Sandra Darlington Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Hi, I just read in my Guild's minutes from September (I was at a charity golf event and not at the meeting) that I would do a talk at the November meeting on preparing your quilt top for the longarmer. Has anyone done a lecture like this? I know I can come up with a lot of details, but I would love to have your input so I don't forget something. I would like to type up notes and make copies so they can have an info sheet to take with them. I would also like to come up with some props to use in my examples....(and I'm not bringing my longarm there). All suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks, Sandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraJ Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 I'm sure you've got a list of what you would like already. 1/4" seams - surprised me when I got 5/8" one time. Seams ironed and threads clipped on back of top. Top squared up. Ditto on backing. I need more inches on the top / bottom of my backings because I use the Red Snappers. I have to have a total of 8" minimum but love more. 3" on each side. Borders, borders, borders put on properly to avoid sagging and all of us doing the steam/starch method. Maybe put down instructions how to measure the quilt for exact border measurements. Bring a small sample to show them how to do that? I'm sure others have even better ideas!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolinequilts Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Sandra, I have a word document on how to attach a border. If you send me your email, I would be happy to send it to you (or anyone else). I give this out to all my customers. You are welcome to distribute it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Hi Sandra, I think someone asked this several years ago and lots of good suggestions were offered. My suggestion would be to re-name the talk "How to work with your longarm quilter to obtain the best results for your quilt". This allows for a dialog between the two involved and doesn't set hurdles for the piecer to jump before her top is "good enough" for the longarmer. Some piecers don't care if there are varicose veins, full borders or D-cup blocks--they just want it finished and are willing to pay for it! Education is great after the fact, and you are allowed to return a quilt to the piecer for fixing, but don't scare away potential customers by having them think their quilt must be perfect or forget it. That said, stress that the tips you show them are for all quilters, not just longarmers. DSM quilters are up against the same problems when they tackle their own stuff. Mention clipping threads and then show why this is important. Hold up a piece of bleached muslin and a piece of batting with a dark blue thread in the middle. The muslin is thin enough that they will get the picture. Show them how to grade the seams when pressing to the light side to alleviate the stray threads and show-through. Talk about squaring up piecing as you go and measuring and applying borders correctly. You can sneak in a mention of the marking products that you like and when and why you use them. Finally, talk about coming to intake prepared with all needed items, questions in hand, and perhaps their thoughts on quilting designs. You will wow them, I know!:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted October 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Thanks Laura. I also got your E2E. Caroline - My e-mail is: sandradarlington@aol.com or DarlingtonQuilts@Gmail.com - thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted October 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Barb - Thank you!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted October 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Thanks, Linda. I like the muslin/thread/batting suggestion; will do that for sure. I may do a 3 piece backing with the selvages on it yet, as an example of what not to do, and also to show how horizontal seams are better for me, rather than the verticle/hammock effect, seams. I just printed out the information from all of you (and the U2Us and e-mails) and will compile the ideas into a nice handout. This will be great info for all quilters, and if I can educate my customers, so much the better for me! It will also be good advertising. I will be sure to have lots of business cards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna sco Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 Light tops and dark backs can cause problems choosing thread--if light top and dark back does customer want light quilting on the dark background. If borders are pieced they should be staystitched so that the seams do not pop open when loaded on a long arm. Backing should not be too large--2' extra is not a help to long arm quilter--ask long LA quilter what allowance are needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted October 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 Thanks, Donna. I had not thought about adding the light tops/dark back. That would also bring in the color choice for batting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 Can you take samples of the poor combos of backing and batting that causes pokies, one that shows a fix for it, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 All, great ideas. If you can find a picture on here of a wonky border, print it out and show them. About, pieced backing, be sure to tell them one may quilt great and the other may get pokies. Explain about pokies and how it is not the fault of the long-armer. Those are just my little ideas. Good luck to you and let us know how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 Suggest to customers who like a lot of pieces in the quilt top, to tryand sew/press the intersections" in diff directions, so they are fairly even, not a pile of 10 layers of fabric on one side and only 2 on the other side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 Originally posted by JustSewSimple All, great ideas. If you can find a picture on here of a wonky border, print it out and show them. :P:P I can email you several photos if you don't have a "good example" in your albums!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 Sandra I did this lecture last year at my guild and it was very well received. Let me know if you want a copy of my power point slides. I filled in a lot but you should be able to see what I was talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BethDurand Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 I'm sure this has been covered, but here's a suggestion from a quilt I just finished. If you are going to use "an old sheet" (as described by the customer), please make sure it doesn't have any holes, and that you've cut off the selvages. This includes the fact that if it started out life as a fitted sheet, you've not simply hacked out the elastic and corners with your scissors. You then take the time to square the edges for your longarmer. I've got a pile of fabric here that I'll be including with my customers quilt so that we can discuss this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seakitten Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 These are all great tips; thanks, I have been thinking about doing this lecture myself soon, so this will help a lot. Meanwhile, Sandra, here's a wonky border for you: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 Here's one for you, as well.... eewwwwww! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 LOL Linda I think she intended to add a ruffle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 Linda, I too thought maybe she gave you a curtain rather than the quilt.....:D Maybe you can "quilt that out!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted October 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2011 Thanks for the additional suggestions! I do have lots of wonky borders...but many of them belong to my fellow guild members, so I don't want to use them as examples ; it could get rather embarrassing. I can pull some pictures from one quilt I did for a friend several years ago. It not only has bad borders, but horrific piecing, too. Linda and Catherine...gotta love those borders! LOL If it is OK, could I print your pictures to include? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted October 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2011 Heidi, I would love to have a copy of your PP presentation. Thank you. When I get this put together, I'll make it available for all of you to use, too. I love when we can help each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted October 12, 2011 Report Share Posted October 12, 2011 Sandra I just emailed it to you. The file is way too big to post here. Let me know if you don't get it. Most of the pictures are not from my customers. I sent out a request just like you because I sure didn't want to tick my customers off. I am still getting people that bring me their quilts and point out what they did right because of my lecture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anette D. Posted October 12, 2011 Report Share Posted October 12, 2011 Sandra, I did that type of presentation at the local quilt shop. I'll send you a pdf file containing the list we handed out to the attendees. Use any or all of it. I'll send it to both of your email accounts. Let me know if you do/do not get it. Anette amdquilts@yahoo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Grammy Posted October 12, 2011 Report Share Posted October 12, 2011 On the same line I have a wonderful customer that is a smoker. How do you deal with this? I would not hurt her feelngs for anything in the world. On a differant customers quilt I spent several minutes using a roller on a quilt that had loose threads and animal hair on it. I told the cusomer about it knowing that the other quilts that she had given me were clean and ready to go. She said it was a friends:( any way may want to mention hair removal;) along with those treads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colette Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 Perhaps you might also include information for those who just want a quilt basted? Our next guild speaker will be covering this same topic and I intend to ask that they include this info. Much as I adore all that you LAers can do, I'm still enthralled with doing it myself on a DSM, but for larger sizes, I think I could benefit from starting with a well basted quilt. Colette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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