised by / least prepared for as you started your own quilting business? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted December 3, 2011 Report Share Posted December 3, 2011 Most difficult hurdle--finding customers. Most surprising--how loyal customers can be. Least prepared--organizing my time and learning to say no. We echo it over and over here on the forum--make time to do your hearts desire--whether it be piecing, quilting your own UFOs, charity quilts, or other crafts and interests. Keep yourself happy and your family and customers will be happy as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted December 3, 2011 Report Share Posted December 3, 2011 Surprises for me? I have met the most wonderful, talented, gifted, kind, artistic, lovely, fun, nice, sweet people in the entire world that I would have never met. And when they send me a check or payment, I get the most heartfelt lovely cards filled with warmest messages of thanks and how much they love their quilt. Just a big warm fuzzy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoriasews Posted December 3, 2011 Report Share Posted December 3, 2011 My biggest surprise was to find I could actually be friends with the "Biggies", be recognized by a big show personality. Honestly, they are real people that can be touched and talked with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted December 4, 2011 Report Share Posted December 4, 2011 My Biggest surprise was different. Things I'd not thought of: How to meet the unknown, public, personally or in small groups.. putting the foot forward. How to discuss various parts, steps, processes with new or non-quilters, so they understand most of what I say. How to maintain control of my business with those who get pushy, or friends or kin who want freebees, not just the quilting, batting, thread, time, but the materials and piecing. The last is how to deal with defemation of my quilting and name, ( by a person who put 9 borders, each larger in length than the other, on the same quilt. It's taken me time, but it's turning around, and am now getting clients from in town as well as a couple towns near the SC border.. patience, (meds or not) and stick-to-it-ness! Prayers for sure.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara Conquest Posted December 4, 2011 Report Share Posted December 4, 2011 The physical toll on feet, back and shoulders -- a real surprise, since I spent my 35 working years as a teacher who was on her feet continually, with no problems at all. Of course, 40-odd years ago I was just a little younger! Barbara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerileann Posted December 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 Thanks for your responses!! So helpful as I contemplate this opportunity!! -Keri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DL Semmens Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 Keri, You are going to find all kids of surprises out there. For me the most surprising thing was how encouraging other longarm quilters are. I have found my niche in this world. My customers are not the ones that will entering quilts into shows. They are customers who need a quilt finished quickly at a reasonable price. My customers usually have their quilts back within 7 days from me. There are probably seven of us withing 10 miles of me.....and we refer our customers to each other all the time, when our customer needs something out of our norm. We also have longarm playdates. Be prepared for keeping your records in order. I actually have Sunday afternoon penciled in every week to work at my desk and work on bookkeeping. I use to do it once a month.....and it became cumbersome this year. Once a week means I only have about an hour of bookwork a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwltnldy Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 Biggest surprise was the toll on my shoulders. Second biggest was learning that the customer RARELY remembers to acknowledge the quilter when sharing the quilt you worked so hard on that you had migraines every day. This happens at guild. (I seriously thought about offering $5 off their next job if they would tell who did the quilting) I just think it's kind of crummy that people get up there and talk all day about the story of the quilt but ignore the LA'er. Just sayin' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 I don't know that surprised really fits me. I haven't found too much that I didn't expect. I have had the pleasure of working on some fabulous quilts and have met some of the nicest people. I do have to say that sometimes the saying "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" comes to mind when I receive a quilt but for the most part it has been a wonderful experience. Like Shana I've met the most wonderful quilters. I do think Linda hits it dead on too, you have to learn to say NO and you have to leave time for yourself. Something I wasn't super good at this year so I'll work on that next year. This is my 2nd job and I have the flexibility to do what I want, when I want but I still have customers to keep happy. Other than feeling over worked a few times it has been good. I'll just need to get better about booking my time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyLake Posted December 6, 2011 Report Share Posted December 6, 2011 I was pleasantly surprised by how supportive my first customers were -- they wanted me to succeed and were happy with the quilting no matter how it turned out. A couple of things that I knew about, but didn't REALLY KNOW about, were the first year start-up costs (batting, thread, patterns, templates, tools), etc. and the importance of not being afraid of your machine and being willing to get out some tools and work out machine problems -- large dose of patience required. Much as we'd like to think machines have emotional problems and act out -- they don't -- we just have to figure out the problem and fix it -- no magic there, just support needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cblevins Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Surprised by how loyal our customers are and how they tell their friends! Least prepared by how quickly things have taken off. There aren't any long armers except us and an older lady in the area. She only does 1 design so we don't compete. She sends us customers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shar Schmutz Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 I'm surprised people who don't know you will hand over a treasured quilt top for you to quilt!!! The trust quilters have in a long arm quilter is amazing to me, the pressure to live up to that trust can become a burden if you let it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwltnldy Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Wow, I sure sound like a sourpuss. I am havng a rather hard week. The positive things I have been surprised at are pretty much the same as Shar. That a perfect stranger will hand over a quilt they worked so hard on and trust you with it! I am surprised at the ability (eventually) to figure out what design to put on a quilt top and that it actually looks great, even when I think it's going to look awful while it's actually on the machine sometimes! I'm always amazed when the customer loves it and that never gets old. I was surprised also at the start up costs and here in CA that I had to charge sales tax on the quilting, not just on products sold. Also the payroll and other income taxes are all paid by us, no employer split! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Originally posted by qwltnldy Second biggest was learning that the customer RARELY remembers to acknowledge the quilter when sharing the quilt you worked so hard on that you had migraines every day. This happens at guild. (I seriously thought about offering $5 off their next job if they would tell who did the quilting) I just think it's kind of crummy that people get up there and talk all day about the story of the quilt but ignore the LA'er. Just sayin' Here's what you do. Enlist a trusted friend in your guild to ask "Did you quilt it yourself?" when one of yours is shared at show and tell. Best if you aren't sitting next to each other at the time! My first customers in my guild were great and made sure they mentioned me when sharing a quilt. One wonderful lady always asks at guild if the quilter isn't mentioned. If the piecer also quilted it they are very proud to announce it. And if not, the quilter gets some credit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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