K. Szymaszek Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 It will go something like:da da dada da dada da da da da. I tore a customer quilt last night. I cried for hours. I am trying to get perspective. I know people in real life struggles. I am just so deflated and horrified. She will be too. It is a JN Glacier Star that I have had on the frame since Dec 23. Quiting it for a our quild show. So backed up and under pressure. I'm trying to figure out how to fix this thing. I tried fusible but am not happy with the result. I dont know if she has enough material for a new border or if I can even replace it at this point or applique a piece over it. I have just started using red snappers, has antone successfully taken a quilt off and reloaded with red snappers with success? Thanks for any help or light you can shed. K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 K I'm sorry you are having this stress, been there done that and it feels like a punch in the gut. It will be ok! Yes you can reload with red snappers no problems. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Szymaszek Posted January 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Yes Heidi, you summed it up, that is exactly what it feels like. Knowing I have the option to remove and reload quilt successfully gives me more options. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pumpkinpatchquilter Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I am so sorry you are experiencing this. I would probably do what you did too - cry a whole lot - then muster up the courage to tell the client. She may not be happy, but you will feel so much better than you do right now. I hope it can be repaired...and take breaths. As you said, there are major problems in the world, and in the grand scheme of things this is very small. Haven't we all made those fuddles on our own quilts? Keep us updated and try to forget the pressure...it always makes it harder and I swear it brings on more mistakes. I don't have red snappers so no help there...just lots of long distance hugs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Szymaszek Posted January 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Thank you Valerie for your encouragement. It's strange how I was in such a time crunch yesterday and now I am at a screeching halt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolinequilts Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I tore a customer quilt last year and tried to fix it without good results. Luckily it was on the back. I told the customer right away and surprisingly she wasn't upset about it at all! Together we came up with a plan and she took it home and planned to fix it with some hand sewing. Tell your customer, you might be surprised at what she says and it will make you feel less stressed, even is she is unhappy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 IF the customer has a piece of fabric large enough to make a new one, trmove the stitching, then cut and press seams as on the original, then use invisible thread and invisible stitches to put the new one in. It's seldom I've not had enough fabric. Good luck, prayers for a successful repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Szymaszek Posted January 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Thank you ladies. I do plan on calling her, I am still working up the nerve. I'll let you know how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beachside Quilter Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Sending you tons of sympathy, and a great big hug. Remember to breathe and tell yourself, this too shall pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Szymaszek Posted January 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Thank you fof the hugs. I am finally able to breathe. Starting to move forward into the fix it mode. Getting a shower, then making my phone call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enchanted Quilting Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Empathetic hugs your way! Let us know how it all turns out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheagatzi Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Oh I so know how this feels! I did it last year and it was a horrifying feeling. I wanted to sell my machine and pack it all in - move to a different city. LOL If you share the photo maybe there is a way we can help to mend it? I was able to take out the one block that I ripped and replace it with the same fabric. I had to tell the client what I did and she was so gracious about it and had extra fabric for me. I fixed it, requited and you could not see that there was an error. But still a really tough phone call to tell someone that!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyAboutQuilting Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Sending hugs and courage for you to talk to your customer. It will be ok, you'll see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Szymaszek Posted January 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Thank you so much everyone. I did make the call and customer has come and gone. She was so very kind and generous. She was leaning towards leaving it but since she did have the fabric, I just can't. I will take off the border and replace. It will probably be a great big giant pain but I just can't let it go. Talk about slowing my roll. I am already the slowest quilter. Part of me still just can't believe this happened. Thanks again to everyone for commiserating with me. K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat C Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I'm glad it has all worked out well for you. Probably a lot of work on your part, but I know you will feel better once you have fixed it for her. Isn't it wonderful to have such understanding customers? We're all human and this stuff happens. I had some small tears in a customer quilt when my machine was a bit out of time and experiencing needle breaks. The customer was so gracious and wondered why I even pointed out the small tears (which I had mended with her approval). Glad the worst part is behind you now. Move forward knowing you are doing a great job. PS: I'm right there with you on being the slowest quilter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmcclannan Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Whew! I know you must be relieved that the telling part is over. You will both feel better when it is fixed and finished! