I thought I didn't have any major horror stories, and then Palm Sunday came along. The sister of a friend called me. She never called me before and I was a little surpirsed. She had a quilt top she finished to raffle in church and she needs a quilter to quilt it for her. I said sure, bring it on. The top was beautiful. Mostly WHITE with hand applique flowers. The applique wasn't perfect and neither was her piecing, but in general was very nice.

I started working on it the very next day. I do all my quilting with a very old Bernina. I had it serviced a few months ago and have used it a lot since then, so I figured, it is safe to use.

Well, it wasn't. My machine made a sound that I think sounded like a sneeze. Yes, sewing machines do sneeze. Along with it, the poor old machine had a little problem holding it, you know, weak bladder, and it wet itself, on the quilt. Yes!!! a drop of oil fell and landed on the very center square and Did you know that against white fabric oil looks black?
I never noticed that before. Maybe because it never happened before.

I ran, took the quilt out of the machine and took it to the bathroom. I found nail polish remover and poured it on the spot and the stain just vanished. I was worried because I still could see a shadow of it, but when the quilt dried the spot dissapeared.

I opened my machine and found a puddle of oil just waiting for white fabric and drip again. I cleaned the machine well and finished the quilt. On Easter Sunday she picked it up and I don't want to see that quilt again.

Maria

I didn't mean it as a challenge - really :wink:

Thanks for pointing out that even sewing machines can suffer from internal health issues. I think I'll keep a rag (or a bucket) close to mine from now on. I am soooooo glad you were able to get the stain out though. I bet your heart just sank when it happened.

My heart sunk, along with my stomach, my brain, and everything that is supposed to be held in place. I didn't take it as a challenge, but my machine was thinking (they also have a brain) Let me show you can I can do.

Maria

Actually going to a quilt shop w/a 'friend' and to be totally excited about going for I was needing 1 yard of a certain fabric for the piece I was working on. We talked quilter talk all the way up there...even told what I was looking for...only to browse the shop around and around and I wasn't finding what I was looking for...only to find my 'friend' w/it at the cutting table and taking 'all of it'...which was the 2yrds left on the bolt. It is funny now! But, at the time I let my human self kick in...how rude!:)And, yes, I did get my yard at the end of the story and no I don't shop w/her anymore;)Skeat

Did she know?

She knew I was going after that fabric for a project for we discussed that on the way and other quilting topics. She had snuck it up to the cutting table w/other fabrics w/in prob 15min of being there...the whole time I was walking around this shop asking if anyone had seen where that print went:)

Do you s'pose she was going to give it to you as a surprise? If not, what kind of a friend is she? I'm scratching my head??????????

Joanne...You defin. have a good heart and too trusting!:)No...it was not going to be a gift from her ..I assure you:)LOL There were defin. claws attached this at the cutting table:)LOL I did get my yard...that was all I was wanting:)And, somebody was defin not happy over it:)

I don't like petty and jealous people. Just think that she created her own bad Kharma, and she lost a friend.

Yes so right madquilter:0)People can be funny sometimes:)Skeat