Disappointed in my quilting.
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: San Joaquin Valley, California
Posts: 829
Disappointed in my quilting.
Quilting on my HQ and worked very hard on getting my quilting even. The top is batik pieced squares, it has a 1/4 inch flange and left over batik pieced squares in her pieced backing...
Had to stop and work the flange under the presser foot several times on each row and uneven stitching where the batik blocks were on both sides. The pattern had many twists and turns.
This is the first time I am quilting for this customer and I am disappointed because it reflects on the quality of my quilting. The one I quilted first is beautiful, it is cotton and although the backing was also pieced with three fabric strips everything was very smooth and she wanted just a meander pattern.
Had to stop and work the flange under the presser foot several times on each row and uneven stitching where the batik blocks were on both sides. The pattern had many twists and turns.
This is the first time I am quilting for this customer and I am disappointed because it reflects on the quality of my quilting. The one I quilted first is beautiful, it is cotton and although the backing was also pieced with three fabric strips everything was very smooth and she wanted just a meander pattern.
#2
Some machines balk when there are different weight materials.
A new needle helps as does heavier thread, though at this point that's not much help.
Sometimes things just don't want to do what you'd expect.
A new needle helps as does heavier thread, though at this point that's not much help.
Sometimes things just don't want to do what you'd expect.
#3
Power Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Southern California
Posts: 19,127
You have to be so knowledgeable in every aspect of quilting when you start to do it professionally. Be cautious of something that might cause a problem. You have this terrific group of LAQ so next time, post a question here and see if someone can help you thru a problem. Every quilt you quilt represents your ability at quilting. I would have loved to see a photo but some aspects of this board seems not to be working. We are our worst critic.
#4
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 10,590
Flanges or other 3D elements (like folded blocks) are problematic for even the most experienced LA quilters. It is up to you how you want to handle your disappointment with the quality of the quilting. You may wish to offer a discount to this customer.
#5
You may be selling yourself short. Ask a friend, one who will tell you the truth, what she thinks of the quilting. If she doesn't see anything wrong with it, then you're imagining problems that don't exist.
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: kansas
Posts: 6,407
I recently was told by a master LAQ to cover the flange with blue painter's tape--it holds it out of the way and also serves as a very visible stop line too. You didn't say, but were there lots of seams in each block? If so, using them on the back probably did present problems. I like the idea to offer the customer a discount with an explanation. she will probably appreciate your honesty. I was recently rushing to finish a youth quilt for a friend when I got a length wise pleat on the back--of course I found it when I was almost finished. My friend was ok with it but I was embarrassed and ripped stitches for 8 hrs and re-did. Sometimes you just have to start over on things.
#7
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 6,430
Good advice given. I seem to not be the only one who is troubled by computer problems. My son, who is an IT, worked on this site for a long time yesterday and there are still some niggling problems with it. Something has definitely changed.
#9
For the sake of your next quilt with batiks...put in a practice sandwich & experiment. My machine prefers a FINER needle & thread on batiks and sheeting...seems to pierce the dense thread count fabrics better.
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08-09-2009 09:58 PM