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Need advice or at least validation...UPDATE #2


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Ok. I accepted a quilt I probably shouldn't have but that's nothing new.

The customer requested a Celtic Knot in every block (11" blocks") and I agreed to do it having no idea how I was going to make it happen but I was kind of excited to do something new and challenging. I watched videos, I researched stencils, drawings, everything until I found a simple one I believed I could execute. Bought a special "stencil stitcher" ruler from Off the Edge (no help, I can't control it going around curves) so I quickly realized I needed a set of circles and a straight edge ruler. This made my life much easier and although the first few are less than perfect, they aren't so bad that I feel ripping them out is necesary. It takes an average of 7 minutes to complete the knot on each block.

I started out and ditched around all the blocks and the 1 1/2" sashing, basted the blocks, turned the quilt and started on the knots. Followed the design on the fabric of the border (only 3") and that would be OK except that since the top is dark and the back is REALLY light fabric and I was getting pokies, I switched to matching thread and I think the borders look terrible on the back. I can't face ripping.

This morning, I'm happily thinking I'm making progress when I realize that I forgot to change the thread color on top. I've been using a lighter green for the ditching and darker green for the knots. I did a whole row and a half of knots when it was time to change bobbins and I saw that I hadn't switched out the thread color. (I've been alternating between ditching and knots on this part now).

I feel my options are:

1. Give major discount to the customer, since I've basically learned on her quilt how to use circle rulers and the back border looks bad (even though I called her to explain the pokies and her options)

2. Rip out the row & 1/2 of knots and do them in the right color.

3. Finish the 1/2 row and then switch back to the right color. I think this is the best thing because if I didn't notice the difference right away she probably won't either. I'll just tell her about it and still give her a discount of some sort.

Thoughts?

I hate this quilt now and will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, agree to do something like this again.

Thanks!

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I'm sorry, Robin. Technically, I don't do quilts for customers any more. Except for this one for my friend--and she has a longarm but doesn't use it. This is the background fill on an applique quilt. I think it is the light yellow batik fabric, but the black bobbin pulled through to the top no matter what I tried. I was even using Glide top thread/Magna Glide bobbins. NEVER AGAIN!!! From now on I will only quilt my own quilts! Of course, I don't quilt for a living so that helps. And this has cured me of ever wanting to. LOL

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I know it's awful to have to rip out, I think it would be better if you did. You wouldn't have to worry about your customer being unhappy, one less thing for you to worry about. You'll be much prouder to show her the finished quilt, than if you just left it and offered her a discount. We've all spent way too much time ripping, but sometimes it just has to be done!! I feel your pain also, and I've felt it MANY times!!

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Me too Lynn!! She is coming over this afternoon before 2:00 PST. I'll post what she decided. Finger's cross everybody!

On an unrelated (sort of) topic. I just got a call from a fellow LA'r telling me she has had it and is quitting the business. She wondered what my backlog was as she has 13 quilts. I told her to call her customers and give them several names of people in the area (there is a la'r on every corner around here). She just can't take it anymore.

BTW, she was ripping one out.

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I too am soooooo sorry for you. The last quilt I did I ended up ripping for a week. I was so done with that quilt!!!! I finally finished it and she came and got it and I was so glad to see it go. I took out the bad threads and re-quilted but still gave her a discount because I kept the quilt so long. Bless her sweet heart she brought me another quilt to do for her. I sure hope your customer is as sweet. Try not to sweat!

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Well, good news and bad news:

Bad news is she does want the knots re-done, so some ripping there (OK, a lot but not as bad as the borders)

Good news is she is fine with the border on the back dark thread showing. In fact, she said she really likes it :P

So, I'm glad I called her and I guess I'd better get to rippin'

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Funny, I screwed up the border on a quilt last night and am ripping it out now. I was trying to use white bobbin thread because the back has a white background with red on top because the border is red. Ugly pokies were bad enough, but I also had the illusion that I had gotten good enough with feathers to do a feathered border. Wrong. Not ready to debut my feathers yet. I was feeling stupid and inadequate until I read this and now I feel better. Thanks.

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LOL Dawn, I totally relate. Had the very same experience with a feathered cable a few years ago. I HATED the back and the customer said she liked it. I have to tell you I asked her never to show it at guild because I didn't want anyone to see the back.

Ironically, this customer today told me that if I had not told her about my mistake, she probably wouldn't have noticed for years. I said "And then you'd be upset!" and she said "No, I probably wouldn't care." ARRRRGGGGHHH

So, you're darned if you do and darned if you don't.

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I spent 6 hours yesterday ripping out 3 rows of swirlts because I could not get King Tutt tension right to save my sole and just could not live with teh pokies on the back.....switched to poly thread and it was fine...but I had taken the day off from work to get "caught up" hoping to get 2 done and start a thrid...and all I got done was the one quilt.....ugghh.......I feel your pain.

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And.......I had a customer who spread out the quilt on a large surface and proceded to examine it for a half hour with a lighted magnifying glass!!! I wish I had taken pictures of her D cups and wavy borders! :P No more quilts for this gal! Also, it was a "utility" quilt, not for a show, and the back looked just fine.

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Well, I spent 4 hours (off and on over the weekend and today) ripping and have resumed quilting. It is going amazingly fast now. Isn't that funny?!

Ferret, My bobbin thread was the same as top thread. I didn't like the contrast on the bottom. Still don't, but she liked it... (Loved your quilt on MQ Mag!!! btw)

Hoping to be DONE DONE DONE by tomorrow. I have spent wayyy too much time on this one. But I'm getting really good at these rulers, so I guess that's something.

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