In a world where plenty of people are trying to find jobs they can do from home long arm quilting definitly qualifies, that being said not everybody is cut out for this job. This article addresses the good the bad and the ugly about this job.
The five questions you need to ask yourself to determine if this job is right for you.
Let me start by saying that I am a long arm quilter, I’ve been doing this job for 12 years. I want to say that I do love my job, but like all jobs it has its draw backs. Like all careers it also has its cost there is a lot to consider before you dive in and decide to become a quilter.
Question #1
Can you afford to become a Long Arm quilter?
Quilting machines are very expensive, They can cost anywhere from $12,000 to $45,000, and that’s just the machine and usually the table or rail system it is on. The more expensive machines can also have a price increase do to robotics, light bars, and other add-ons. I also hate to say that sometimes you get what you pay for when you purchase on the cheaper end.
There are other cost to consider as well like, thread and batting. These can add up quick and while you will see a return on them the initial outlay can hurt.
Additionally it can be hard to get clients or keep a consistent income. There will be slow months you will need to plan for. Sometimes it feels like feast or famine I will just be buiried in work for months and then nothing for a month and back to tons of work it is difficult to plan ahead when it comes to finances especially when you first start out.
Question #2
Do You Have The Space?
Long Arm machines are not only expensive but they are huge and take up more room than you think. My machine is on a 12 foot table and has a 26 inch throat, the room I have it in is 15 feet by 12 feet. It has plenty of room front to back but getting around on both long sides can be a little tight. So before you buy this machine get a tape measure and consider carefully where you plan to put this thing, also you are not going to want to move it once its there so chose wisely, Trust Me.
Question #3
Are you physically capable of doing this job?
You don’t need to been in great shape to do this job but it does involve a lot of standing and being bent over. When I do a large quilt that has a lot of quilting my back and shoulders as well as my feet are usually aching. I don’t think this is that big a deal but if you have a lot of back problems this may not be a good job for you.
Question #4
Do you like people?
This one is way more important than you might think. Quilting is a service job and you will be dealing with the sometimes delightful and sometimes down right crazy public. Oh, the stories I could tell about some of my clients. To be successful you will need to network and be in contact with people on a regular bases. Some will be understanding and patient and some will not. There are others who can’t seem to understand they are not your only client. If you do this job long enough you will have someone decide that they don’t like your work or that you ruined their quilt ( I have only had one of those but it was memorable). If you are looking for a job that lets you avoid people this is not it.
Question #5
Are You a creative person?
Most Quilting Machines can use robotics these days, this means that the computer does most of the work, this does not mean that you as the operator doesn’t need to have skills or be creative in how you place designs or quilt quilts that may have problems. I believe it is very important to have a certain amount of skill, patience, and creativity to do this job well. This will be especially true if you do not have robotics on your machine and you are the one doing the work.
Now For The Bad
I want to be honest about this job, and the truth is that some of the things that are great about it are also awful.
You need to be very self motivated to get work done that can feel like its something you can put off for another day (if that makes sense). Just because you can do this work anytime day or night does not mean you should put it off to another time. You and you alone are responsible for getting you orders out.
I can be the most boring thing in the world to do. I may have exaggerated there a bit but it can be boring. For example if you are doing an all over design on a quilt and the quilt is large you will be doing the same repetitive thing over and over again while moving very little. Trust me there will be plenty of very boring days.
How much work you do is up to you. You will need to advertise, and connect with quilt makers to get business. People will not just come to you once you have the machine, you will need to actively look for and try to aquire clients so you can support yourself.
The Ugly
You will always have diffiulte people who change their minds or start asking you if their quilt is done almost as soon as they drop it off. Some people will complain about the price even if you are the cheapest person in the area or call you at strange hours or during holidays.
People will bring you some of the strangest things sometimes, I had a person bring me a small rug and want to know if it could work for a quilt back. Or they bring you backing fabric that is smaller than the top.
You will get quilts that are unquiltable they may be wavy or bowed in, they could have holes or be so uneven there is no straight side. The worst part is when someone brings you a quilt they know is a hot mess and expect your quilting to fix it.
These are just some of the fun things you will deal with.
The Good
Okay lets end on a high note. Being a quilter can be wonderful, you set your own schedule, If you need to take some time off that is up to you. This job can be done anytime of the day. You get to be creative ,I do mostly custom work and a lot of my clients bring me their quilts and tell me to do whatever I think looks good they trust me, this can be very freeing and inspires me to be worthy of the trust they put in me, it makes me work harder to do a good job. You will get to see many different beautiful quilts, and meet some wonderful people that will become your friends. I do love this job and if you feel its right for you I think you can love it to despite some of its quirks.
I know this was a long article and if you are reading this I thank you, and hope that if you were trying to decide if long arm quilting was for you that it was helpful. If you have any questions about quilting leave them in the comments below.
