mrsbishwit Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 I have had a busy week (I guess word of mouth is finally getting around) anyways this week I had a new customer dropping off a queen size quilt when she came for her appointment she also said that she has a king size quilt at another quilter but she wants to get the top back from her because she was not happy with the amount of choices the other long armer had offered her for quilting designs. Then I had a customer pick up a quilt that I finished for her that had an all over panto design with an inset sepearate 2 inch border. When she got here she loved it but did confess to me that she was contemplating on whether or not to get the top back from me unquilted (she was having second thoughts about the inset border) but she told me that after seeing the finished quilt she was glad she didn't take the top back unquilted. Are these things common place in the long arm quilting business? Do people drop off quilt tops...change there minds then request their tops back unquilted? Should us long armers request a non-refundable deposit with quilt orders? What do you think? Joann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyL Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Joann: In 8 years of longarming, I've never had anyone pick up a top unquilted, nor do I know of anyone bringing a top to me that they've picked up from another longarmer. Doesn't mean it won't happen to me tomorrow but it's not something I would concern myself with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SherryRogers Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 I have called a client and asked her to pick up an unquilted top before. I knew when I accepted it that it was not a quilting style that I was comfortable with and I fretted about it for several days. I realized it was not worth the worry and if I was that uncomfortable with it that I should call and say so. I basically just told her it was out of my comfort zone. She grasiously retrieved it but I have yet to hear from her again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbWetzel Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 Joann... Was this lady uncomfortable with the charge? I am amazed, unless she found someone that would quilt for her at a cheaper price. I charge .01 per inch, and add on if there is something special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsbishwit Posted March 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 No she never said it had to do with price she said that she was thinking of picking up her king sized quilt from the other quilter because the LAmer didn't have a large enough selction of patterns that she was able to choose from. (The other LAmer has the gammil with the statler stitcher and she only had a few patterns to choose from) After dropping off her quilt top she was thinking that she would rather have other options than that which was offered by the other LAmer, which is why she was thinking of getting her top back and bringing it to me. I guess I always knew that competition would be there in this type of business, I just thought that the customer would do their "window shopping" of LAmers before actually dropping off their quilt tops to be quilted. Thanks everyone for your replies...looks like this isn't the norm and there for would not require a non-refundable deposit when quilts are dropped off. Joann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted March 19, 2006 Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 Joann-- I haven't been in business for long, but I have one customer who picked up a quilt from another quilter and brought it to me because it was taking so much longer than promised. I would think in that case the longarmer would be gracious about it. The same customer brought me a quilt that had already been done by another longarmer and asked me to add more quilting because she didn't care for it! That ended up happily because she brought me two more identical tops to quilt (each one quilted a little differently for each of her grown kids) The problem with the first quilt was that it had been quilted by another guild member and was to be entered in our guild show!! Whew! My customer decided not to enter that quilt--thank goodness-- so there were no hard feelings. It was an ethical dilemma but my customer said, as I was hesitating about the first quilt, that it was her quilt and she could do whatever she wanted with it!! Absolutely right! I have never asked for any money up front, but as I said, I haven't been in business very long. Happy stitching! Linda Rech Olympia Wa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted April 2, 2006 Report Share Posted April 2, 2006 I just attended the seminar in Syracuse and have ordered the Millenium. Now I don't know if I should have asked for the 14 foot table. It comes with the 12 foot but the price is the same either way. Any advice you can give would be appreciated. I have 15 more tops of my own to do before I even attempt to do any for other people. Just thought in case someone wants a really big quilt done (if ever) I would be prepared. My largest top is 110 by 110. I have already done 20 on the machines I already have, a 1920 Minnesota with a long bobbin and a Mega Quilter by Husqvarna Viking which only allows me to do 5 inches at a pass. I will be donating some and giving some as gifts. Just very nervous about ever doing for other people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LA Posted April 2, 2006 Report Share Posted April 2, 2006 Hi Marion~ Fear not! The 12ft. table has a leader space of 126", I have yet to have a quilt come to me that I had to turn away. Remember that the King size battings are only 120". "But", the 14ft. is great for decorator sized projects, and unless you for see quilting for a decorator or "Texas" sized quilts you should be fine. You can let Carla know prior to the shipping if you want to change your mind! (Also think in terms of if you should move down the road, will the 14ft limit you to a room size??) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.