Sunday, May 25, 2014

Saturday

I decided to try out a local long arm quilter with this little quilt.  It is hand blanket stitched, 3 inch tulip blocks.  I took it to her in February, and got it back yesterday.  I bound it last night, and it will be a good little quilt for spring.
Please give me your opinion if you have a moment...does this look like custom quilting to you?  What does that term mean to you expert quilters....?  The quilting lines go on and off the blocks, and on and off the applique, and are fairly crooked, but are just straight lines, like a domestic machine could make.  Just looking for a little insight here.  Thank you for your wisdom!


I hope each of you has a great day!!

Julie

28 comments:

Vicki W said...

To me that would be light custom primarily because of the ruler work. I suppose it all depends on what it cost.

Material Girl said...

To be honest, I think it is awful. I do better than that on my home machine. There is no originality in my opinion, it is flat and uninteresting. I hope you didn't pay very much. I would probably unpick it and redo. Sorry this happened.

quiptowngirl said...

Julie, that is such a pretty little quilt. I have never used a long arm quilter, but I would have expected more elaborate quilting. Echoing the flowers and feathers in the open spaces. Feb. to May is a long time to wait for the simplicity of the design. Did the long armer consult with you about your expectations of the design. Love your blog. Keep quilting!

Dasha said...

Julie, that is definitely not custom quilting. I shared some photos on my blog about some custom quilting I had done earlier this year. You will find it here if you are interested: http://patchingpixies.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/bloggers-quilt-festival-2014.html

ozone3 said...

I have to agree with everyone else. Definitely NOT a custom quilt job. With a mini quilt, you could have done alot more than that on your home machine. Also, 3 months for a mini is WAAYYY too long in my opinion.

Lee Prairie Designs said...

Hi Julie,

Darling little quilt and adore the colors. I agree with the other comments too.

Echoing the your beautiful appliqued work would have been perfect! Also,3 months...yikes!

Love your blog and your inspirational quilting ideas

Hugs, Carolyn

Chantal said...

I am no expert but what I see is someone who didn't push herself much. It's the first time you bring a quilt to her and that's what you get? She obviously didn't try to impress you and have you go back for more did she? But you know that. Sorry; I feel for you. It is a BEEEEAAAUUtiful Spring quilt.

Cindy Nielsen said...

I agree with everyone else. I am a long arm quilter for personal use only and I could have done this on my home machine in less than a week. I hope you didn't pay custom prices. Your appliqué work is beautiful. Love reading your blog.

Unknown said...

I would have expected more with custom quilting. Did you relay your quilting ideas, or leave it up to the longarmer?

AnnieO said...

If I paid for that I'd be disappointed! Your tulips are adorable.

Kathleen said...

so sorry you are disappointed - but I do think it is fixable... just some echoes around the tulips, and some feathers in the alternating blocks, and it would be gorgeous... wish I were nearby, I would do that for you in twenty minutes!!!

The Tea Lady's Journal said...

Your quilt is so nice. I love the flowers and the border you picked, and binding make it pop.

Nancy said...

This does not resemble any custom quilting that I've seen or had done. Unless you asked for minimal quilting on this quilt, I think the longarmer took the "easy way" out.

Cathy said...

I agree with the majority. To think she had this quilt for 4 months and that is the quilting she did. You could and would have done much better yourself. Hugs

Anonymous said...

3 months? ! Um...what to say...ok here goes....as you know I'm a longarm quilter. I'm curious what she charged you for starters....if you said simple custom...it's pretty simple. Did you request background fill? Your quilt is cute...either way. Again, communication of what was said and paid between you and your longarmer is key so I can't bash her work. Did she tell you she was that booked?

Missy Shay said...

I don't think the quilting is bad, just that it could have been done by on your own machine in a couple of days. I like the quilting, but I would not have paid for someone else to do that kind of work I could have done myself. I would have expected a lot more fancy stitching.
I love your quilt!

Leeanne said...

