nora123 Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 Well I just made a boo-boo. My customer brought me a twin quilt in a dog theme. Ok pieced and quilted up beautifully. She is turning backing to front so I did not trim. On the back it was poorly pieced in a beige dog theme cotton with a brown to small border. To make matters worse to was not square so in trying to square it I took the top and bottom sashing off as she had made it way to long anyway. Once it way very nice and square I pinned it on and it was perfect. I floated the top as it was not as bad but certainly not square. I took it off the frame and the backing is upside down. The groups of dogs on the back are upside down. It is perfect if you turn your top down HA-HA LOL. My question is this do I just give it back the way it is or mention it to her and offer to give her a discount?. Perhaps free batting?. She did not care what I quilted on it or my thread choice. It did seem like she did not really care if it was well put together at all. This is my first mistake in 2 years and I am an honest person. Please advise. Thanks a bunch, Nora Millennium Washougal WA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 Hi Nora - I would tell her and be ready to give her a discount, It may not really matter to her so she may not care one way or the other, but if you don't tell her, and she discovers it later, she may not be pleased and start talking to other quilters. Word of mouth talk spreads fast, so I would make sure that she is aware of it. At least that is what I would do. See you at the. Moxie Group mtg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieBrewer Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 I did this once and I didn't handle it correctly. I gave her all of her $ back after she paid for it. I think I should have done no more than 50%. We all should realize we are not perfect and sometimes things just happen. It's an expensive lesson, but you probably won't do that again. I haven't seen the lady since and I think she did say some nasty things about me. Oh well, I'm as busy as I want to be without her and those he think I'm as lousy quilter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 First off DID she say that she wanted the dogs to go a certain way.....yes, I know that they should really be going a certain way, but did she bring it to your attention that the dogs were to go a certain way..... IF not.... then I would say to her, that you thought the dogs should go the way you quilted it so that when the bed is turned down that the dogs were going the right direction....... Just my suggestion.....BUT if she did tell you that she wanted it to go the other way...then offer her a 10 - 20% discount.... when you talk to her to tell her that theres a minor oops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 Originally posted by Bonnie First off DID she say that she wanted the dogs to go a certain way.....yes, I know that they should really be going a certain way, but did she bring it to your attention that the dogs were to go a certain way..... IF not.... then I would say to her, that you thought the dogs should go the way you quilted it so that when the bed is turned down that the dogs were going the right direction....... Just my suggestion.....BUT if she did tell you that she wanted it to go the other way...then offer her a 10 - 20% discount.... when you talk to her to tell her that theres a minor oops. Bonnie gives you really good advice! I think that is what I'd do too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoryJM Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 I vote for Bonnie's idea too...especially if she didn't tell you which way she wanted it to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreacher Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 So if the quilt is on a bed, and the bed is made, you can't see what direction the dogs are going? When the quilt is folded back, the dogs are going in the correct direction? If this is the case it seems like there is no mistake. When the bed is made, and you can't the dogs, what does it matter what direction they are going? I would present it this way and say, Pay up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmoore1223 Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 Bonnie, You're a really smart lady and a quick thinker too!!:) Coleen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 Originally posted by kreacher So if the quilt is on a bed, and the bed is made, you can't see what direction the dogs are going? When the quilt is folded back, the dogs are going in the correct direction? If this is the case it seems like there is no mistake. When the bed is made, and you can't the dogs, what does it matter what direction they are going? I would present it this way and say, Pay up. In logic and theory you are totally correct...HOWEVER the customer is NEVER wrong....might not be correct, but they are never wrong. If the customer for whatever reason wanted the quilted dog to be a certain way WHO are we to ask why. Its not necessarily our place to correct them or at least I don't think it is...there may be a certain reason why they wanted the dogs to run that way...so if she had asked for the material to be put onto the back a certain way and they weren't its a mistake that we as quilters need to admit to and say oops.... NOW if she didn't state either way...then its not a mistake, but one of those "I scr***d up and did it right" things..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 Originally posted by Bonnie NOW if she didn't state either way...then its not a mistake, but one of those "I scr***d up and did it right" things..... LOL! I agree with Bonnie. Don't assume you made an error. Keep this in mind: If the customer did not clearly tell you that the backer was directional and that she wanted the backer to be loaded a specific direction so the dogs were a certain way, then no worries on your part! You done good. Give yourself a pat on the back. PS: I think Ms. Bonnie is smart, too. She's savvy. I think this comes from being in the biz for so long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 Ok, I agree with Bonnie. I'm always to quick to admit to a customer when I've made a mistake. My DH has told me over and over to not appoligize for everything. I think I'm too critical of my abilities so if there is something less than perfect, I'm aware of it so I think they should be too and they would maybe never even see