Hawaii Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Originally posted by Brenni Note to self: Thank God everyday I don't quilt for others. Mary I vacillate (sp) on taking on a paying customer for fear of this kind of nightmare. Many kudos for those of you who make a business, quilting for others. However, I do agree with Kenna. Quilt the heck out of it, give it your best (YOU ARE AN AWARD-WINNING QUILTER) and chalk this one up as a marketing tool (despite the piecer.) Sending prayers your way, Shana, regardless of the direction you take with this particular (ex) customer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheri Butler Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 I'll umteenth the opinion to rip it out, and hand it back to her. With the words, that, according to her, it was your quilting that did it. Well, you've ripped it out, and handed it back to her saying, "I've given it some thought, and considering the fact that 8 months ago you were happy with this, and now, all of a sudden "other quilters" said it was my quilting?....then, I HAPPILY pass it on to one of your "other quilters" for their expert quilting on this! Thanks, but NO THANKS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasewsit Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Shana! Well, one thing... be glad it wasn't a queen or king size!! I think I have to agree with Kenna also.....Do your darn best on this quilt and let that speak for itself! I am sure others know of your work around in that area and if she does take it to fairs or quilt shows,.....they will know..... We live and learn, don't we???!! gotta love ya, girl!!! linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimmiequilts Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 I agree with both trains of thought but you being the sweet Shana that we know and love I know that you will take the high road, make her awful quilt look the best that it can and let it go at that. You know that you only do your best work and you should NOT let this small minded inexperienced quilter get to you or make you feel bad! GIANT (((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))) from your pal in PA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 You poor poor girl! I am so sorry that this customer has come back to you...and after 8 months! You are truly a saint! To take this back and rip it out and to do it all over...for free! WOW her with your quilting and when the judge at the fair looks at the quilt...hopefully they will comment on your work and her poor piecing will stick out like a sore thumb! The judges will think that you are too kind to have put that kind of effort into 'what'. Sending more Quilted Hugs your way. Love ya girl! Post pictures when you are done so we can be WOWED by what you have done with this quilt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewlinzi Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Shana - that woman has a bloody cheek!! ('Scuse my French) and what an awful thing to "blackmail" you with guilt that she would badmouth you to other quilters... Hopefully she'll enter it in the Fair and get a judging sheet back that mentions lovely quilting but diabolical piecing :mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Originally posted by sewlinzi Shana - that woman has a bloody cheek!! ('Scuse my French) OK you will have to translate so that I know what French you are using :P:P I may get away with saying this at work and nobody would know what I was saying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy2018 Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Dear Shana: I really liked what both Kenna and Sheri said, that said I have never regretted "doing the right thing" so that I wouldn't look back with regret. People like her ALWAYS get what's coming to them. You may find the story of this quilt has quietly spread through your local quilters, they will not be happy with her. You may win a separate award for your quilting (Ha , ha!), She will most certainly take the heat for the poor piecing (and perhaps ever realize it looked better poofy!) She has spent a lot of negative time on this quilt, it will never give her much pleasure.... AND Finally, many of us believe, God has a plan for people like this, and it ain't pretty:D If I were you, I'd do as several have posted, finish up the thing as fast as possible, get the negativity out of your life, be the person you want to be, head held high. If nothing else works, kill her with kindness........Pat PS: People who aren't extra special never feel like this!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 A fable for our times and job--- Stella wanted her hair to look just like Meg Ryan's in "You've Got Mail"--that cute short blonde bob--she was entering a beauty contest. Of course, her hair was thin, drab brown, and straight. She went to "Shawna", a fabulous, award-winning hair designer and they talked about Stella's desires. Shawna explained the limitations she faced and they decided on a nice 'do that would compliment Stella's face shape and hide the sharp point on top of her head. It was a great hairdo and Stella paid and left happy. Two days later she was back, saying she had visited several nameless local hairstylists and "they" said she didn't look like Meg Ryan at all!! Now she not only wanted her money back, but she wanted Shawna to re-do the 'do. Shawna, the sweet person she is, accommodated the customer. Now the sharp point on her head really shows through her bleached-blonde, permed, inappropriate hairstyle. The judges at the beauty pageant commented on her interesting appearance. Hee hee!! Moral of the story? Be careful what you wish for? You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear? Don't mess with Shawna? You pick!!:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Farnham Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Hey Shana~ Sorry to hear that you are having troubles with this customer. Been there, done that. It's never any fun, but it is part of this business. You can't please all the people all the time. Turn this into a learning lesson. Go back to how you take in quilts. I used to just ask what they wanted, jot it down, and all was good. Now I have and intake form, Measure in front of my customer, and go over all the "issues" the quilt may have. I then ask the customer how they want it quilted, thread choices,(or they can leave that to me) etc, etc, etc. Most importantly, I make notes of all there requests on the intake form. I give them a quote, and have them look over the intake form. If they agree for me to proceed with their quilt, I have them fill in all their Contact info, and sign and Date the bottom of the form. I have had some customers tell me there quilt did not turn out as they had hoped, but when I show them the intake form that they agreed upon, They suddenly realize that they were the ones who made those choices. My forms have saved me several times. ( I actually had a customer make a beautiful needleturned applique quilt, but insisted on and allover Panto!!!!! I gave her every option I could think of, but she wanted an allover. It killed me to quilt it that way, but that's what she wanted. When she came in to pick it up, She seemed a bit dissappointed with the quilting. Again, My intake form saved me. ) Moral of this story, cover yourself when taking in quilts for hire. It's a task at times, but it can save you, believe me. Shana-you are an amazing quilter, and a sweetheart as well:) Finish this quilt and move on to your next masterpiece. We love you! Laura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted July 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Originally posted by SheriB I'll umteenth the opinion to rip it out, and hand it back to her. Sheri, thanks for that advice. It's something I have been considering... but most likely I think I will (this one time) bite the bullet and just git er dun and outa here. Oh thanks