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The quilt nightmare - It's done


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Oh, Linda, I'm so sorry this happened to you. Everybody is human and humans make mistakes. This isn't a total catastrophe. It can be fixed. Just think of it as a learning experience.

Hey, I once made a million dollar mistake as an underwriter. I didn't even lose my job. Of course, I worked really hard and got it down to a $3000 loss instead of the million. Fortunately, my boss had made a similar mistake. No, it was telling a fellow underwriter that I was "royally pi***d" because of his childish behaviour that got me out of that job. I should have done it sooner!:D:D:D:D

It will work out okay. Your quilting is so lovely that the customer will never notice the back anyway.

Phyllis

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Having just gone through my own "booboo" last week, I can really feel for you. Just remember to breathe !!! How come we can do our own personal quilts perfectly, but the minute we have a customer quilt on our machines, something always happens? Murphy's Law is always at work in my house. I know everything will turn out alright! You are very talented!!

Barb:)

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Done that........

Although mine was more the quilters fault, as she brought me a sheet. I had told her ahead of time to wash and dry several times, and who woulda thought it would shrink 2" all around. What was my fault is I took her word on the size (Naughty me!!) So, I had a seam too, only one inch from the edge.......

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Sorry, but I had to laugh when I saw the picture. I know what your stomach feels like though! The worst part is having to "make that phone call". Last week I took a customer's word for the batting being "lots big enough" so I ended up adding batting, just stuck it in there and since it was cheap poly batting and fairly dense quilting on the top where I had to piece it you couldn't even tell. And, I didn't even tell her, she was just thrilled with my work on her less than perfect (I think the worst pieced quilt I have had the pleasure of doing, pleats everywhere, and wavy wavy borders and not just those on the outside of the quilt) pieced painted flowers (Artex stuff) quilt. But you can bet I made a mental note to myself that I should never take a customer's measurements without double checking myself!

Good luck and I am waiting to see how it turns out. By the way, I can't see the design you did on the blocks very well but it also looks like a ribbon. Is is a stencil and how did you mark the C.L. Flowing Ribbons stencil on the small blocks?

Cher

Cher

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Linda,

Your quilting is really beautiful...don't beat yourself up over the backing thing it'll be an easy fix with those zipper leaders you have, just zip it off attatch more fabric and zip back on. I am sure the customer will be fine with it especially after she sees the wonderful job you did on the quilting.

Joann

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Oh Linda, my heart sank when I saw the pictures and was reading what

had happened. But I have gotten to know you and believe you can handle

this with your head held high...it was a mistake and we are human.....NOT

GOD!!! Your work is BEAUTIFUL and speaks for itself.....the back can be

pieced and it sounds to me like it would have had to be anyway by the

measurements you mentioned. You may take the blame and that is cour-ageous of you but your client should NOT be that upset with you and you

are correcting it..... after all you are a PROFFESSIONAL QUILTER and it

shows. You really are a sweet lady and friend......let us know how it turns

out and let us see more pictures when you are finished. Okay?

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Linda dear,

I was thinking of you on Tues. night. A customer brought in the biggest quilt that I've ever done. 105" square, California King. Thank goodness she suggested measuring the back, because after she washed it, it wasn't big enough! She took that home to add more too it, and I've got the top and batting. Just in case, we measured the batting as well, but it's okay. Thanks for posting your foibles so that the rest of us don't make the same mistakes. I've already done the one where I have to frog most of the quilt because I had the backing turned the wrong direction. Once was enough for me!

Beth

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Everybody's words are so encouraging. I even got a phone call from Renaeg, she called to cheer me up. I was touched. My DH told me that I got a call from Omaha, NE. When I explained it to him, he said "That's some community you got there". Yes, it is. You guys are the best.

I am heartened to know that those who have made the same mistake, have only done it once. ;) I have beefed up my intake procedure (thank you, JudyL) and have even gotten my DH to help me with it. Intake is a drag, let's get to the quilting. :D

I did get thru the quilt. The client was so thrilled she gave me a $25 tip and I accepted it. There was a time when tips used to make me feel wierd. Any way, my webshots has all the photos and my blog will have them later.

FYI, I went to the LQS and found that bolt of wide back red. I was going to explain to the owner that it was narrow. But she had it labeled at 108".

MH-front.jpg

Mh-hearts.jpg

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Oh Linda, the finished quilt is just beautiful! I love it so I saved the pictures! Maybe I'll even get time to dig them out and do a quilt using some of the ideas in it (when I get through some customer quilts, construction jobs this summer, and company!) The quilt is really a simple pattern with beautiful fabric but you made it special with your quilting. I love your ideas and you are really good! Did you do the bows freehand and how did you mark the green squares that you said you had used a stencil on?

Cher

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Hi Cher,

I bought the Pepper Cory Flowing RIbbons stencil at the StenSource booth at MQS. The size of the quilt blocks made the stencil scale wrong on this quilt but I loved the pattern and motifs. So I used stencil to draw the design I wanted on paper and then enlarged it on the copier part of my printer. I just freehanded in the ribbons where I needed them.

So the inspiration is definitely Pepper Cory. She has some very nice stencils. You can see them at www.stensource.com

And there one thing that I forgot to mention in my earlier post.

I know that the piecer brought me a backing that was too small. But the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that the backing was big enough for the quilt was mine.

I should have measured it more carefully (quilt top and backing). If I had done my job, I would have noticed the size discrepancy and taken the action to correct it before putting it on my machine.

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Originally posted by ramona-quilter

And there one thing that I forgot to mention in my earlier post. I know that the piecer brought me a backing that was too small. But the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that the backing was big enough for the quilt was mine.

I should have measured it more carefully (quilt top and backing). If I had done my job, I would have noticed the size discrepancy and taken the action to correct it before putting it on my machine.

Yup! Good "lesson learned" on this one...never trust that what the customer wrote down (e.g. 108") is the correct size because even though we all know "The Customer Is Always Right"... sometimes "The Customer is NOT Always Right" ;) Always double checky-check-check the measurements yourself just to be safe. :)

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I have gotten very lazy with checking the backing to see if it is long enough. I usually just lay it out to see which way it goes and then get started...:o That is so dumb. I have learned a lesson from you, my friend...

Also, when did you go shopping at Stensource with our me at MQS??

And one last thing...I have been using my CL on a customer quilt, can't wait to show you...it is soooo much fun!!

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Something I just remembered. Pat Fryer (LAQ in Turlock, CA) told me she always folds the top, backing and batting into quarters. Half from top to bottom then half side to side. Lays batting down first, puts backing onto that and then top onto that. You should be able to see backing four inches out from top and batting four inches out from backing. Makes sense to me. Then measure and measure again.

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