Translating your customer's input

[ffq-lar 3,623]

I'm always stressing to business owners to listen to their customers and find ways to stay within their budget while also providing pretty stitching.

This customer said--don't do too much.

 

That translated to me as one of these things-- the budget was limited/ she wasn't in love with the top and didn't want something extravagant on it/  it was a gift for an acquaintance/ or she has seen how I "go overboard" and wanted to avoid that!  

 

This is a medium-size wallhanging made with geese and lots of half-square triangles--all of a good size. The HSTs are 6 inches square. There is some applique where she plans to add 3D flowers.

This was my approach. The HSTs were treated as squares with a CC design that had an added leaf and echo. The triangles and squares were marked into larger squares so a leafy-wreath fit, and five wreaths fit in an L-shape piecing area. The geese (which aren't shown) were also marked into squares so the same CC design could be stitched--they were all the same size. All the blocks were "super-sized" regarding stitching--stitching all the individual pieces would have been much more expensive so I ignored some of the seams while still honoring the piecing.

 

Applique blocks had the background stippled, a narrow border split into two colors got small leaves on one and swirls on the second.

 

She was thrilled with my "restraint" and loved the subtle stitching. And it wasn't very expensive. This can translate into a customer bringing you more tops. 

Just wanted to share the thought process and decision-making.

Link to a photo.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/larech/17147411905/

[JaniceC 109]

Really pretty, Linda. I have a top to quilt which has 98 biggish flying geese. I may have to borrow some of your designs!

Janice

[T Row Studio 1,576]

Very nice quilting Linda

Thank-you for explaining how you decided to approach this Project and the price point it would be in.

[JBCorson 52]

Very pretty work.  Thanks for sharing your knowledge.  Us newbies appreciate it!

[delld 2,047]

Love it Miss Linda. Learning all about Quilt Path this week. You quilting s making my QP brain working.

[Zora 317]

I always just ask them if they are telling me that for budget reasons or personal taste. When I was using intake forms, there was a question If price was no object, how would you envision this quilted..heirloom, custom, light custom,etc, Sometimes they will write on paper what they are hesitant to express directly.

[Sharond 107]

You always have such great advice. Love the quilting!

[jclark 65]

Very pretty Linda, you have the "gift" of being able to see what will look great on each quilt!

[anniemueller 332]

Very pretty Linda.  Thank you for sharing your thought process.  I took an eye candy excursion in your flicker account    WOW.

[Enchanted Quilting 885]

Thanks for the advice...quilt looks spectacular!

[Luz2Quilt 42]

Thank you for sharing your insight and although intuition is not innate for all, you are teaching us how to interpret the need.  Excellent quilting!

[LibbyG 1,020]

Great idea, Linda.  Of course, you know I LOVE your ideas.  I actually just got a small wall hanging and she said cheapest when she called.  Then, when she came, she wanted the top border a little special . It had preprinted pictures and I didn't want to do a panto over them.  But now, I'm going to look closely and see if I can combine blocks.  It's not very big.

[RoseCity Quilter 570]

You translated just right! Your advise is very good!

Sometimes it is really hard to find that just right thing! Struggling with that right now!

[Angi 5]

I had a look too, they are stunning.

[Angi 5]

that's ffq-lar quilts I was drooling over.