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Sorry I Started this Venture


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I thought it would be fun to quilt for others, but I am quickly finding out it's more trouble than what it's worth. I am having a terrible time with a customer quilt right now and I don't know how in the world I am going to fix it. It's not square and I am towards the bottom of the quilt, doing an allover panto, and there seems to be so much extra fabric, there is no way I'm going be able to ease everything in. I can't believe I ever thought I could do this. Okay, I'm done venting.

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Gable, I think you and three-quarter of the rest of us have all thought that at least one time or another. Chin up girl, things do get better and when you do get a square quilt you will need to be very careful...falling off your shoes does hurt.

Its amazing what you can get to ease back in with a bit of steam and spray starch. I've been known to ease back over 10 inches of what would have become a HUGE tuck....try it, it could become your next best friend....no! that should be trick.

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Bonnie, if I fall off my shoes, at least I have won't have far to fall to the ground since I'm so short! Can you explain the method of steam and starch?

Laurie, I'll have to have my son post the picture when he gets home since I don't know how to do that sort of thing. I probably should learn!

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Gable, it's amazing what a good night sleep can do for us. Don't give up yet. I'm sure you can ease it in and your customer will be thrilled.

Bonnie, you are so right. I read about this trick on this board and actually used it last week. It eased right in. When I was quilting, I noticed it stretching out a bit and did the same thing with a folded towel underneath and it worked like a charm.

post--13461898551436_thumb.jpg

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Ruthie

Thats amazing what a bit of steam can do!!!

Gable, keep your chin up, you can only do your best with what you are given. We all get those quilts from time to time. I'd get the customer to come and look at the problems before you go any further so she knows you didn't make them.

Good luck

Sue in australia

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Ruthie....my life has been totally fulfilled....I have taught you something and others that will be used........ YEAH...

Gable...you can do it either before you frame it up or while on the frame. Sometimes the fluff, doesn't show until you have gotten down the quilt several rows and you realize that its getting bigger as you go. If that should happen you will need to work this trick from the point of notice till you get to the bottome. And it can be done while you work on the frame or off. BUT, you need to remember to have a heavy towel ready so that you can push from the bottom while you are using your iron (on high and Full steam) from the top. IF you need I will explain how I learned REALLY quick why you need the towel.

First, spray pretty heavy with the spray starch...I personally use the heavy professional ones. Brands it makes no difference, as long as its a good quality one.

Once its sprayed take your iron and hold it over the spot and start steaming and working the material into place. It may take a few minutes and some time (Also you may need to repeat a couple of times)....once you have the material hot start to apply some pressure....DO NOT rub, you are not wanting to stretch the fabric anymore than it has already been stretched...it will sort of work like a Shrink-A-Dink and just start to fold back onto itself and work back into place.

Also you may need to come further into the quilt...I've had several that I had to go almost to the middle of the quilt.

The only thing that once you have done this you must remember tell you customer what you needed to do...SOME customers don't like to wash their quilts right away...and if you forget to tell them and there are "Silver Fish" in your area, things could go south. Silver Fish love spray starch will eat the quilt...once its washed it won't draw them so things are good.

Ruthie has provided some GREAT pictures and as you can see it just goes back into place. NOW you will find there will be times that this doesn't work 100%, (piecer really stretched either the border or the top when they were sewing the two parts together) but I honestly have to say that even in those times....it will make such a difference that you won't have any trouble in finishing the quilt.

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Bonnie, I am so grateful that I learned this from you. That customer actually sent me an email after she left the quilt and said, "If you want me to take the borders off I will." I told her that I read about a technique and would be willing to try it. It worked fantastic!

Thanks again!!!!

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Laurie, I have found in the past that the water spritz does work on fabrics that haven't been washed yet...they still have the sizing in them that was from the factory.

But, when you have a customer who washes everything and uses a fabric softner, the spray starch trick is the only way it will fall back into shape. For some reason the sizing just pulls it all back into shape.

Also I have tried to use just spray sizing, but I didn't get the results that I get with heavy spray starch. Experiment with this and see which one works best for you. You may find that the sizing is all that you need. That and a bit of water, and tons of steam.

Ruthie, you are very welcome....I learned this trick when I was sewing garments....a zillion years ago.

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Too much work for me - if its wavy and not flat - I take a pleat in the border. I love that tip - will use it on my quilts - but I wont sweat over customer quilt tops anymore.

I just call them - tell them what is happening to the quilt because they didnt give me a flat quilt......its not the quilter - its the piecer...I dont feel guilty if I take a pleat.

My Mom says you cant put perfume on a pig....

does that sound horrible? When I first read your post, I was like - take a pleat! quilt it down!

But then I saw what spray starch can do.....Maybe changing my tune a bit on the pleat business.....but no matter what - this is NOT about your skills. Its just you being new - the longer you are at this, the better the quilts are....less wavy quilts.

Keep at it!! Dont give up!

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Wow, that's an amazing tip. Can't wait to give it a try. Well, um, of course I'm NOT looking forward to the next time one of those humungous babies comes into my studio but for sure it will. So far, I've been a pleater like Karen McT. And I mean 'pleat' as in take a tuck in the border and discreetly as possible machine quilt it down using a matching thread like Bottom Line or monopoly. The really, really bad ones though can create a "smile" all the way into the quilt and this steaming thing could possibly be the answer with those.

Keep going girl. You're customer knows deep down inside that you're making her quilt something she never could have done alone. Wthout your help and expertise, her top would remain a forlorn heap of fabric in the closet somewhere. It's frustrating for you right now but she'll be so happy to get that quilt back from you. You'll live through it and laugh so hard about it later.

~~ been there, done it, lived to see another day. Eva H.

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Oh gee, I have a tendency on occasion to have poems pop into my head uninvited. They just show up there! Here's today's poem just because I've got to get it out of my head!

Karen McT was quilting one day.

Around and around, and around.

She came to a pleat and began to bleat,

"It's a pleat! Quilt it down, Quilt it down!"

(come on, you know you want to laugh!) ;)

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Kenna - I LOVE the poem - Thanks for the giggle!!:P:D

Hang in there Gable - we have all "been there, done that" and we hope

the quilts DO get better for you! Everynow and then, we get one that will

just put us right back "into the real world", and it is so nice to be able to

come here for advice and tips. Let us know how it turns out for you!

Good Luck! You can do this... " I know I can, I know I can, I know I can.."

keep saying it - up and over that pleat, bump, fold or crease!!

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