it! Good advice Bonnie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoriasews Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 Not quite as bad as when I was a seamstress and made a pair of little girl's shorts with the fish upside down on the butt side. It looked like all the fish were dead and floating belly up. I did get flowers upside down on a quilt, though. I gave it to the lady and took $20 off a full size quilt and she was thrilled, even though she'd told me several times which way she wanted the roses. The fabric was not directional, just one kind of roses going one way and another kind going the other way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusmaulk Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 How about this one . . . what if the back is pieced and you want to line up the front with the back? I just did one that had six stars across the back, so I measured the distance from the side to the center, and determined that I needed to start the side of the top about 2 inches from the side edge of the backing in order for the top to be centered. When I got to the end, I was about an inch and a half off. Is there a better way to land the top where you want it on the back? When you have the back on a roller, can you predict how the top is going to fit it? Hope I explained this so you can understand what I'm asking. ps once I was making a vest and did this scrunch/sew/texture technique, and discovered that I had cut out two right sides. Had to throw it away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 Karol....you backer will decrease in size faster than the top...so if you are on the wire with only two inches to spare...by the time you get to the bottom of your quilt, you will actually be about 3-6 inches short depending on batting used and density of quilting....and your sides also can suck in while quilting....some more than others. That's one of the reasons I still clamp my sides....I know that some don't and if I did that I would be in a world of hurt. Now my question is this were you an inch and a half off center or were you an inch and a half short totally of backer? If you were only short that small of a distance I would stop right now and quit kicking myself....an inch and a half is getting WAY to anal....when you are piecing a backer and no way of actually seeing how fast the backer is sucking up....this is a minor problem. And something you really can't control so don't go there...we are way to hard on ourselves and this small of a distance unless someone is getting out a measuring tape and checking your work its not going to be noticed. My favorite saying is: If you can't see if from a galloping horse its okay...... NOW if you were phyically short material then I would suggest the next time start as far up on the backer as you can and go from there. I hate when I short myself...and have had more than one quilt come in with JUST enough to do it and I have prayed the whole quilt that I wouldn't be short.....because it was midnight and the quilt HAD to be done by 8am....most of the time I was give a blessing and I always said thank you....but there were times even himself couldn't help me. I guess also there really isn't a correct answer here or at least I haven't figured out one...maybe someone else has a better suggestion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 Originally posted by PattyJo Ok, I agree with Bonnie. I'm always to quick to admit to a customer when I've made a mistake. Patty Jo I think I have the same syndrome as you do! LOL I'm always showing people where I went off track or what I might have done differently and my hubby says the same thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 If you want to center a backer perfectly (and be sure to charge extra!) lay the backer and top on the floor and position them so everything is lined up. Place pins in the top at the center line going across (horizontally) remembering which way you will load the top. Do the same just at the side edges of the backer--two on each side is fine. Load the backer and float the batting on, but pin the batting at the top edge to keep it in place. Roll the backer and batting until those marking pins are in the stitching field. Lay the top on (this will require a full float--sorry!) and line up the pins. Pin through all layers horizontally all across the top. I am assuming that you will have measured and figured where the vertical center line is and have loaded the top so they match up on the top and backer--this is easier to control than the horizontal center thing. Now your dilemma is how to quilt this stabilized top. You can pin-stabilize or thread-baste starting at the the pin line and rolling backwards to the top of the quilt. Then it is ready to quilt. When you get to the center pin-line, the rest of the top should be controllable without pinning as long as you are careful to smooth with each advance. Or....you may quilt from the center up and the center down and probably not need to pin so carefully. I charge $20 extra to center a backer--scares them off and they tell me that "close is good enough"!! Then I do some math, eyeball it, and it is fine!! I have had good luck with this technique--getting within a half-inch of perfect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg_marsh Posted August 7, 2008 Report Share Posted August 7, 2008 Karol I was watching one of Pam Clarke's DVDs and she pin bastes everything before she loads. Actually she hires someone else to do it, but not all of us have the $$$ to hire someone to do the not fun part - LOL:DI Personally wouldn't want to do that, but maybe in the case of matching a back to front, it might be advantageous. I know that last year I had one of these and was quilting on my DSM. I not only pinned, but actually basted in a few areas to hold everything together and it worked. Front to back came out perfect! Also, I think you did pretty darn good to be only 1 1/2" off - unless the customer is really upset, consider that you did a great job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusmaulk Posted August 8, 2008 Report Share Posted August 8, 2008 Bonnie, I didn't run out of fabric (Heaven forbid!) but the star on the left was closer to the edge than the star on the right. I appreciate the suggestions that have been mentioned (and explained) Will keep these in mind if the situation comes up again. thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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