njquiltergirl Posted October 20, 2009 Report Share Posted October 20, 2009 Hi. I may be ready to charge for taking tucks in customers' mitered corners. Thought I'd check in with all of you to see how you handle this. I'm still new at this and just don't know how best to handle this. Personally, I never mind giving a top little help here or there. No quilt is perfect, so I usually do one minor fix for free, and explain what and why. I do not like to add a ton of "extras" but when you spend a half hour fixing - not quilting - you have to do something. I'm thinking of $5/per tuck...after the free first fix. What do you think???? Thanks for any thoughts! Lisa APQS Liberty NJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted October 20, 2009 Report Share Posted October 20, 2009 I'm sure you will get a dozen answers, but I never charged for something like this, just did it. Now, why not you ask.....mostly because I didn't want to ruffle feathers and I needed my studio quilts to even buy a quart of milk, and a loaf of bread. Also I know from talking to other LA quilters that they lost customers, because the customers thought that they were to picky and were gripping about every little thing they did wrong. I have a motto....if you give me a really wonked out quilt, and I can't fix it with a little steam and a ton of starch, its going to be quilted in the manner and fashion you brought it to me in. I can only do so much "Miracle Work" and then you are on your own. I haven't every had to take an actual tuck in anything, I was pretty much able to either splite the difference over a space or get it pretty much out with my steam and starch, but there were many many tucks that were left in or quilted down from quilters leaving blocks that weren't ironed/pressed correctly and there wasn't any way to fix it without taking it totally apart. If borders got wonked or dog earred because they didn't take care of how they put them on, it was quilted like that and then they could/would have to square the quilt back up before putting on the binding. If you feel that $5 is a fair price to put on something like this then do it by all means (I don't since I charge $20 an hour for construction so why charge them that much less for a lengthy repair job).....they are your rules, and who knows you actually might get a customer to care enough to pay attention, and not have the attitude that "Lisa will fix it." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyLake Posted October 20, 2009 Report Share Posted October 20, 2009 The way I handle it is to just bump up the per square inch charge to cover extra work. If they ask, I'll tell them, but I have found that customers get defensive if you mention some sewing issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted October 20, 2009 Report Share Posted October 20, 2009 I am also afraid of hurt feelings which besides the "hurt", can lose business for you. If the boo-boos are terrible, discuss them gently with your customer. If she is new or "casual" she may not care and will tell you to do your best. Now your decision is how much time you want to spend on this cosmetic surgery. I have called, been brushed off, and have told them "There may be tucks". And there usually are. I pin them down, quilt them, and let the customer hand-sew the flappers. Then at least she can see how big they are. I always point them out AFTER we view the finished product. Very offhand I say--and here is where the border fullness made me need to take a tuck. You may want to hand-stitch it down before you bind it. One of my customers quilts in the recent guild show still had an unstitched tuck in the border! Best policy may be not to rub anyone's nose in sewing issues, but mention the problem and have a hand-out ready if they are open to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elkayr Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 even though I have not taken in any customer quilts, I would not charge an extra fee. It's like a crash & burn course & it's free. You probably learn a lot from the quilts that need extra attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkerekes Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 Hi Lisa, Ditto what everyone else said. Many people are just not good piecers and that's just how it is;). They probably would be insulted with that charge, maybe you could build in a charge for mitered corners--and then not charge it if you don't need to. If you have regular customers that always give you bad mitered corners, maybe they will not do mitered corners because of the charge:cool:. Just a thought--but approaching the issue that way may work in your favor. Good luck! Jill Kerekes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted October 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 Thank you every one. OK, not the best idea I ever had...I had a terrible time with three corners on one quilt, and they took a lot of time to make it possible to even quilt them. I'll find a way to factor it in, and gently mention them to help her be a better piecer. Yes, quilting for others does make you a better piecer! Thanks for being my calm in the ocassional storm! Lisa APQS Liberty NW NJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 Lisa, I let my customers call it. When they bring me a quilt the first thing I do is lay it out on the floor. I'll be able to see instant problems. If it is too much fullness and I know there will be no way for me to have it lay flat I am honest and tell them that. I give them the opportunity to take it home and fix it or let them tell me to do the best I can do. This means that if they get a tuck like Linda suggested then that is what they get. I find that honesty is the best policy. Seeing is believing so to speak. If they get mad and don't bring their quilts to me in the future so be it...I don't want to spend all my time fixing things. I am pretty good at doing this very diplomatically of course! You have to stroke their egos but at the same time be honest. I have had some not know how to fix it and I'll show them what to do. This does take some of my time but in the end it is worth it. I spend usually 20 - 30 minutes discussing their quilt and choosing a design. My customers really appreciate that. I have my pricing structure such that I recoop that in the quilting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 Originally posted by hmerrill .....I am pretty good at doing this very diplomatically of course! You have to stroke their egos but at the same time be honest. I have had some not know how to fix it and I'll show them what to do...... Hi Lisa, I agree with you that being a quilter makes me a better piecer. Even me... I have learned so much about piecing now that I am quilting those tops! Mitered corners are tricky. Great advice! I think it is not "what" you say, but "how" you say it. I try very hard to treat people like I would like to be treated. Put yourself in their shoes and just be a friend and talk with them with care and kindness. Take them under your wing and tell them you want to help; show them the right way to do a miter or give them a list of books or web sites to check on tips and tricks for mitering a border. Consider that they don't know any better (which is most likely true) and are not informed. Here is your chance opportunity to make your customer a friend who appreciates your time and help. I consider all of my customers my friends. We all are together here in this quilty world to help each other. Happy quilting!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 Here is a pdf of the way I teach how to put on mitered borders. Feel free to use it or give them to your clients. Mitered Borders.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted October 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 You ladies are the best! Heidi, thanks for sharing the instructions. I saved it and printed her a copy. I'll let her know it is from my quilting friend! Yes, the repeat customers do become like friends, I agree. Aren't we lucky (most days...VBG!)! We get up close and personal with their quilts; and every quilt has a story or a person it is going to. Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted October 22, 2009 Report Share Posted October 22, 2009 You're welcome Lisa! I hope they help. Ever since I started doing mitered borders this way I've never had trouble with friendly borders. I wasn't convinced when a friend showed me but she was right...it is the easiest way to do a mitered border! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 Heidi, I printed out your instructions and looked at them at home last night. Next time I do miters I am doing them the Heidi way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 Originally posted by quiltmonkey Heidi, I printed out your instructions and looked at them at home last night. Next time I do miters I am doing them the Heidi way. LOL I don't know who came up with the original idea but I guess we can call it the Heidi way for now. When I was learning this method I just took a piece of fabric and did a small quilt. Turns out perfect no matter the size of the quilt. let me know how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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