Fer, I have seen your work (nose about 1/8 of an inch from it ), and watched you grow as an artist over the last few years. Your work is interesting, challenging, and fun to look at. So, please, just continue. I always look forward to see what you are up to.

As far as work for customers is concerned: Do they complain? Do you discuss how you use your longarm before they are committed to you doing their quilt? I suspect that your answer is 'no' and 'yes'. So you have nothing to worry about.

Lorchen

Thanks for the reassurance. I'm still worried that people do feel every stitch should be exactly the same length. I am currently working on a quilt for myself. The stitch lengths change a lot. I would guess the longest might be 8 times the length of the shortest. That's just the intentional variation. I have small stitches on intricate areas and larger ones on larger designs. On the larger designs there is variation in different areas of the design.

On the back of the quilt I have a lot of wadding blobs. I think the backing isn't as tightly woven as it might be and I know that after washing these will vanish.

I also have some tension drifts. I know that with the wide rage of weather we have had recently that is very likely to happen. It will probably vanish with washing, but I don't see it as a huge flaw. My top and bottom threads match so it really isn't that bothersome.

However after reading this forum, I'm not sure I would be happy to hand it back to a customer. I would happily enter it in a show, and I think it would do OK, but is it good enough for a customer? I'm not so sure any more.

Ferret

Well, I am not a professional but I have looked at your work and would say you have nothing to worry about. You work is wonderful.

Hi Ferret!

Perfection isn't expected by customers. They generally want a good job. With your work I wouldn't worry about it...I've seen your vid on facebook you have no worries. Don't give up quilting for others.

Teri

Hi,

I am a longarm quilter and having read the previous posts I am now somewhat concerned. I work very hard at my quilting and my tension and stitch lengths are generally good, but they aren't perfect.

Is perfection what is expected by customers? I could get a stitch regulated machine or buy a computer to run the machine, both would get closer to perfection but not hit it, and I really enjoy freehand work. Or I could give up on customer work and concentrate on my own and accept I'm unlikely to get good enough to satisfy customers. I hadn't though of this being an issue before, but if it is I would rather know. I was about to spend quite a lot of money on getting advertising leaflets done, but it might not be such a good idea.

Thoughts?

Ferret