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LisaC

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  1. Like
    LisaC got a reaction from lkl in Beware of trolls and fraudulent members on this forum!!!   
    I miss the old forum too, I don't/won't Facebook.
  2. Like
    LisaC reacted to QuiltFaerie in APQS Service is Awesome!   
    I haven't been on this forum for quite a bit but I wanted to give a huge shout out for APQS Service.  My Millie is a 2005.  I mainly quilt for myself.  
     
    After finishing a charity quilt and loading my own, my stitch regulator decided to choke.  I had movement from top to bottom but not left to right or right to left.  I called service and also posted a message.  Angie did a wonderful job of helping me to isolate the problem.  In my case, my carriage encoder went bad.  It took a number of emails back and forth with me including pictures and whether the test worked or not.  Angie was patience and even put up with my twisted sense of humor through out.  
     
    Angie mailed me a new encoder for my carriage and with the excellent instructions, I took off the old one and attached the new encoder.  Instant resolution!  It took a bit to get to the bottom of the problem but it was finally isolated and fixed.    
     
    My Millie and I are happy to report that I am once again stitching.  
     
    If you ever need service, just know that you will be in good hands.
     
    Gail S.
    aka Quiltfaerie
  3. Like
    LisaC reacted to ffq-lar in How is your quilting business?   
    The number of quilters with longarms and mid-arms has risen like crazy in the past four years in my area. If you can spend the five to seven years left to sharpening your skills while taking a few customers here and there, go for it. It hasn't impacted my business, but I do primarily custom and have little competition. My quilts come from those who save the big ones and the special ones for me---I do 4 per month and sometimes struggle to get them done. Mine is a different situation so if you are able to analyse the competition, see if you can figure out a niche market. Are there lots of overall/e2e quilters so you'll be competing with them? Are there Modern quilters looking for a kindred-spirit longarmer? Is the custom market fully covered? Also, would you be happy to purchase a used machine to start out and upgrade to a new w/computer later? Please remember as well, the longarmer who advised you only has her best interests at heart---not yours. Though her advice may be spot-on, don't be deterred until you do some more research.
  4. Like
    LisaC reacted to Deb in the Mtns in Sew Tweet Finally Complete!   
    That is truly beautiful!
  5. Like
    LisaC got a reaction from InesR in Sew Tweet Finally Complete!   
    Sew Tweet, a  pattern by Chitter Chatter Designs. I hand appliqued and embroidered the blocks in 2014; along with completing the top. Finally this year, I free motion quilted it on my Mille. This was a very fun project began by me and Lisa E. in 2014.  It was my first attempt at embroidery; I was so blessed my Mother used to do all my embroidery, but she has since passed away. The blue birds remind of Cinderella birdies!!

  6. Like
    LisaC got a reaction from Bonnie in Ok in Sew Tweet Finally Complete!   
    Sew Tweet, a  pattern by Chitter Chatter Designs. I hand appliqued and embroidered the blocks in 2014; along with completing the top. Finally this year, I free motion quilted it on my Mille. This was a very fun project began by me and Lisa E. in 2014.  It was my first attempt at embroidery; I was so blessed my Mother used to do all my embroidery, but she has since passed away. The blue birds remind of Cinderella birdies!!

  7. Like
    LisaC reacted to Gator in Sew Tweet Finally Complete!   
    That's a lot of "no sew zones",   beautiful quilt and quilting.
     
  8. Like
    LisaC reacted to T Row Studio in Sew Tweet Finally Complete!   
    this is sweet
     
  9. Like
    LisaC reacted to tootsquilts in Sew Tweet Finally Complete!   
    This quilt is absolutely adorable.  Love it.  So sorry to hear about your mom.
  10. Like
    LisaC got a reaction from T Row Studio in Sew Tweet Finally Complete!   
    Sew Tweet, a  pattern by Chitter Chatter Designs. I hand appliqued and embroidered the blocks in 2014; along with completing the top. Finally this year, I free motion quilted it on my Mille. This was a very fun project began by me and Lisa E. in 2014.  It was my first attempt at embroidery; I was so blessed my Mother used to do all my embroidery, but she has since passed away. The blue birds remind of Cinderella birdies!!

