JustSewSimple Posted July 3, 2011 Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 Essentially this customer is asking you to make her two quilt! She can use it front or back. I just always say I can't promise to center but if the customer is willing to chance I get it right then we are good to go. Perhaps you can say, "Now, you can't fuss at me if it doesn't come out centered or the seams don't stay straight! I'll do the best I can!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted July 3, 2011 Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 That backer is very nice!! I will again add my vote to a two-quilt solution! To control future problems with a pieced backer, remind the client that any seams that may lie at the very edge of the backer after binding will not be guaranteed to be straight. Any un-plumb piecing will exaggerate the seam offset. It is just an issue inherent in frame quilting and not-precise piecing. If I send a backer back for additional fabric, I explain that just adding a border all around will only magnify problems. I recommend adding fabric in just one larger piece-- either a nice wide piece on one side so I can use most of it and avoid the "make-do" look, or insist they piece extra fabric in the center or just off-center in the body of the backer. Or replace it entirely with an extra-wide. Please remember that even if you are just starting your quilting journey, people perceive you as a "professional" and as such will listen to your advice. You get to decide, through research or trial and error, what is acceptable to you. No reason to add extra anxiety to a job when the there is an easy fix--one that you can place back in the lap of the piecer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathyd Posted July 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 Finally had the guts to put the dang quilt on the machine and finally got it done. I felt that the Square Dance CL board would be my best choice. It went well. Here are some pics. Not sure you can see the quilting or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathyd Posted July 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 Thank you for all the help and encouragement. This will be the last one for a long time. I am not happy with the outcome and don't feel I can charge her for the quilting. This has cured me from doing quilts for $$$! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Kathy, Maybe you feel you can't charge her, but you need to make up an invoice showing her what the charge would normally be, including a PITA charge for the pieced back!! Then you can suggest that, instead of paying you, she should make an equivalent donation to either the charity of your choice or QOV or a military charity, whatever - she needs to know the value of your work!! BTW, that's a stunning job for your first customer project! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathyd Posted July 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Thank you for the kind words Barbara. I sent her an invoice when I emailed her the cost. So she is well aware of the cost to do this. My mom and husband feel that I should charge her even if I don't feel it is perfect. I was not happy with my quilting. I used the Square Dance CL Board and felt that at some of the corners there is too much wobble and the lines are not as straight as they should be. Then after taking it off the machine and trimming the quilt I noticed a small pleat in one of the blocks on the back. Nobody else saw it but I don't like it. I will tell her about it, show it to her and take it out if she wants me to. I've never had a back pleat on my like that so I have wonder if it is her pieced backing that caused the issue. It's also for her grandson who is fighting in Afghanistan and will be home in 2 weeks. Another reason not to charge her. She will be picking it up tomorrow afternoon. I hope she likes it. KathyD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Oops...just read that you already finished this quilt. Anyways, in case this happens again... Here is my suggestion below. I will just say this...you can do it. Don't try to center the top onto the backer, but shift it to the top left and then quilt it. This eliminates the dilemma of the tiny border all the way around. Trust me...it will be just fine. that will give you more like an inch on the top and one side so when she binds it...it will be okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFQuilts Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Kathy, You did a fine job on the quilt and the customer should pay you. Because you've quilted it, and you've been close to it during that process, you see every error or small glitch. We all see the imperfections in our own quilting. However, if you take the quilt off the frame and let it sit for a day or so, you frequently will find that the quilt 'grows' on you. When we step away from the quilt and look at the whole quilt rather than just a few stitches, we find that it looks just fine. Congrats on getting this one done. You've learned a lot in the process - and this journey into quilting is very much an educational experience. Lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Kathy I think you did a good job. Pieced backs are difficult to work with and if you only got one pleat give yourself a pat on the back. Just put extra prayers in it for the son who will be going back to Afghanistan. He will only notice the love that went into that quilt and not the small imperfections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandmaLKB Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 From the pictures I thought it looked very nice ! Were you able to get it pretty even with so little extra backing to work with? You still should be paid after all the extra time you spent on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathyd Posted July 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Thanx for all the kind words and encouragement. By the time I got the quilt back on the leader I had only about a 1/2 inch of border on the top so I pulled the quilt down so that I did not use the border. I thought that if that was crooked it would have caused it to look worse. The blocks on the back are pretty straight but I would hope nobody would take a level to it. By doing what I did I was able to get the quilt done without using the small 2 inch border she had put on the backing. After I loaded the quilt I pinned the top to the batting/backing and then rolled up the quilt. I wanted to know I had enough backing before I got quilting. Then I rerolled it back onto the belly bar and did my thing. There is a very small pleat in the Navy blue square in the center of the quilt. Because it was so dark I didn't see it when I rolled it. She is coming this afternoon to pick it up. Keep your fingers crossed. KathyD:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathyd Posted July 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 OMG...the girl who made the quilt just picked it up and really liked it. I gave her some advice...the back doesn't need to be so nice and pieced. OMG she really paid me!! I'm dancing now!!;);) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Yay, Kathy!!!:P:P:P:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFQuilts Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Hurrah for your first paying customer. Thank you for letting us know that your story has turned out so well. A deserving soldier will have something wonderful to wrap up in - in addition to hugs from his family. I hope that the end of this experience convinces you that quilting for others can be joyful:) Lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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