Good Morning,

So I sent out a quilt to be quilted by our talented Charismah. Now I haven't sent a lot of things out to be quilted. This is actually my 2nd.

But here's the lesson i learned....CHECK YOUR BACKING FABRIC. Charismah was loading my quilt and there were imperfections in the fabric and she's not able to use it on the quilt. So different backing will be used.

So not only could I have fixed this entire issue by checking all of my fabric at the shop. But I also could have saved Charismah a lot of time.

So just something to keep in the back of your mind. Thankfully Charismah was really accommodating (bless her heart)

But my flakes are a little frosted that I didn't find it before she did and saved us all some time.

Anyway, there's my lesson of the day.

Your flakes were a little frosted?? Love it!!
Charisma is a real sweetheart, I can't wait to make a quilt worth of her quilting.

How do you check your fabric for flaws at the shop?

What type of *flaws* miholmes??
.

Wow, that's too bad. Thanks for the heads up. I'll keep that in mind in the future.

"flaws" as in some tears in the fabric. Basically she couldn't use it because there were 2-4 tears in the fabric.

Basically I should have checked all of the fabric before I put it in the "to -do" bin. That way the issue would have been resolved right away.

And I understand things like this can happen with the best of fabric companies, but when you spend 9-12 dollars a yard for the "good" fabric you assume it will be good.

Anyway we're getting it taken care of. But for anyone else who may get things and put them in your "to-do" bin. You might start checking them. :)

Thank you... good advice!

I never even thought of that being an issue! Thanks for the heads up, will have to "check" aka. play in my fabric to see ;)

I always wash,dry and fold all fabrics as soon as I get them. I look them over very well while smoothing them out before folding. Of course, I'm much older than you and have been at this for about 44 years.
Good tip.

Good advice, Michael! I had the same thing happen with a cut piece of a few yards, but luckily, I was cutting it myself when I noticed a few areas that were flawed-a couple had dye imperfections (like the fabric might have been creased when the dye went over it) and also a couple places that had (hard to describe)a lump of threads in one space. I bought that fabric overseas, and it wasn't the best quality (I was learning then), and luckily had enough to cut around it. From now on, I will check it!!

I used a fabric in a quilt that had little holes in it. I take that quilt top out every once in a while and hold it up to a good light and look it over again. When I eventually am pretty sure I have all the little holes found and fixed I'll quilt it. Most of the holes are about the size of a pencil eraser so they weren't obvious and some are even smaller so they're harder to find.

That would certainly "frost my flakes" as you say ! ( I now have a new expression thanks to you!) Thanks for the reminder that price does not always guarentee a flawless piece of fabric.

I got some fabric at the LQS that had a "weakness" in the fold. It was on the sale table. I got it home, washed and dried it. As I was ironing it, it split right down the fold. I took it back and the owner was appalled. She had some left on the bolt, gave it a pull and the whole thing split. Got my money back, she sent it back and they credited her as well. Seems they sent her the "wrong quality" fabric. Ever since, I check the fabric carefully.

Not for quilting but I was buying fabric to make purses at PA Fabric Outlet. Thank God my friend Bev was with me that day. She told me to tell the woman cutting fabric that I wanted my 1 yd. cut BEYOND the big "empty" square where someone must have asked for a sample. I never saw it but her being an experience/professional seamstress spoted it right away. She warned me...from now on when you pull the bolt to have it cut...open it and check it in the shop/store. She said she learned the hard way and wanted me to know to do this every time.

Of course when I order online I can't see the yardage I am getting but so far fabric.com has been great and very generous with their cuts. And when I buy at Joann's I always look at the fabric while the lady is cutting someone elses fabric. I also watch it when she unrolls it. I WILL say one of the ladies that works there will flip the piece over before she folds it and she does check it out.

But thanks for the reminder...sorry you have had to deal with this. It's great that the quilter will take care of it for you...she must be a pretty special person.

that would get my knickers in a twist too!!!

Thank you for sharing this experience with us! I will definitely inspect the fabric closer when I purchase in the future.

The fabric that I used for the backing on my very first quilt(my avitar) had a small hole in it, about the size of a pencil eraser, every 88 inches. I had bought this material specifically for this quilt. I went ahead and used it and appliqued left over blocks over the holes. 8-)

Wow! I would be ticked off, too. Luckily I haven't had something like that happen to me. I have had a slub or two that had a broken thread coming off it and that would cause a big hole at some point, but it was always while piecing, so no problem to just cut around the bad spot.