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I'm glad to read that this incident has been resolved and you can breathe again. Believe me, you'll never forget it, will cringe when you remember it at odd times, and you'll tell the story to friends forever. "Yes, I once tore a quilt. It was a customers and I couldn't stop crying." Yep. Unfortunately, it may be part of that darn learning curve we always talk about, though it's a hard lesson. I'll raise my hand if anyone asks if you've done damage to a customer quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Szymaszek Posted January 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 OK, I have to say, after my customer left, i decided to do a bit more quilting on the interior of the quilt. I actually enjoyed it. I have been under such time constraints with these quilts and it has just been one interruption after another, total stress. There is no way i can meet those timetables now and i have given it up. I told one very pushy customer i wont get to her quilt for awhile and should have done that a month ago. No more pressure quilting for me. Tonight I am so relieved. Yes, I probably won't get over this for awhile but I have learned some valuable lessons, albeit, the hard way. Thank you all for all your support, you are all seriously appreciated. K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pumpkinpatchquilter Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 I am so very glad that this worked out for you - and you were able to tell the clients pushing you to move quickly that they'll have to wait. This was the hardest lesson for me in the beginning...but I quickly realized if I wanted to be a quilter for hire...and keep my sanity... I had to be open and up front with people that I'm a Mom of 3 and have a life outside of quilting. I do my best to keep on pace - but at the end of the day we are making beautiful quilts, but we're not curing cancer - and I'm not going to kill myself over quilts. Some folks don't like that...but you know what? There are a LOT of quilters out there and I'd rather have fewer clients knowing the ones I have truly appreciate me, than tons of clients that really don't care. It makes it all so much more enjoyable! So glad you are going to go the extra mile and repair that border - your client will appreciate it - and I'm glad she was understanding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 K, I just felt so bad for you but am so glad this all worked out. I too "snipped" a hole in a customer's quilt several years back, it was an appliqué border and I was snipping threads that I had buried - I was trying so hard to make this show quilt perfect and then I did that. My stomach was so upset and I was actually surprised at how she was fine with it, I repaired it with fusible, gave her a good discount, and suggested maybe another leaf appliquéd over it which I think she did and you could never tell....she even left another quilt with me to quilt so I think I still had her trust in my quilting...you better believe I went out of my way to do a fantastic job on the next one and it did turn out well....but that is so scary....and you never know how some customers will react...thankfully yours was understanding....as was mine.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gailp Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 After quilting several JN quilts I appreciate how you feel. After making a 60 x 60 one I don't know if it will ever be quilted because of the amount of effort that has already gone into the top. If there is a ray of sunshine in all of this, at least it was not a piece in the center that would have been next to impossible to get to. The last JN quilt I did was a Prairie Star queen sized and took well over 60 hours to quilt each and every piece, so you may have to admit that you are not the worlds slowest quilter! I might be or maybe we are tied for that title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtsobel Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 I am not sure how you can say you are the slowest quilter when I claimed that title.... In the end, it isn't a race to see who finishes first. Glad it all worked out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Szymaszek Posted January 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 You all are amazing. Isn't this the best forum with the best group of people ever. I started liking everyone from the bottom up and ran out, so I want to let you all know I like and appreciate every one of you. I totally lack in the picture department but I will be sure to share this one as soon as I can.Thank you all for all your support. K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWBowser Posted January 24, 2015 Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 I am glad that it is working out and it will have a happy ending. Which guild do you belong to and when and where is your show? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Szymaszek Posted February 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 Hey Charlotte, Sorry I haven't responded to you sooner. I have been out of town, back since late Tuesday, but slow getting back in a groove. I am a member of Q.U.I.L.T., Inc. in Delmar. We meet on the 2nd Fri of the month from Sept to June. Meetings begin at 9:45 a.m. and go until about noon. This Fri Marlous Carter will be our guest speaker. Where are you located? Let me know if you are coming, I would love to meet you. Oh yes, the quilt show. Hard to believe, but it was cancelled for this year. Not enough quilts. We were just notified yesterday and it will be discussed on Fri. K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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