Back from quilters with tension issues
01-05-2011, 09:42 AM
#12
Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: on the Texas Coast
Posts: 4,020
if the thread is not tight to the quilt the baby can get fingers or toes caught, cut, circulation cut off! you'll do the rest of her customers a favor by insisting that she make it right, would you buy meat that smelled bad? or a tomatoe with the side mashed in?
01-05-2011, 09:45 AM
#13
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Posts: 13,214
Originally Posted by BellaBoo
To me this is just another longarmer who wants the money and thinks Oh no big deal, the stitching is just a little off, or there are only a few pleats, who cares. I would let her know you want it redone or your money back as it is not acceptable. The last longarmer I used had tension problems. So bad I had big loops on the back of the quilt. Her excuse was she changed bobbins and didn't think to check the back stitching. She never looked at the quilt after taking it off the machine. I paid a lot of money for the quilting and said I can take this quilt as it is to my guild meeting or you can redo it right. She took out every stitch and redone it because she had a pile of my guild members quilts to do and she knew all it would take was for me to take that quilt in to guild as it was and her business would be over. Don't be timid to say what you expect. People like her rely on women not to speak up and accept below par service. Their excuse is their problem not yours.
01-05-2011, 09:49 AM
#15
Banned
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,893
If she knows she has issues with that thread type she should not use it, or learn to make the adjustments. If she has been doing them long enough to know she has issues, she has been doing them long enough to know to fix it or let her customers know of the issues first and let them decide.
I am a new longarmer in business to not only make money, but to especially to satisfy my customers I take great efforts to make sure things are right. I also have had issues with the variegated threads, but have learned to adjust the tension to make them work. I know the first quilt I did for practice was not the best, but it was practice and my first.
I would find another longarmer who will take pride in her/his work and make sure the work is worthy of the work put into by the piecer, and to being used, abused, shown off and to have customers returning.
Good luck. {{Hugs}}
Phyllis
QuiltingGrannie
Quilter's Pantry
I am a new longarmer in business to not only make money, but to especially to satisfy my customers I take great efforts to make sure things are right. I also have had issues with the variegated threads, but have learned to adjust the tension to make them work. I know the first quilt I did for practice was not the best, but it was practice and my first.
I would find another longarmer who will take pride in her/his work and make sure the work is worthy of the work put into by the piecer, and to being used, abused, shown off and to have customers returning.
Good luck. {{Hugs}}
Phyllis
QuiltingGrannie
Quilter's Pantry
01-05-2011, 10:18 AM
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Roswell, NM
Posts: 1,727
I am a LA quilter and always check the stitching-front and back-with every bobbin used. To have 4 quilts with unacceptable stitching shows that your LA quilter doesn't care about her finished product or for some unknown reason thought you would not mind. Fortunately, most LA quilters are not like that-we know our reputation is in our stitches and customer satisfaction. You should not have accepted the less than quality stitching. It takes a long time to take out stitches but it must be done if there are errors. I would revisit with the quilter and go over what can be done. If nothing, then please don't use this person again.
01-05-2011, 10:38 AM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Lebanon, Missouri
Posts: 602
Well, dang it! I was really hoping to not see complaints about a longarmer. Now in this situation, I do have to agree with the majority here. She did know that there were issues with the bobbin thread and I do agree she should have fixed the problem. Also, the baby quilt with tension issues, agreed you really need to double check the thread. Baby finger nails can get caught and rip so easy.
The part of this story that absolutely FLOORS me is "She had changed bobbins and didn't think to look" part! WHAT!?! Given this scenario, I must be a paranoid longarmer. I check the backing every couple of blocks! Also, I listen to my machine and can pretty much hear if I have a bobbin problem and most experienced longarmers do the same.
I, personally, will NOT use varigated thread in the bobbin. I just have way too many issues with it. Much easier to adjust top tension than bobbin tension. I know there are some out there that will say, "Oh, I've never had an issue with varigated threads in the bobbin." If that is the case, Kudos to you and I hope you will always have that kind of good luck. As for me, once bitten-twice shy.
Varigated threads are nice, but I am about to the point of not using them AT ALL. I attended a seminar once that gave lots of good information about thread. No, it was not a Superior Threads seminar albeit Bob is very knowledgeable and Superior does not practice the same methods as some other thread companies. This person was a FORMER quality control inspector for a large thread company. She was "released" from her position because of "turning back" to much product. (basically fired for doing her job properly)
She said that "multiple color" thread is actually a dye accident. Dye would come out concentrated in some areas and not others. To take advantage of this, the company would then RE DYE the thread in some areas to create more of a pattern. Some areas might be dyed as many as 5 or 6 times. This would cause the thread to have swollen and thin spots. Also, if you get thread breakage or shredding, look closely where the break happens. Most likely, it will be at a color change spot. Put the thread between your fingers and you can usually feel the color changes. Now, imagine that hitting the needle eye 10 times or so, something is going to give.
NAYY with Superior Threads, but I do know they do not practice this method with their threads. Knock on wood, I've not had a problem with any multiple color thread from Superior. Too bad I can't say the same for other manufacturers.
Back to the actual issue, I do agree that 1. The longarmer should make the corrections to your quilts and 2. Take your business elsewhere. If she is an experienced quilter, she ain't gonna get any better at it.
The part of this story that absolutely FLOORS me is "She had changed bobbins and didn't think to look" part! WHAT!?! Given this scenario, I must be a paranoid longarmer. I check the backing every couple of blocks! Also, I listen to my machine and can pretty much hear if I have a bobbin problem and most experienced longarmers do the same.
I, personally, will NOT use varigated thread in the bobbin. I just have way too many issues with it. Much easier to adjust top tension than bobbin tension. I know there are some out there that will say, "Oh, I've never had an issue with varigated threads in the bobbin." If that is the case, Kudos to you and I hope you will always have that kind of good luck. As for me, once bitten-twice shy.
Varigated threads are nice, but I am about to the point of not using them AT ALL. I attended a seminar once that gave lots of good information about thread. No, it was not a Superior Threads seminar albeit Bob is very knowledgeable and Superior does not practice the same methods as some other thread companies. This person was a FORMER quality control inspector for a large thread company. She was "released" from her position because of "turning back" to much product. (basically fired for doing her job properly)
She said that "multiple color" thread is actually a dye accident. Dye would come out concentrated in some areas and not others. To take advantage of this, the company would then RE DYE the thread in some areas to create more of a pattern. Some areas might be dyed as many as 5 or 6 times. This would cause the thread to have swollen and thin spots. Also, if you get thread breakage or shredding, look closely where the break happens. Most likely, it will be at a color change spot. Put the thread between your fingers and you can usually feel the color changes. Now, imagine that hitting the needle eye 10 times or so, something is going to give.
NAYY with Superior Threads, but I do know they do not practice this method with their threads. Knock on wood, I've not had a problem with any multiple color thread from Superior. Too bad I can't say the same for other manufacturers.
Back to the actual issue, I do agree that 1. The longarmer should make the corrections to your quilts and 2. Take your business elsewhere. If she is an experienced quilter, she ain't gonna get any better at it.
01-05-2011, 11:05 AM
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Westminster, Co
Posts: 2,675
I certainly wouldn't use her again. You stated that you weren't pleased with the end product and she didn't seem to care. Give you business to someone that cares about her or his customers. I can't see her building a good business with that attitude.
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