I recently received a quilt back from a long-armer -- there is a hole in the border. It looks to me like the needle on the long-arm machine got stuck and the fabric ripped when she tried to dislodge it.

I contacted the long-armer by e-mail, saying "I received the quilt back. The quilting looks nice, but there is a hole in the border where it is quilted. Weren't you going to say anything to me about it?"

Her response was "Didn't know there was a hole in the border."

I e-mailed her back and even sent pictures of the tear/rip/hole. She has ignored the e-mail and I have not heard anything else from her.

What should I do?

I sure wouldn't use her again. Is there something decorative you can do to hide the hole and keep it from fraying?

I'm sure someone on this board will help you come up with a good idea.

Guess I'm kind of a black & white person....for a starter....if you haven't had a reply in a reasonable amount of time....I would post her Long Arm quilting business for others to see and comment on. I would hate to think that others would have their quilts ruined AFTER what you have received...... but this comment is made purely on the info you have posted....

Maybe an applique? A label over the hole?
Sorry this happened to you.

This is very likely what happened to make the hole.
When you advance the quilt with the needle down, it will move the machine along with the quilt. If you reach out and grab the machine to move to a new location and forget to raise the needle out of the quilt, it will make a little rip.

Ask me how I know this.....

What I did was to take a piece of the original fabric and matching the print, appliqued it over the top of the rip. Also you need to do in on the back.

You will never see the repair.

I do believe that your Long Arm Quilter should at least be willing to make this repair for you. I did when it happened to me.
And I didnt wait for the quilter to find out, I told her about it up front.

Could you post a picture of the hole? It might be easier for people to give ideas if they could see it.

I agree with what has been posted already.
If she hasn't made an attempt to correct the problem for you, or even answer your emails, then she is not a respectable business person. Go ahead and tell the 200 people you know.
As for fixing it. It depends on how big it is. If it is tiny you may be able to sew it together so that the stitches are inside the quilt. If not, try taking that area apart and placing a piece of same fabric underneath. Bond some fusible web to the RIGHT side of that piece before putting it under the rip. Then fuse it. It will prevent the ripped edges from fraying and will hold the edges down so they don't catch on things. Then redo the quilting in that spot on your own machine. Finish off with binding. That would be my best solution.

That would be a good way to fix it. I don't know why she wouldn't have told you about it. I haven't done anyone else's quilts yet but I hope to someday. I would be calling that person up as soon as it happened and ask them how they would like me to fix it. It's a machine and you can't control everything that it does....that's understandable, but atleast man up that it got messed up and fix it. People pay good money to have quilts quilted and they should get good service.

I am sorry that she has not contacted you yet..hopefully she will.
I agree with the one who stated that it came fromm quilt advancing..I always tie off my thread and put the needle in the up position because I am so afraid this will happen to me....As far as the hole..I am wondering how big it is? Could a little 007 work to smoosh the fabrics together and heal the hole? Other wise applique will be the only way.
I woudl feel horrible if this was a customer of mine..and I would try to fix it straight away! I hoep she takes care of you!

Not good. I think she's embarrassed and doesn't know how to handle it and is hoping you disappear.