Hello my scrappy friend way over there! Well a very interesting post & comments. Of course I have my professional eyes on. I am with Quilt Hallow, we can't bash the quilter as we don't know all the facts. Maybe you asked for very minimal quilting, if so the fee wouldn't be much. Maybe you gave your budget & this is what you get. I hear people giving professional quilters negative feedback (usually behind their backs), sometimes it has been earnt, but sometimes I wonder what the lines of communication were like? your quilts are your pride & joy, so much time, love & money have gone into making them. communication is paramount in my humble opinion. A relationship between a quilter & the maker can build to one of trust & friendship, but when starting out you must be clear what you want, or what I ask my customers if they don't know what they want, I ask "what don't you like?" that gets the lines of communication rolling!
hey did I tell you this week I love your scrap quilts??

Rebecca in AK said...

I am not sure how to comment on the quilting. The quilt itself is beautiful!! I have never sent a quilt to a professional long arm quilter so have no experience to speak from. From the photo it does not look like there was a lot of quilting done on it.

Sylvia said...

Hi Julie,

I love your little quilt. However, I agree with a lot of other ladies on here. I don't think I would go back to her.

Janet O. said...

Hmmm, to me "custom quilting" means quilting to fit the piecing and/or applique design, rather than an all over panto type quilting. So, technically, this fits that definition. Also, this is a small quilt, and having just quilted many small and mini quilts, I do know that I tend to quilt more simply on the little quilts or the quilting tends to overpower the quilt. That said, there is so much white space on this pretty little piece, that I think it invites something a little more interesting in the quilting design. If it was my quilt, I think I would have expected more, and would have been disappointed with the results.
I like to give a quilter an idea of what I envision for the quilting, and if they have something different in mind, I like them to tell me what they would suggest.
I took two identical quilts to two different quilters and paid the same price to have the "custom quilting" done. The difference between the two was like night and day. I told them each what I thought would look good on the quilt and the feel I was going for. One quilter said "I'll come up with something." She did, but I didn't care for it. The other quilter said, "Well, if this is the feel you want, how about..." I loved her suggestion and she did it beautifully! I found who I wanted to have do my quilting! And then I got a quilting machine and now I have to do them myself! : )

Sandy said...

I agree with Janet O., that the hand guided nature of the quilting would fall under the definition of 'custom quilting'.. albeit 'inexperienced' custom quilting, belied by the crooked lines, and lack of interest. It does not look like a pantograph, except maybe in the border?

I'd pick it out and start over. Meanwhile, learn from the experience. Had you seen this quilter's work before? Did he/she come recommended? Did you sit down with the top in front of you both, and describe to him/her what you wanted? IMO, carte blanche should be given only to someone who's work you know well, knows your taste, and whom you trust. Thankfully your negative experience happened with a small (but very cute!) quilt, and can be fixed.

Deanna said...

As I understand it, straight lines are hard on a longarm machine. But, it looks like quilting easily done on a home machine, particularly given the size of the quilt.

Lois Arnold said...

Julie, this does not fit with my definition of custom quilting. Though I normally quilt my own on a domestic machine, I have friends who are masters on the Long arm and I'm sure this would not fit their definition either. Did you discuss with the longarmer what you desired? It is still a lovely quilt because of your colors and design. Sorry, I know you are disappointed.

Linda O said...

Julie, your little tulips are darling, and it really is such a happy little quilt! Sorry you're not thrilled with the quilting...makes it hard when you paid for it and waited so long.

Sewing Sue said...

I agree with the comments -- not great quilting, but have to ask, did you see any of her work before you sent it to her? Is she just starting out or fairly well established? I've paid for long arm quilting and what I've gotten has been much better than what you got. This looks like a first effort to me.

Just Ducky said...

Julie, I could have done better on my domestic sewing machine. Did you specify anything in particular when you took it to her? I have had two large quilts done by a longarm quilter and both times I specified exactly what I wanted. I am sorry that it is not better and hope you did not pay too much for it.

Helen in the UK said...

I suppose 'custom' refers to the fact that it isn't an edge-to-edge pantograph. However, it is such a simple quilting job that it should have been really cheap. If I sent a quilt out to a professional long-armer I would expect more originality and a higher level of complexity ... but as others have said, it comes down to what you asked for and what you were charged.

Lori said...

Well, it is darn cute, and I will not weigh in on the quilting. :)

Puffins and purples!!

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