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Turn around time in your area?


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  • 3 weeks later...

In my area (Owensboro, KY), I think it's almost "bring it now and I'll have it back to you tomorrow" for the quilters who mostly do pantos and meanders. Not much different for those doing custom work -- maybe a 2 week wait. There seem to be a whole lot of new longarmers in the area and that has greatly reduced the wait time.

I'm not taking any customer quilting except from a few customers who have been with me for a long time and what comes in through the quilt shop and I'm pretty much booked through the end of this year but I'm only scheduling about 1/4 of what I normally schedule.

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I am from the southeast valley of Arizona and the turn around time for part time longarmers is about 12 weeks and for me since I do this full time is about 4-6 weeks depending on whether I have to special order a thread or pattern.

The few that I have known here basically are taking in customer's quilts until they pay off their machines than they stop taking in customer quilts.

Joann

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Funny this should be asked. North San Diego County (Vista) can be anywhere from 5 months to 1-2 weeks. I am currently the 1-2 week-er, cause I don't have a lot of business yet. But I've had the strangest things happen with all 3 of the customers I have had so far. For each of them, I have turned their quilts around faster than they expected and when I call to tell them their quilt is ready, so far each time (5 quilts total) they have been flustered and sounded almost disappointed that it was done "so fast". Actually, only 1 of them I did as a marathon. But since my neck just about broke doing it, I am learning to pace myself. Even so, I did a small (58 x 70" quilt) custom blocks and borders, turning, everything, in 5 days, called the customer and she had that same reaction. Any idea what these people are thinking? I'm starting to think I should just sit on them for a couple of extra days....

Robin

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We're in the Midwest - Twin Cities area, MN and I think most of the LA'ers are 5-8 months out. We like to be under a month and our customers have come to expect it - - - and love it. We have gotten some customers from other LA'ers I believe because of our turn around time.

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Hi! I just signed up on this list - I've been quilting for over four years now. Thought I could put some input in on this thread! I'm located just outside of Edmonton, Alberta - Canada, and I'm about 4 - 6 months on average. I run two machines and work fulltime at it. I've heard others are not as long of a wait, but really can't comment on it as it's rumours to me. In Kelowna, BC - where I lived for two years and started my business, the wait was on average 6 months - but I hear it is alot less now as alot more machines are in the area. It's interesting isn't it?

Sue S

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I have time on my machine in about a week. Lots of Longarmers here, Atlanta area. If you check with the owner at the quilt shop..."my girl is booked out 4 months". But they won't refer them to anyone else...I've been in the shop, standing in front of her when a customer asked "that long? Isn't there anyone else???".

Cynthia

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Giftedhands

Isn't that just the most frustrating thing? I guess if I were standing there I might just hand the person my card and say "I am a longarm quilter and I have a bit of time available, if you would like to call me." But maybe I'm just more outspoken then other people. How insensitive of the shop owner to do that...

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I live in Idaho and the turn around time for me is about 1-2 weeks depending on the weather. Its cold in my quilting room. But about the person that doesn't help refer customers is really rude. I have a quilt shop in the town I live in that doesn't help refer people either. Guess I just haven't gotten in with the right click yet. Next time you get that chance to hand out a card do so there may never be another chance.:)

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Do you think it would help if you oculd catch the shop owner when she isn't busy and show her some of your samples? Maybe offer to quilt a top or two for the shop samples for free? I quilt probably 5 or 6 tops a year for free for the local quilt shop. The reason I do them for free is that I want to be able to do anything I want to do on them without the shop owner thinking about the cost. Probably half of the ones I do are pantos and the other half are heavy custom. She does a bunch of the national quilt shows and I get really good exposure from the quilts hanging in her booth.

The shop owners I know feel kinda responsible when they recommend a longarmer and I've heard some pretty frightening stories about long delays in getting the quilts back or bad workmanship. Hopefully the shops you're dealing with are just being overly cautious and they'll eventually open up to recommending other longarmers.

Seems to me that the quicker the customers get their quilts finished, the more quilts they will make and the more fabric they will buy . . win/win situation for the shop, the longarmer and the customer.

Don't give up!

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Well, to be honest this particular QSowner is very odd. She's had alot of turnover of employees, she's very moody and she'll be nice to you one moment, and then you're invisible the next. I'm not taking it personally. In a city this big, I have alot of choices with regard to where I buy my materials.

Because it is not my store, and I am not in-love with this shop owner, I did not want to say anything to the customer, but I will be carrying cards in my pocket and casually pass it to them in the future...

Cynthia

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 9 years later...

I live and work from Central Saskatchewan, and my turn around time is 4-6 weeks.  We have had an infusion of quilters buying their own machines - Saskatchewan is a booming economy- and so customer count is down, and then so is my turn around time.   The Prairie APQS dealer is doing far too good a job promoting these wonderful machines. 

 

The up side is:  my own quilts are finally getting done.

 

Charlotte

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