everyone for the support, but most of all, I appreciate your sage advice, too. I learned quite a few things from this (and from you, too). Have a great weekend! I will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolinequilts Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Shana. I feel for you too. How awful! That customer was just plain off the line. You are a considerate person, doing what you are doing for her, but you will feel better for yourself knowing you did your best. Personally, I wouldn't take another quilt from her ever again. I would also start a policy of getting signatures with work orders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iquiltit Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 You can please all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time but you can't please everyone. LOL!! AND some people would,t be happy if you hung them with a new rope. LOL Carol:P:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted July 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Originally posted by ffq-lar A fable for our times and job--- ........Moral of the story? Be careful what you wish for? You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear? Don't mess with Shawna? You pick!!:cool: Linda Rech, love your "fable" and it's so clever (as you are) Carol (Iquiltit) so true; can't please everyone. LOL! You all are too funny. Ha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Shana, I really doubt any quilting, flat, puffy, dense or sparce could do much of anything to hide the horrible piecing. She needs to send it to Ami Simms Worlds Worst Quilts, instead of the fair. I know she's hurt you badly, and for that I am very sorry, but she's going to get hurt worse when she reads the judges comments, if it is a Show. Fairs really don't comment. Mores the pity. Hugs and chin up. Have her sign a form saying any form of slander formed by talking to other quilters about your work, will be followed by a visit to the lawer for defamation of character. Hugs and God Bless... RitaR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Return it unquilted ASAP!!! and let her find another quilter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmoore1223 Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 I'm with Rita about the lawyer and the defamation of character. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirabelle Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Oh Shana I feel your pain, sometimes we are damned if we do and damned if we don't. I don't quilt for other people for all the reasons listed above. I am sure your quilting will make this awful quilt look spectacular, but the piecing will still look dreadful. I would also be telling this lady that if she decided to continue her patchworking then she should consider taking her quilt tops to another quilter that you are just too busy with your regular customers. You have a heart of gold but I am sure you will need a trip to the dentist next week if you grit your teeth the whole time you are quilting this bad baby:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mswings Posted July 12, 2009 Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 Shana you are such a nice person. Perhaps too nice in this situation. There is no guarantee she will be satisfied with another attempt at quilting this quilt. I have to agree with the others in that I would rip it out and give it back to her. You don't need to explain anything to her. She is the one who is not satisfied. I think she needs to find someone else to redo it. I would just tell her that you thought you had done what she wanted and after 8 months she apparently changed her mind. You quilt beautifully, saw it first hand at MQS! Don't let this person bring you down to her level. It's not worth it. If she can change her mind now she could do it again in another 8 months. People like this are never satisfied so I say don't feed into it. Enjoy your weekend. I imagine you don't get lots of them at the North Pole;) Hugs to you. Let this be like water rolling off a ducks back. You can do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainquilter Posted July 12, 2009 Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 Oh my gosh, what a horrible job of piecing. Didn't the other people want to tell her her the truth? I have entered our Monarch Quilting Quilt, Quilt show the last 2 years and have taken viewer's choice blue ribbon 2 years in a row. I would never dream of putting such tacky work into a show. I guess that is how a person will learn. The woman gets a E for effort I guess. It is because of my quilter in BV and my piecing that I win. I would not have quilted this in the first place. Don't be so hard on yourself and when ripping out in the sun, I hope it got a little faded. Your the best. Mountainquilter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieBrewer Posted July 12, 2009 Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 I have enough customers that I don't need her. I would have told her she could rip it out and I would requilt it when I caught up, in perhaps 1-2 months. Oh, I missed the fair date? Tough ____! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted July 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 OK you all wise women. I thought about this and I took your (overwhelming) sage advice and I called her up this afternoon. I told her that I had thought about the situation and felt it might be better if she chose another quilter to do this job. She was upset that I was returning the quilt unquilted. When I stopped by her house today, I told her I had removed the quilting, starched and steamed it so the quilting stitches disappeared and nice and flat (except for a little fullness from her piecing). I also handed a complete refund for the first quilt job (November 2008) it was in in envelope and told her I was very sorry for everything. She was not happy. She said she really liked the quilting but that she didn't like the poofiness. She grabbed the envelope with the money in it and shoved it back in my hand and said "I am not taking that refund and if you don't keep the money you'll be even more sorry than you are now!" Oh goodness. I guess maybe she'll get over it some day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Posted July 12, 2009 Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 Is this woman off her meds????????????????? Holy Crap Shana, I don't think it would matter what you had done, this is one of those people who just ain't gonna like it no matter what. Good job handing her back her ugly quilt. Let her stinky piecing wreck someone elses name. Poo poo to her. I don't think you'd have won either way but....you hold your head high. She can't ruin your name or your reputation as a quilter. You're a sweetheart and an AWESOME freakin' quilter. One crazy vengeful ol' bat can't change that. She is the one who has lost out here. Not you my dear. Three cheers for Shana!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't give her or her nastily pieced quilt another thought. Maybe I shouldn't hold back so much...:P:P;) You know, tell you how I really feel? hugs for you Tracey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheri Butler Posted July 12, 2009 Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 Is she for real? H E L L O.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraSews Posted July 12, 2009 Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 Shana, You are always so kind and positive with your support of others. After all this craziness is done, I hope you are breathing a sigh of relief and are glad that the quilt is out of your house! I think you were very smart to give it back to her - that took more courage than re-quilting it. Laura BTW, if I ever decide to move to Alaska, you know it will be all your fault, right?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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