  11. Like
    LisaC got a reaction from dianne31331 in Sew Tweet Finally Complete!   
    Sew Tweet, a  pattern by Chitter Chatter Designs. I hand appliqued and embroidered the blocks in 2014; along with completing the top. Finally this year, I free motion quilted it on my Mille. This was a very fun project began by me and Lisa E. in 2014.  It was my first attempt at embroidery; I was so blessed my Mother used to do all my embroidery, but she has since passed away. The blue birds remind of Cinderella birdies!!

  12. Like
    LisaC reacted to Gail O in Sew Tweet Finally Complete!   
    Wow!  That is stunning. Love it!
  13. Like
    LisaC got a reaction from Debi in Sew Tweet Finally Complete!   
    Sew Tweet, a  pattern by Chitter Chatter Designs. I hand appliqued and embroidered the blocks in 2014; along with completing the top. Finally this year, I free motion quilted it on my Mille. This was a very fun project began by me and Lisa E. in 2014.  It was my first attempt at embroidery; I was so blessed my Mother used to do all my embroidery, but she has since passed away. The blue birds remind of Cinderella birdies!!

  14. Upvote
    LisaC got a reaction from Plumpurple in Sew Tweet Finally Complete!   
    Sew Tweet, a  pattern by Chitter Chatter Designs. I hand appliqued and embroidered the blocks in 2014; along with completing the top. Finally this year, I free motion quilted it on my Mille. This was a very fun project began by me and Lisa E. in 2014.  It was my first attempt at embroidery; I was so blessed my Mother used to do all my embroidery, but she has since passed away. The blue birds remind of Cinderella birdies!!

  15. Like
    LisaC got a reaction from Gail O in Sew Tweet Finally Complete!   
    Sew Tweet, a  pattern by Chitter Chatter Designs. I hand appliqued and embroidered the blocks in 2014; along with completing the top. Finally this year, I free motion quilted it on my Mille. This was a very fun project began by me and Lisa E. in 2014.  It was my first attempt at embroidery; I was so blessed my Mother used to do all my embroidery, but she has since passed away. The blue birds remind of Cinderella birdies!!

  16. Like
    LisaC got a reaction from Marie0722 in I Woolly Love Ewe   
    I agree with Sharon. Love it!!! The quilting really is perfect on such a cute quilt.
  17. Like
    LisaC got a reaction from T Row Studio in butterfly qult   
    Terry, it is exquisite ! Your piecing and quilting are awesome!!! Great Job.
  18. Like
    LisaC got a reaction from InesR in Drafting chair to quilt?   
    A lot of quilters use a saddle stool. You can do a search on this forum for a lot of information on them and also search the internet or Amazon.com for them. There are some in most every price range. I definitely recommend one that is adjustable in height. I don't use mine often, but love it for doing detail work.
  19. Upvote
    LisaC got a reaction from T Row Studio in Picasso's Girl   
    Love it, Terry!
  20. Like
    LisaC got a reaction from Allison S. in Rail Fence   
    It looks great. Try taking photos of your fabrics lined up and then change the photo to black and white. It will show you how fabrics will blend or contrast. An old tool called a Ruby Beholder works the same. Its a deep red piece of plastic to look through; they were used alot when the watercolor quilts books came out in the 90's.The pics also help find stray blocks that might be turned wrong or in the case of a sampler, too many like colors together.
  21. Upvote
    LisaC reacted to dbams in My biggest quilt yet!   
    Here's my latest finish.  California king, for us.  So glad I get to keep it!  Stopped at Renee's House of Quilting, in Williamsburg, MI, yesterday, to show Renee, since she helped me to choose the fabrics, and she took this picture.  A special thanks to Kathy Schwartz (Tamarack Shack) for the border quilting idea and tutorial.  It was perfect!  So Fine! top and bottom thread, Quilter's Dream wool batting.

