GingerK

This is sort of a tangent of the Perfect or Imperfect thread...

I longarm a lot of quilts for our day guild. I charge nothing to do this service. In fact, I supply the batting (poly) and backing (usually a sheet), and often also bind the quilt. We donate to the local Abuse Shelter, Project Linus and to a couple of churches in our area.

We have some amazing piecers in our group....and some that have amazing vision but not such great execution. Right now, I have this beautiful top made up of several different sized blocks separated by various sized sashing, that is terribly out of whack. I 'thought' I had identified the problem and took off a border on the side that was 2 inches longer, shortened it to match the other side, and re-attached, easing in the fullness...which threw something else out of whack, to the point that there didn't seem to be any other easy solution to the problem.

I thought for a long time and decided that the design and fabrics were so pretty that it was worth my time and effort, to open and adjust the size of the blocks and sashings--mostly the sashings.

Am I doing wrong by the piecer, in fixing the techical issues in her top? I will never tell her and I will keep the same placement of blocks (took lots of pictures first). The quilting will be much easier because I won't have to try making a trapezoid into a rectangle and it will go to a local church for a Mother's Day silent auction fundraiser.

bearisgray

If the person was not aware the top was way off kilter - do you think she (?) Will notice the difference?

if the person takes suggestions well - maybe you could start by saying how attractive the top is - at first glance ,- and then. Go into a private teaching session.
At any rate - bravo for you for taking on a mess and redoing it. I've gotten cranky about trying to make those things gs right.

Would there be a graceful way of doing a presentation on what makes it easier to long arm a top.
​​​top.lays flat opposite edges are the same length, adequate seam width - whatever makes your job easier?

dunster

I think it depends...

When I was a very new quilter I volunteered to help make a quilt that the local Make A Wish chapter had requested for a fund raiser. I thought I would be learning a lot from the other quilters, who were far more experienced. We picked out the fabric as a group, and somehow I was the one who figured out how many blocks of each type we needed for the size quilt we wanted, put together packets of material for each member of the group, and distributed them. The blocks were returned to me, and suddenly everyone else was too busy to help putting them together. Some of the blocks were perfect, some needed just a little help, and one set of blocks were so badly done they couldn't be used at all. I was pretty sure those came from the oldest member of the group, whose eyesight was failing. So I took those blocks apart, reused the fabric when possible, or cut new pieces when necessary. I never told anyone, because it would have been disrespectful and there would be nothing to gain. However, if the blocks had come from a new quilter, I probably would have mentioned the problem to her privately, so that she could learn. That is what I would hope someone would do for me.

GingerK

Thank you Bear and Dunster. You both have made me feel like this was the right decision for this particular top. The piecer is very experienced but is having significant medical issues with her DH. Sewing is her sanity right now. This particular top is almost like a diary of a month--the blocks are mostly acceptable or at least fudgeable, but the sashing is all over the place--cut too wide or uneven, seams all over the place...the borders looked like they were applied and then cut--that's why one side was 2 inches longer.

I have one other piecer in our group, that I will ALWAYS go above and beyond to 'help'. She was one of the first to welcome me into the group, and is one of our 'more' senior members. She shakes very badly altho she does not have Parkinson's, but she is suffering from stage 2 Maccular (sp?) Degeneration. Her fabric choices, applique and colour sense is extrordinary, I am actually honoured when she shows one of her tops at a meeting and then tells them to give it to me to quilt. It usually takes a day of resewing to 'make things right'.

cashs_mom

Bless you for doing this for the quilters who, for whatever reason, are somewhat challenged in making their blocks and tops. It's wonderful that you are so helpful and make their blocks/tops useable to the group. I'm sure it helps them to feel that they are still useful.

cjsews

I have been lovingly called a quilt police. As I did auditing at work I look things over. If I know the quilter would appreciate a mistake ( before completing project) I will let the person know. If the quilter is not particular or just doing the best they can, I will keep it to myself. Have to know how the input will be received. I would not intentionally hurt anyone’s feelings.

Onebyone

My friend has had a long arm business for years; she has seen it all. If a quilt needs a lot of work to fix problems, she will call the customer and explain the problem. She gives them options without judgment. She says I can correct the problems, but it will add to the cost or I can quit it as is, mistakes and all but it will not be square or may have puckers. Many say quilt as is but the ones that come to get the quilt back, my friend will explain the problem and now it can be corrected by the quilter and brought back.

b.zang

I appreciate you doing this quietly and without telling the quilter. There are simply so many reasons why a quilt top can turn out less than one would wish and your willingness to help out makes a difference in the end. Some of the members in my guild are quite vocal about people who "can't seem to sew a quarter inch" or "sew everything wonky". They have stopped participating in group projects that involve sharing blocks because they say that it's too hard to work with blocks that aren't made right. In my opinion, we all have our own level of acceptable and their words are not just hurtful to the quilter but to the guild as a whole.
I actually belong to two guilds, and in the other one the problem of members making wonky blocks to go into a group quilt was approached very differently. Rather than calling people out, a couple of members took on the project of doing a lesson once a month that was always followed up with something for the group to make based on the skill in the lesson. We have been collaborating on some great quilts and it is the more skilled/experienced quilters who take on the final assembly and finishing.
We have all been beginners. We all have life experiences that can disrupt our flow. Your kindness in recognizing this and taking care of people is wonderful. It might be worth exploring the idea of teaching some mini-lessons at your guild, focusing on the most common problems.

quiltedsunshine

You're a a good soul.
I had one customer who made 6 machine embroidered tree skirts and asked me to quilt and bind them for her. The first one, I quilted it "as is." It was awful. The other 5 I completely unpicked and re-sewed. They were so much easier to work with that way. I had to decline to do any more quilting for her, though. It took too much of my time, and I wasn't feeling well.

bearisgray

Dunster's answer was better than mine - at least in this instance - when the piecer has personal issues.