ffq-lar Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 I just thought I'd share my misery! A recent topic about full pieced backers was timely for me. Picture this--a backer made entirely of stratas. One 5 inch column of batik separated by a double row of two inch squares. Then another column and checkerboard--all across. Surrounded by about four inches of border at the long sides. The other end has no border and is nicely stay-stitched. This lovely (and it was very pretty) backer measured 84" at both ends of the short sides. The ends of the long sides measured 85" and 91" respectively. I called the customer and she "thought" there might be a problem when she folded the backer up for delivery and it wouldn't "fold right". No matter how this backer is loaded, it will always look weird from the back. One side can be made straight but the strata seams will start to veer off at an angle quickly and the opposite side will end up a slanted mess. "Do the best you can" she said. She can't trim it down because if the back is trimmed so it's square, the whole thing have slanted seams. The only solution is to take it almost all the way apart and re-sew. Or (prayers please) bring me a one-piece backer. I am sick that all the work she went to in piecing the backer--which is pretty enough to be it's own top--will result in something not pretty. I warned her that it won't be pretty and she still wants me to go ahead. It's a shame. She's a great customer and normally very meticulous. She said she wanted to use up all the extra squares and yardage form the project..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniemueller Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 Oh Linda, I share your pain. I love love love extra wide fabric for backing. I think those backings that are made entirely of leftover pieces should be elevated to quilt top status, and get mated with an extra wide fabric for the back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zora Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 Could you add triangles to the sides of the backer, making the columns run diagonally across the back? It might minimize the off square appearance of the columns. You do have to add muslin strips to the sides to stabilize the bias, though. I truly hate these pieced backings and am considering an extra charge for quilting them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oma Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. I wondered if she didn't have the same feelings I have sometimes when I've spent way to much time and patience on a quilt or backing and I'm just sick to death of looking at it and I just want it finished and out of my hair. They either become UFO's and they have to hang around until I feel like finishing them right which may be years or they just get finished the best they can. I'm sure she knows you have fairy dust and you are not afraid to use it. You will make those extra 6 inches disappear. Her quilt will be beautiful. I'd love to see before and after pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandmaLKB Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 Not only very difficult, if not impossible, to keep it straight with the seams, but also lots of seams and intersections to quilt through. I feel for you !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CindyT Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 I have no suggestions for you, Linda, but you do have my sympathy. Don't you just love it when you explain a "situation" of a potential quilting problem with their quilt or backing and their response is "well it didn't look right to me when I was piecing it"! Hellooooooo, that's your first clue to figure out what's wrong then and not just keep going because you want to get it done or mysteriously think that your quilter can "fix" it! Can you tell this has been happening to me lately? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaSteller Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 You're too kind, Linda. I've gotten to the point where I generally return such works of art. Scraps belong on another quilt top, not the back. Trying to control the rippling and sagging on something you can't see without crawling under the machine is not in my play book any more. I just did my last "two-sided" quilt a few weeks ago. I told her next time a regular back, or she' need to find someone else to quilt it for her. Since she loves my quilting, I don't think she'll go elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted February 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 Thanks for all the sympathy. I will be calling her today her to tell her that the backer isn't going to work. The top will be a challenge if I ever get to it. She used the fusible grid (remember those watercolor quilts we all loved to make 15 years ago?) and did a vague Navajo mesa scene with sky, sun, mesas, and plants using just blocks of color. Now her expectation is for me to stitch over it and make it look realistic. Sure. No problem. It's like being handed a pixelated photo of a person and being asked to draw the edges with thread to make it look like that person. Send prayers and chocolate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delld Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 Oh, I'm so very sorry!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathG Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 Linda...I'll send the prayers but sorry I have eaten the chocolate .< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Wow, can she afford what you should charge her for the work! Probably not, stand firm, going to get more coffee! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattie-Sue Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 This brings back memories of one of my first quilts I quilted for someone else. Both front and back were pieced with batiks. She wanted to use up her scraps. I was new at quilting and just started quilting. I realized after a short time I had to change my needle because there were so many seams. I went to a number 5. I only had one needle and it made it through the whole quilt. It was a queen size. I had to add to the bottom of her back but realized that before loading. Her batting was cheap from JoAnns. I could not believe it came out as good as it did. It did give me a chance to try feathers and other fun designs. I only charged her .012 a square inch. I was disappointed she thought the bill was too high. I did learn a great deal and have learned so much from this forum to help me with these situations. I recommend beginners not to price too low just because you new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonbon Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 I'm sending the vino with the chocolate!!! Holy moly Linda! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggienoella Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 Oh my, that's incredible. You're going to do the top? You're brave and if anyone can do it, it would be you. Joan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirleyl Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 I have one better, client has been turned away by numerous quilters. She is a friend of my best friend, so instead of turning her away, I'm going to educate her, she wants the impossible and custom to boot. She has a pieced quilt top and a pieced back, now when I say pieced I mean quilt blocks. She wants them to line up and be custom quilted. Problem 1 line up impossible, problem 2 custom quilt, I can custom the top block, but back block is not the same block so it will look bad. I'm doing a nice appliqué quilt for her right now. When done, I will load her back, try to line up the til and pin it, no batting. Take and draw designs on plastic for top and show her it won't work on back. Then I'm going to draw an overall on plastic and show her it can look nice. Wish me luck in her education, or she will never get this quilted. Shirley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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