Ferret Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 I've just had a customer call me with a problem, and I am hoping you ladies may have an idea I haven't tried. I basted a quilt for her a couple of months ago with masterpiece. She has now finished the quilt and removed the basting stitches. However she says the holes from my needle are so huge it's all you can see on the quilt (I use a size 14 needle in my machine so it's to the small end of what can be used). She has tried wetting it, steaming it, and rubbing it. In my experience that will usually close holes in batik let along the quilt shop fabrics in her quilt. I've never had this problem before so I am looking for other ideas to close up these holes. I'd really like to fix this as she has already taken it to two sewing groups she belongs to to ask fr advice, I'd rather they saw it could be dealt with than never had a quilt basted. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewlinzi Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 I would have suggested spritzing with water then letting it dry naturally or even with the aid of a hairdyer. It sems very weird that the holes are still there if the fabric was cotton. The only time I have noticed holes not going away is after frogging gold lame! She must be looking through a magnifying glass... ask her for a close-up photo. The Milli needles are much beefier than a size 14 so I just can't see how these holes can be as bad as she is saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted May 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 She claims that the quilt has been made very wet and allowed to dry flat but it hasn't helped at all. The backing I think was a sheet, so that will be more likely to hold a hole, but the front seemed to be OK quilting cottons. I'm stumped what else to suggest. I may have to go and have a look at the damage and see what can be done. It's not the way I had planned on spending my weekend. Ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Ferret, Try wetting it and using a soft toothbrush to get the fibers back. I agree that it is odd that a cotton fabric would show the holes like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Are the holes in the backing or on the front of the quilt? If it is the backing and it was a of higher thread count, the needle could have cut the fiber and therefore leave a permanent hole. Sometimes this happens with batiks too. I know it did on my daughters quilt. I don't know what one can do to resolve the problem. I would definitely want to see a picture. The only way to resolve the problem initially is to use a ball point needle which pushes the fabric thread to the side instead of piercing it. Hope all works out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Hi Ferret. One good wash in the washing machine then a spin in the dryer should do the trick. I've never seen any holes after home laundering....even with batiks. Maybe I'm just lucky so far. Ask her to bring it to you. Good luck! Lisa APQS Liberty NW New Jersey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longarmlisa Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 I like using a a white washcloth moistened w/very hot water. It seems to close up the holes nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted May 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 It's both sides apparently. I think the quilt had a sheet as backing and (if I remember correctly) it was a low thread count poly cotton. I think I am going to have to go and look at it myself. I can't see why the holes should be as big as they are. I deliberately use a smaller needle than standard because I hate making big holes in quilts. On the other hand I've just worked on a quilt where I used a huge needle (fancy fussy thread). I had to frog some of that and managed to close the holes in the batik backing without much problem. Ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted May 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 ARGH. "looking closely I think there is some oil around some of the needle holes too....." I think I am going to be spending some time having a word with this quilt. Thanks for the suggestions, any others will be considered. She doesn't want to wash the quilt which is a shame as I am sure that would fix the problem. Ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 As long as she is unwilling to wash the quilt....she will have to live with the holes. Where she took several months to quilt...the fabric has maintained a memory, and isn't willing to give it up. Washing and drying by machine will be the only way to get the holes out. I agree with Lisa I have NEVER seen even a batik that I couldn't get the holes out of, but it did entail washing. As far as the oils....that would also come out in the warm water as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Spriz holes with HOT water. Dry in HOT dryer. Heat/steam causes the cotton fibers to restrict or draw up. Nothing much will help the poly fibers. She will either have to heat or probably live with the holes. She should be educated not to use poly in the fabric. Nothing you did Ferret. This one is all on her.:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy2018 Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Dear F: If she did not prewash her fabric there's a chance the fix (finish) on the fabric may be holding on to the holes. I think in any case, a really good home laundering with agitation, is probably the only way this will give up the holes. Getting the fabric soft and flexible is what will lessen any notice of the problem. I baste a lot, but I prewash all fabrics. I only use white thread to baste, sometimes the color of the thread will "rub "on the holes the thread goes thru, then time is your enemy as far as setting it goes. Used red leftover thread once years ago UGHHHHH!!!! learned the hard way (as usual!) Take care , happy quilting.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted May 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Thanks guys. I will call her again tomorrow and see what I can persuade her to. I usually use washaway thread but this customer doesn't want to wash the quilt so it had to be a cotton thread. I suspect if I can get rid of the holes in the front she might live with those on the back until it's washed (it's a bed quilt it must get washed sometime right?) I couldn't get her on the phone this afternoon so I emailed all the suggestions I had. I am a little concerned how much this will effect my customer base, but there isn't much I can do it now. Ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Ferret...as bad as she could possibly make it for you, I honestly don't think I would worry much about it. First off you have a great record of great quilts, and this bump so to speak will tarnish, but it won't kill your record. And as we all know tarnishes can be repolished and soon forgotten. Secondly it sound more like she is just not going to be satisfied no matter what you do. So I would just record everything given to you as a possible fix and file it away should it come back up in the future or IF a customer asks about it. We all know how word of mouth goes around, and if someone asks then tell them what happened and what was suggested to fix it. Also is they ask don't rag on the fact that her fabrics were to blame, but point out that some fabrics just don't heal (so to speak) without being washed and with her not washing the quilt right away, there wasn't anything else you could suggest. Thirdly, I have had a whinner in my customer base and was a huge surprise to me that her blabbing that I did something to her quilt, didn't even effect things. I wasn't aware of it till later, but many of the others knew her and just blew her whinning off, as to say. She's at it again. So hopefully this till also be your case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted May 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Thanks Bonnie. Strangely I am so busy with my gallery work that I am finding it hard to worry about anything else, which has suddenly become a bonus.. Hopefully tomorrow I can spend the day working on a new piece of my own which Should be a lot of fun. I've got everything loaded and prepared today so I am ready to go tomorrow. Ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merryjo2003 Posted May 24, 2009 Report Share Posted May 24, 2009 Geez! One the hard ones, I spritz and throw them in a warm dryer with a new tennis ball. It kinda beats them up as they tumble. Never had one that wouldn't close back up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted May 24, 2009 Report Share Posted May 24, 2009 Just a thought, Ferret--if your customer had her quilt really tight in the hoop she used for hand-quilting, the tightness may have enlarged the holes due to tension on the basting stitches. As others have suggested, she really has no other option except some water and agitation to snug those holes closed. I hope there is a good outcome--it seems like the client may have unrealistic expectations of the process. I have only basted a few tops for hand quilters, but while doing the intake, I ask them if they lap-quilt or hoop-quilt. If they hoop-quilt, I recommend that they hoop and then remove the basting stitches before stitching. I don't know if that is "regulation" for hand quilting, but my customers have been happy and have come back for another go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted May 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2009 Well I have plenty of repeat customers, so it can't be all bad. She says she will try the hot cloth and maybe tumble the quilt. Hopefully that will resolve things. Who knows? I was wrong about her backing btw, it is a quilt shop backing fabric, so 100% cotton. She quilted the quilt by machine with stitching in the ditch. so I don't think it will have been hooped, but it may have. Ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellen lightfoot Posted April 29, 2020 Report Share Posted April 29, 2020 Hi, i am having the same broblem , i use good fabric, i was stipling and i had to unpick some of it, i have done all what as been sugested, thanks Ellen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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