ffq-lar Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Help! Here's the story--- Big 92" by 108" top with 30s reproduction pieced butterflies and a white-white-white Kona cotton background and big borders. It quilted like butter and the customer was thrilled. It was for her bed and "just fit" with a pretty bed skirt below. She put on the binding, washed it in Cold and dried it on Warm and called in a panic. Of course it shrunk. She hadn't pre-washed her fabric, which was a question I asked before starting and she "had never had a problem" before. Okey-dokey. She said her quilt now measures 85" by 95". Anybody have a remedy? I suggested she block it and hopefully this will help. We used Quilters Dream 70/30 batting so I don't think that did much shrinking. She wants to blame the thread (Rheingold high-sheen poly and Bottom Line bobbins) and the quilting (measurements after quilting were less than an inch smaller both ways) and I know those weren't the problem. She is in denial! I am gently trying to guide her through this and would like your in-put, you wonderful, smart miracle workers!!! Help! Linda Rech Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnQuilts Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 My suggestion is to rewash it, then block it on the floor or wherever, pinning it out as far as it will stretch, without pulling the seams apart! I wouldn't think it will return to its original size, but should get it bigger. This is what I would try anyway. It should at least make it some bit bigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Linda, if blocking it doesn't work, I would tell her to buy a smaller bed, and then the quilt will fit just right. Good grief and good luck! (I sure hope she doesn't blame YOU!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epprog Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Your thread both top and bottom is poly and that will not shrink. Even good quality cotton thread wouldn't cause a quilt to shrink. For years (long before my quilting machine came to live in my bedroom) I used Hobbs 80/20, which should quilt up and wash much like your Quilters Dream 70/30, and I have lots of quilts that I have washed numerour times and they hardle shrink at all. The quilt in my guest room has had all kinds of bad things happen to it (accidents by grandkids!) and it still looks great after washing lots of times . That one is made with Thimbleberries fabrics and the Hobbs 80/20 batting. Soooooo, that leaves her fabric and in particular, probably the Kona cotton that she used on the background. So tell her to cut a piece of the Kona, measure it, then wash it and see how much it shrinks up. That would PROVE to her that the shrinking is not your fault. I never prewash my fabrics as most of the newer fabrics don't shrink that much but I guess I will have to be careful of Kona fabrics! There was a recent post by Dawn that had suggestions for straightening out wavy borders. She suggested to put a large sheet on a rugged floor, put the damp quilt on top of the sheet and pin with pins THAT DON'T RUST. This would probably help stretch it a bit but I know it won't go back to original size. I think Shana has the best idea, buy a smaller bed. So far I have never had a customer blame me for anything, they are always pleased with my work, but I know that there will come a time. Then I'll let you all know! I hate that sick feeling I get when someone doesn't like something that I have worked hard on. Good luck, and know that you did your best, she's the one with the problem. My kids sometimes have trouble taking responsibility for their own messups, some adults never learn to take responsibility for their own messups either! Cher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsbishwit Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 This is definately the customers fault here all the way...not only did she not prewash the fabrics but I never had a customer make a quilt for a bed that just barely fit they always make sure that they allowed for some shrinkage so they make it several inches larger. Also what may have caused the extra shrinkage could have been the water temp she used to wash the quilt in, even warm water could have caused some shrinkage on an all cotton quilt. Stand firm and tell her to try blocking the quilt then carefully explain to her what the others have said about the poly thread etc...also explain to her that what happens to the quilt once it is picked up and is in her hands is her responsibility not yours. Especially if it was fine (barely fit the bed before washing it). Good luck Joann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Linda, You aren't to blame for the fact that the batting and fabric shrank for this gal. Unfortunately a combination of things have led to this pickle. According to the Quilter's Dream Batting website, the Dream Blend will shrink up to 3 percent with a warm water wash or dry. Therefore, a quilt that started out at 100 inches square would be 97 x 97 after washing, without even factoring in the shrinkage rate for the Kona cotton and the quilting. The threads you used will not shrink; however, heavy quilting can cause a great deal of shrinkage. Your measurements after quilting don't seem to indicate that dense quilting was a huge factor. I'm sure blocking the quilt will help a little, but it will not restore the quilt to the much larger size she apparently needs. Depending on the amount of work she wants to go to (and she should pay you for if you help), she can remove the binding around the quilt, and add an additional border. The way this would work would be for her to give you a large piece of backing fabric (prewashed this time) that would be larger than the longest length of a quilt side, and wide enough for you to quilt all four border strips at once. [*]You would mount this fabric lengthwise along your rollers. Attach the fabric for the border as if it were the quilt top (pre-wash it as well). Suggest a busy floral print from her 30's collection to make this "repair" job less noticeble. [*]Pre-soak (read that "shrink") another piece of Dream batting and dry it carefully. Layer it as you would for any other quilt. [*]Now quilt four border strips for her, running the length of the fabric. Choose a design that does not have to turn the corner. Leave at least two inches of unquilted space between each border strip. [*]The next step is to cut apart these four border strips and attach them to the quilt top, using a technique commonly used by "quilt as you go" quilters (Google "quilt as you go method" and you'll find several websites with illustrations). When you are ready, trim the edge of the border strip that will be attached to the quilt so that you leave a "1/2-inch seam allowance" of unquilted fabric along the border's length. Lay the quilt top down on the table, right side up. Now lay the trimmed border section on the quilt top RIGHT SIDE DOWN, aligning the quilt's raw edge with the raw edge of the border section. [*]Carefully pull away the batting and "backing" from both the quilt top and border section, and pin the quilt and border together along the raw edges, right sides together. Sew this seam at a sewing machine. Next, fold the border open from the quilt top and gently press the seam you just sewed. [*]Now trim away any batting that overlaps to create a nice joint. [*]Finally, turn the quilt over and fold under the raw edge of the BACKING fabric that is attached