  22. Like
    LisaC got a reaction from InesR in Rail Fence   
    It looks great. Try taking photos of your fabrics lined up and then change the photo to black and white. It will show you how fabrics will blend or contrast. An old tool called a Ruby Beholder works the same. Its a deep red piece of plastic to look through; they were used alot when the watercolor quilts books came out in the 90's.The pics also help find stray blocks that might be turned wrong or in the case of a sampler, too many like colors together.
  23. Like
    LisaC got a reaction from Gail O in Rail Fence   
    It looks great. Try taking photos of your fabrics lined up and then change the photo to black and white. It will show you how fabrics will blend or contrast. An old tool called a Ruby Beholder works the same. Its a deep red piece of plastic to look through; they were used alot when the watercolor quilts books came out in the 90's.The pics also help find stray blocks that might be turned wrong or in the case of a sampler, too many like colors together.
  24. Upvote
    LisaC reacted to mamu in Loyal customers. ???   
    I agree with Linda.  You upgraded to a computerized system but your customers are not interested in that, they just want a nice design on their quilts that do not cost them so much.  I have found that if a person is wanting a panto or all over design, they want this because they do not want to add more cost to their quilt.  The only time I have had customers ask for custom or more detailed all over designs is that they are either gifting as a special gift or wanting to place the quilt in a show.  Quilters are looking for the best deal they can get and the best quilting they can get.  You have lost some of your clients because of your increase in price.  You were wanting to off set the upgrade cost and hoping to get your clients to pay for this upgrade, hoping they would appreciate that computerized will make the designs more perfect for them.   I do not have a computerized system and  exclusively do panto's for my customers.  I use to offer both custom and pantos, but found that my bread and butter was in the pantos, so I only do custom for myself now.  There are other longarmers (some computerized) in my small rural area that do custom and some of my customers go to them for custom when that is what they want.   However, they always come to me for their pantos because I offer lower price and a fast turn around time.  These things are very important to them.   I have often thought of upgrading to a computerized system, but only to shorten my time at the machine and produce a better stitch line in designs.  It would help me do more quilts in less time I think, thus the volume of quilts done would actually help pay for this upgrade. 
    As Linda said... offer some incentives to get your clients to come back.  With more people getting their own quilting machines, we need to keep our businesses going with incentive marketing.  Know what your quilters want, know what is being offered out there from other longarmers and adjust your  pricing accordingly.
  25. Upvote
    LisaC reacted to ffq-lar in Loyal customers. ???   
    No one has replied, so I will gingerly step in and give you my take on the problem. Adding a computer to your machine does not mean that you should raise your prices above the industry standard, especially for overall designs. The customer doesn't care how you get there or what you use---they are interested in the finished product and don't want to pay extra for computerized when someone else can do the same thing for less. I'm talking about pantos/overalls, not custom. Also, you have "niched" yourself. You have inadvertently sent a message to your customers that you are out of the panto/overall business by showing lots of custom quilting. Custom=$$$$ to everyone. Make some simple quilt tops and quilt them with overalls or a panto and show them everywhere. Remind them that you're still around and offering the less-expensive quilting. I think your customers perception of what you offer and your pricing has been muddled---that you are now too expensive. To get them back in the fold, use your favorite method to contact them and offer a blow-them-away deal on pantos and overalls "exclusively for you, my favorite customer". Any size quilt up to a Queen (you supply the limit for dimensions) with a choice of three pantos/computerized or freehand overall (not a big meander) for $100. This will price you at less than a cent-and-a-half, but will give your business a boost. They will dig out all the big UFOs and maybe get one done as a Christmas gift. Limit the number (like first 20 quilts) and limit the month---like November only or first two weeks in January. See if that will nudge them back to you. Good luck---it's disheartening when the customers you think are friends stop becoming customers.
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