Help - what a mess!!!

[countrystitcher]

Just finished a stack-n-whack for a friend. I did lots of custom quilting including interlocking circles in the "star" blocks. The star blocks are navy blue background so used navy thread in top/bottom BUT the backing was light yellow. You guessed it, when the beginning and ending circles came around there is double thread so it has a little "blob" on each circle. I was just sick. I called her and she is coming to look at it today. I turned the quilt over and reloaded it thinking I could pick out part of the circle and redo it -- it only made matters worse. Any suggestions? I told her if she could live with it because it is on the back, that I would give her a discount -- if I do this how much discount because it is custom quilted? Also I told her if she is unhappy with it, I will rip it all out and redo it in matching yellow thread, but then the yellow will be on top with the navy blue background. Thank goodness this is a friend, but she is very precise and picky about her quilts. She is going to keep this quilt for herself. Learned a good lesson from this quilt!!

Thanks for any/all suggestions

Sharon

[RitaR]

Sharon, I think you did just the right thing.. It is her choice and yours.. So sorry it happened.. can be so frustrating. I've learned a lot about threads.. the hard way, so have learned to check often.. especially after changing bobbins or color of thread.. top or bottom thread..

Good luck with it. As for price cut, I haven't a clue.. sorry I'm not much help.

[newmillie2010]

for me, this is a great post. I still have a bit of an issue with these overlapping stitches or back-tacking or whatever it is. I've gotten to where I consciously stop and try to take the smallest of stitches so that the stitching won't come out with use. but sometimes i still get these little blobs as sharon called them. there must be a technique that i'm not aware of ... or are these littlest blobs ok and expected when you are doing this type of work? thanks for posting and thanks for feedback.

[cblevins]

Yep I have been wondering the same thing myself.

[countrystitcher]

Well, just met with the customer and she is fine with it - whew! Worried about nothing!!! She wouldn't even take a discount off the quilting, said it wasn't my fault, she chose the dark thread.....BUT I did learn a valuable lesson about dark thread on light fabric especially on the backing - I'll never try it again!!!

Sharon

[DawnCavanaugh]

Sharon,

so glad your customer is ok with the quilt and you can stop stressing!

Matching the beginning and ending of circles can be painstaking, but it can be done (though I personally hate doing it). It requires beginning the circle with very small stitches, moving around to the ending point, and stopping shorr of your true ending spot.

Use the needle up/down to walk your way up to your first starting stitches, placing the ending stitches extremely close together to again secure them. If you are using a gadget do to this such as the Hartley Fence or Circle Lord, it sometimes pays to end shy of your true ending spot, and then to walk to the front of the machine and do the tiny stitches again while directly watching the needle so you can place the baby stitches exactly where you want them.

Lots of work, but it does work:)