KerryM Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 So i got this little top from a customer, 47x56. She is avery sweet older lady and she wants kind of a rush job. The top is pieced very poorly, not square, and has very friendly borders, plus the back is a cream colored plain cotton., so the tension will have to be perfect, and even then it is going to show. The design she chose and the thread are.......A verigated green/blue and cream on the back. The design is swirls.The quilting sticks out like sore thumb. What do I do now. I am not happy with how it looks at all, and I certainly don't want her telling her friends.......What do I do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Kerry, can you post a picture? I would love to see it up close and also the whole quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KerryM Posted June 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Okay PattyJo you asked for it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KerryM Posted June 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 sorry forgot the picture! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Kerry, You are being too hard on yourself. You are looking at the quilt from about 12" away, and the customer and everyone else are not going to look that close. We are our own worst critics. The quilt looks fine to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Originally posted by KerryM .......The design she chose and the thread are.......A verigated green/blue and cream on the back. The design is swirls.The quilting sticks out like sore thumb.... Well, Kerry, all I can tell you is you did exactly what the customer wanted using her thread choices, her choice in design, etc. In all reality, I think it looks just fine! I think you are being way too hard on yourself. I am sure she will love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Well, Kerry---I agree with Shana. The customer picked the design---and you did it perfectly. Looks fine to me, and I don't know how she could be unhappy with it..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnice Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Sometimes we do not understand why our customers choices are such. You should be pleased that you met her deadline and did exactly as she wanted. Your execution was perfect. Remember the saying Rule 1: The customer is always right. Rule 2: Should the customer be wrong go to rule 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauras Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 I love the swirls. It looks like an autumn wind blowing leaves around, and the people are snug in their cabin. Laura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollyc Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 from what you described I thought it would be a diaster. You did a great job, it couldn't look any better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 The Swirlz look great, Kerry. Is it the blue/green thread pulling thru to the cream back that you are worried about? I don't see a post of the back so I'm just guessing. If you have the dark thread pulling thru to the back (aka pokies), remind her that she chose the thread. The only thing that I woul dhave done diffferent, is use a thicker batt, like QD Puff or a double-batt. I had this very thing play out in my quilting business a week or so ago. Check out my blog for the customer conversation. Click here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathG Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Kerry I think it looks very fine, I love Laura's comment too, staring at the photo I can see exactly what she means . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 ya did good.....its true when we are only 12 inches away it looks really really bad....but across the room or on a chair no one will see the bobbles.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasewsit Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 looks good to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KerryM Posted June 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Thanks for the awesome support! I guess because I am a more blendy quilter, the dark thread has thrown me. The back however is another story. The tension is good, but a plain back and a thin batt, I have thread pokies on the back. Nothing I can do about! Laura. I'm going to use that on my customer, if you don't mind! It is not square, but at least the borders are not waving at me, and all the cups are now laying down. I hope she likes it! Mary Beth, you are right, we are our own worst critics, it's hard not tob though! Linda, the customer brought the batt, and insisted that i use it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeAnn Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 I think it looks great, too. Remember to stand back from your work afterwards. We are always very close to and think things stand out like a sore thumb when in reality it looks just fine. And hand quilting was often done by white thread, even on dark fabrics, so thread doesn't always have to blend to be right. I think you did a great job. (I was a little worried after you described it) And I think the customer will be thrilled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 I too think that this quilt looks good. It is exactly what she asked for...why wouldn't she be thrilled. I too am a terrible critic of my own work. I just did exactly what a friend wanted on a quilt, went to put together a bill to her for the work, and chewed MYSELF down in price. Oh well, when she picked it up...she loved it and will have another one for me soon. Needless to say, she won't be getting a discount on that one. I did circles on a quilt for basic meander price because I saw some thread knots on the back that I couldn't live with. How dumb is that? It isn't my quilt...and she probably wouldn't have noticed them anyways. I expected a quilt that was going to be hideous. Kerry, you did a great job on this one...and tamed it well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 I see the silk purse, now where exactly is the sow's ear?:D:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimmiequilts Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Kerry it looks great, the swirls really work well on this quilt! :cool: I will say however that we as quilter's need to stand up for the correct batting choices for the work that is being done. I had a good customer bring me a black batting for a bright quilt and I told her I wouldn't use it as it would dull down the light, bright colors. I know this from firsthand experience so I stood my ground. We do need a higher loft batting when the top and backing are opposite colors in threads, it's just good common sense! I hate it when I have pokies and can't do anything about them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherryjack Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Kim is right. I think when it comes to batting and thread choices, the quilter knows best. and has a duty to steer the client in the right direction. Clients just don't realize how ugly those pokies can be. I really stick to my guns on thread colors and matching back to front. Honesty works best for me. If I don't like the color my client suggests, I explain why she may not like it. I sometimes say I will try it, but if it doesn't look good, I will change to a better color. This seems to work for me and I haven't had a problem. I usually get the "do whatever you want". Ya gotta love that phrase! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvrchota Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 looks great... and it does look like swirling winds... as far as the back, i get what looks like 'pokies' on the back whenever i use variagated thread on the top... it was explained to me that the dye in the dark portion of the varigated thread is thicker (heavier?) and so it'll show up as little dots on the back... someone told me that and i tell that to the customers who insist on varigated thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewlinzi Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 From this distance it looks pretty good. We always stress about what the customer will think when they are almost always delighted or at least, very pleased! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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