to the border piece. Lightly press to give you a crease, and then hand stitch this seam closed, just like you would when attaching the binding. [*]Repeat this whole procedure for the opposite side of the quilt, and then finally the top and bottom. Last, reattach the binding. This is a laborious method, but if she's sick about her quilt, it will help get it to the right size. I had to do this when I was asked to make an altar cloth for our church that had swags off all four sides, and I measured wrong and the swags didn't "swag" where they were supposed to! Learned from that experience that I always ask a client if the finished size is critical, so we can discuss what might happen if the batting shrinks, the quilt gets washed, etc. Had she thought about it ahead of time, she could have made the quilt larger to begin with to allow for the shrink factor. Good luck--let us know how you turn out! Dawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BethDurand Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Shana, you're hysterical! I love the "smaller bed" idea. Linda, everyone else is absolutley right, the customer messed up, certainly not you. Good luck to you both. Beth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted June 19, 2007 Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 I like the smaller bed idea too. I'll have to remember that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted June 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2007 Thank you, thank you, thank you! Dawn--you are deservedly the Director of Education (I am picturing you with your cap and gown!!) Your instructions are great and I will offer them to my customer. Wow! I think I was as upset as she was but I will get over it and she may not!!Everybody has been great and so helpful here. Thank you for your input and encouragement. Since the owner of the quilt said she was using a white eyelet bed skirt, I suggested that she purchase some eyelet yardage, trim it to about 6 inches or so and hand-sew it to the underside of the binding (without gathers--just straight.) It will extend down to the top of the bed skirt. She would miter the corners and it would be like an extension of the top. At least then she can save the time and expense of more quilting and more material. What do you all think? Again, you are the best sounding board and cheering section in the world! Linda R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 Several years ago I made a quilt for a twin bed in my guest room (former kid's room). I thought I would just get a dust ruffle and use the quilt on top of the bed. The problem was the quilt top was too small to really overlap the top of the dust ruffle. My "quick & dirty" solution was to buy a chenille bedspread that coordinated with my quilt top. I made the bed with the bedspread and then put the quilt over the bedspread, and it "fit!" Well, it looked like it all fit together just fine. Just a thought, but perhaps too silly to work for your situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsbishwit Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 Linda, The eyelete idea sounds like a great way around this for the customer. I am sure that next time she makes a quilt for a bed she will over size it to accomodate the shrinkage factor. Joann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted June 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 Here is a photo of the infamous butterfly quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted June 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 And the whole top---- Thanks for all the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 wowsa...that is one great job of quilting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smorris Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 Gorgeous quilting Linda - Shana's right, just tell her to get a smaller bed or give the quilt to me - I'm sure I could find a bed it would fit. Sue in Australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonjaHammond Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 Your quilting is wonderful! I just don't understand why so many people will not take responsiblity for their own actions. The quilt maker appears to have very good sewing skills so the idea of non-washed fabric shrinking should not be news to her. With all the wonderful ideas you are going to give t her on making this quilt work she should be so impressed with your professionalism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnQuilts Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 Great quilting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CucumberQuilting Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 That's really pretty. I think it would fit MY bed just fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 It won't fit any of the beds that I have in my house, but by the time you get it in the mail, and I know its coming to my house I bet I can have one that it will fit. WHAT a beautiful pattern, but your quilting is totally the quilt....WOWSA....to steal Shana's words. My My....My....I'm so in awe.... So how did you fix it...more quilting or the eyelet idea (which I thought was a great idea)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nora123 Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Hi all, First of all you did ask her if she had prewashed her fabric and she said it was fine. You did a beautiful job quilting her quilt top which is what she paid for. It sounds to me like she washed it,it shrunk and now she is upset at the wrong person. I tell people if it is cotton (fabric,thread,backing and batting) it is gonna shrink some. Some more than others. I am so sorry this happened to you. We put so much effort into our work. Sincerely,Nora Millenium Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted June 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2007 And the resolution is----- My customer just called me after having company for a week. We talked things over about blocking and she wasn't going to try that unless she can get at least 6 inches of added width--I told her that probably won't happen. She now realizes that the shrinkage was probably from not pre-washing the fabric and is in pretty good humor. I told her I had "expert advice" from many people (you wonderful ladies) and her favorite remedy is to find a white bedspread to put under! Thank you Sandra Darlington! We laughed that she and I will be looking for a discount-price king size white bedspread for the next year! She has invited me over to view the quilt in it's environment and she now says it's not so bad the way it is. She even said she might look for a "low-profile" mattress to fix things!! I feel so much better--her family was so impressed by the quilt and she is putting my name out there! Win/win from a rocky start. Thanks for the advice and encouragement. You're the best! Linda Rech Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsbishwit Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 That's good news Linda, I'm glad everything worked out in the end. Your quilting in the end won her over no matter what size the quilt ended up after she washed it. Perhaps her company even suggested that if she was so upset about it that they would be more than happy to take it off her hands as well, lol Joann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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