Funny. I used this saying this morning and I was laughed at.

Charisma is wonderful and I am sure your quilt will be beautiful. You can always cut around those flaws and use the rest of the fabric.

when I was dealing with fabric wholesalers they told me fabric can have a certain number of flaws per yard (forget the number) and still be considered "first quality". I would hate to see what their seconds look like.
I agree, check in the shop if you can.

Woo hoo
 

Thanks for the warning- what an irritating happenstance!

Thanks for the advice.

"My flakes are frosted" (must be modern) ---- "My knickers were in a twist" (this is English - I used to live there). Gosh, I'm learning new ways to express myself. Love it! Glad you didn't use acronyms. I'd really be lost.

But the point is, you made an excellent point. I'm accustomed to looking over the cheap, on sale fabric. Hadn't occurred to me I need to be doing the same thing for the not-on-sale expensive stuff too. But anything is fallible. And the last thing I want is to get in the middle of a project and discover a flaw, or several flaws. It makes me lose my sense of humor. Thanks for the heads up!

Thanks for the reminder...glad it is all working out for you..

I usually just look at the side that's up when they cut. Now I'll be more vigilant in checking the entire piece out. Thanks!

Thanks for the tip- you probably saved some of us from major problems!
Can't wait to see that quilt when you get it back. I love your work and Charisma's is to die for :D

Thanks for the advice.

Wow, great advice! Sorry that happened to you, but its nice that she saw the problem!

Yes, you're right. And also check if you wash your backing fabric - ask me how I know this....lol. Charisma saved my hinnie when my backing fabric shrunk 6". She's a jewel!

First quilt, sandwiched yesterday pm. My backing is dark and purchased specifically for this quilt - I too, bought the pricier stuff but at discount. Flipped my "newly sandwiched" over and spied a small speck of batting so tried to pluck it off. It wasn't batting, well ok, it was batting peeking thru a tiny slice in the backing. Ohhhh noooo! Guess that's where my tag will go. Wasn't going to do one but I am now. After the fact, hand applique or? Any suggestions? Griping accomplished nothing but I am grumbling . . Grr!

Good point. I just spent $15.99 a yard (total almost $60) for a wide backing at a local quilt shop. You would think for that much money that all would be well. It wasn't.

After preshrinking, while pressing, I discovered a whole section of snags, pulls, runs, whatever you want to call them. Nothing I could do about it then as I had already, preshrunk, squared, pressed, etc. Couldn't return it.

I know if I had inspected it carefully, both as she cut it and then turned it over and looked at the other side that I would have seen that. I also know the LQS personnel would have thought I was rather odd and maybe they wouldn't have liked it. But, for $15.99, plus tax, per yard????

Yes I learned that lesson the hard way also. But did let one slip by when the sales person was unrolling the fabric and the end of the bolt had writing in what looked like a felt-tipped marker on the inside. When I was ready to piece the backing and was pressing the fabric it bled through. It took up over a 1/2 yard of the fabric so I came up short. I had already cut most of the yardage and used it in the top so had to resort to another fabric for the backing. SO ALWAYS CHECK THE END-OF-THE-BOLT FOR MARKINGS ON THE INSIDE!

I guess I got lucky; this is a tiny, random, clean little slice and is the only "flaw". It wound up being somewhat halfway down and near the edge of the quilt. I think if I had found it earlier I would have been in quite a dither; especially being so new to quilting, piecing, etc. I would have been on the phone to the fab shop, more irritated w them than I already am and created a bit of an over-the-phone scene. I am so glad to read (I guess) that this is a common occurrence. When life hands you lemons . . .

One more reason to wash fabrics before using!

Another solution is to put a loose-winged butterfly or dragonfly over a small flaw. Even though I always wash before hand, I finished a quilt for Japan and when making my last inspection for thread ends (post finished laundrying) I found a small flaw... a hole. I quickly made a two sided butterfly (both back and front) and tacked down the body right over the hole. Actually, I've done it for that reason more than once. :)

God bless Charisma

I like the saying - "that really frost my cookies" but the flakes gives me another one to use. Thanks miholmes

Michael,
That would have burned my biscuits as well! You are lucky that you were in such good hands. Thanks for the timely warning!

Thanks for the reminder. That's GREAT information for all of us!

Wow... great tip! Thanks - I am just getting ready to buy backing for two tops and I will make certain when they roll it out to cut!

I don't think I will EVER be able to make a quilt worth Charismah's quilting. She is spectacular!