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As we watch the Olympics we see mega-athletes make their sport look amazingly easy. Runners, bicyclists and swimmers……yeah, we can do that! What we rarely see and cannot appreciate are the behind the scenes sacrifices, dedication and training necessary to get them to that skill level. In our day-to-day lives, we come across many professionals that have dedicated their lives to be the best they can be at their particular career. When there’s a water leak; we call a plumber. When there’s an electrical short we call the electrician. These people are well trained professionals that know their job and are well paid for their expertise. They come into our homes do their work and we pay what they invoice us for. Prior to doing a repair or taking on a home renovation project, we must bear the responsibility of researching the professionals we need to hire. We might consult with several on what the project entails, talk to friends/family that have done similar projects, researched business references and made our decision with as much information as we can gather. An old adage, “You get what you pay for,” is one that often floats around our minds as we make these decisions. Go for the least expensive person and you might get shoddy work. Go for the higher priced alternative and we might feel as though the price is a guarantee of quality work. Does this always hold true? No. Machine quilting has many parallels. Go to a machine quilting show and take a class or watch a machine quilter demonstrate on how to use a quilting machine. It doesn’t matter what size it is, if the operator is well-trained, it will look easy. Here again, what you see in that brief interaction is the end result of years of sacrifice, dedication and training. Wanting to become a machine quilter and actually becoming one that produces quality workmanship can be a painstaking process that takes skill and time. Many have the ability to buy a machine….that’s the easy part. The dealership or store we buy from may offer an introductory class and they may not. So we learn by reading, viewing other’s work and innumerable hours of practice time. As dedicated professionals, machine quilters try to stay on top of what is happening within the industry. Many will attend machine quilting conventions to learn about the latest techniques, gadgets, tools and threads. Just like the doctor or dentist’s office, a certificate on the wall indicates that this quilter is serious about their education and is willing to work at it. For some, machine quilting comes easy; they have a knack for it and learn quickly. Others struggle to make it happen. In either case, it is their drive, passion and love for the craft that drives them day in and day out. Luckily, they are able to get over the real fear that comes with the responsibility of quilting someone else’s quilt. These machine quilters shine, enjoy the diverse colors and styles of quilts that go through their hands and derive a great deal of joy as a customer’s eyes fill with tears when they see their completed quilt for the first time. Some quilts are truly special; the machine quilting adds to a quilt that has good color balance, is well pieced and has that “spark” that makes the audience gasp when displayed at a quilt show. Those quilts may be award winners which validates that both piecer and quilter are good at what they do. As a team, they are willing to credit each other for their contribution to the end result. When entering a quilt in a show, machine quilters have to rely on their customers to make sure both parties are listed on the quilt and in the program. Since the final product and ribbon may not have been possible without the machine quilter skill and talent, acknowledging the machine quilter is the right thing to do. Like any other profession, there are negative things that we have to learn to work through. Poorly pieced quilt tops, wavy borders that are not measured when applied, the solitude that comes with working hours and hours without talking to anyone and the rare dissatisfied customer. How those negatives are handled may determine whether a business prospers or tanks. We are often bombarded with humorous questions and comments from our customers. These may seem tongue-in-cheek, rest assured, they are all real.
Are these questions or comments one would say to the plumber or electrician? Unlikely. Of course these are specific to quilting but you get the idea. Since machine quilters are often home based, there is often the assumption that it isn’t really a business but something done for “play money.” This assumption is far from the truth. These women and men are skilled professionals and take what they do very seriously. Most quilt shows have quilting machines set up for prospective buyers to try out. If you are thinking that you would like to quilt your own quilts, give it a go. It will take but a few short minutes to figure out that it isn’t nearly as easy as it looks. There may come a time when a machine quilter offers to teach you how to properly apply borders, suggests that the cowboy edge-to-edge pattern might not be the best choice for your floral quilt or gently steers you from custom quilting an overly busy patterned quilt. Please understand that we really do want what is best for your quilt. We have gained wisdom and experience from all the quilts that came before yours. We have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn’t. We will charge a reasonable price for the work being requested since we value the time and energy we have put into building our business and reputation. Machine quilting is now an important part of the quilt making process and has been brought forward as an art form and an integral part of the quilt industry. We hope that you will respect our contribution to your quilt by treating us as a professional and acknowledge our part in the completion of your quilt. In turn, we will treat your quilt as we would our own and turn your unfinished quilt into a cuddly, useful part of your life or a cherished heirloom. # # # # Janet-Lee Santeusanio has been a passionate machine quilter since 1999. She is well known for her custom/heirloom machine quilting and her work has won many awards and has been published in numerous publications. Janet-Lee and business partner Mary Schilke are the founders of Machine Quilters Exposition. MQX began in Janet-Lee’s living room in April 2000 with 40 women and has since exploded onto the quilt show scene. MQX is now the leading machine quilting quilt show and conference in the country. The show features several hundred competition quilts, special exhibits and over 200 classes. In 2003, Janet-Lee began a machine quilting discussion group called Machine Quilting Professional. Now boasting upwards of 3,000 members, this active group is a critical resource for machine quilters all over the world. Janet-Lee, her husband Peter, and two teenage children reside in Hampton Falls, NH. ©2008. Reproduction without authorization is prohibited |
