Monday, May 23, 2011

A little bothered......


I love my "Frame This II" quilt - the sample is made out of the perfect fabric and I was so excited to get it back from a trunk show. Every single quilt I make is a part of me and I take the time to make them just right, you know?


So - when my quilt came home with a 1 inch slit through each layer, I was upset. I am trying to figure out how someone can rotary through a quilt? Or is it a rotary? I just don't get it.


Anyway - I am a little bothered. I know I can get some stabilizer and zig zag the slit, but it just won't be the same. I am not upset at the store owners because I love them dearly and that is why I haven't said who they are. But - if you are a store owner and are doing a trunk show for a designer, make sure you take care of their quilts! Well - I said my piece.



On a happier note, I sent my quilt "Serenity" to the MQS Quilt Show and I was happy to find out that I received an "honorable mention." It was the first time I sent out my quilt to a national show and was happy that someone wanted to "mention" it!

39 comments:

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

it is possible that when who ever cut open the shipping box that you sent the quilt in cut through to the quilt without realizing it. I have been told that whenever I send one of my quilts off to sell that I should place several pieces of cardboard on top and bottom of the quilt to protect it from a box cutter - I bet that is what happened to your quilt.
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/

Sherri said...

I would just be devastated if that happened to one of my quilts!

Lynette said...

How heartbreaking, Judi. :( I'm sorry that happened to your quilt.

Exciting news about Serenity, though!! At a NATIONAL show, even! :D

KatieQ said...

I'm sorry that there is a slit in your beautiful quilt. I think Karen is probably right in thinking that the damage could have happened when the shipping box was opened. I learned the hard way to pull the tape off rather than use a sharp object to open boxes.
Congratulations on the honorable mention for "Serenity." The quilting is amazing.

Janet said...

You should make sure the store owners know, so they can take precautions to make sure it doesn't happen again. Congratulations on your honourable mention.

Christine said...

Frame It II is a beautiful quilt. I am sorry it was damaged. Your quilting is out of this world. Congratulations on receiving 'Honourable Mention'.

Christine from Ontario

Dorian said...

Oh Judi, I'm so sorry! I hope people are more careful from now on, with your lovely quilts. Serenity is beautiful, congrats to the "honorable mention".

Barb said...

So sorry that happened....I don't even know why a quilt would be even close to a rotary cutter when it was finished....not good. Your quilting just amazes me all of the time.

Miki Willa said...

I am so sorry this happened to you and your quilt. No matter how it happened, it is sad. It is still a beautiful quilt, and I hope you can repair it. Serenity is beautiful and I am so glad you won an honorable mention with it.

Keep Stitchin' said...

I agree, Karen is probably right about how it happened. When I receive quilts from out of state customers to quilt, I am super duper cautious in opening the box for this reason, and when I send them back, I put a little cushioning between the quilt and the box so they don't accidentally cut it when they get it back. Sorry it happened, but it really is a beautiful quilt!

Nancy said...

you must have had a terrible sick feeling when you discovered that. I agree that you need to let the store know so they can retrain the staff opening packages if necessary...

Linda said...

My first thought was also "box cutter when opening the box".
The Serenity quilt is absolutely gorgeous! I'm surprised it didn't place higher. You should submit it to another show and see how it does. It looks like a real winner! Of course, honorable mention is still VERY honorable!!!

Vicki W said...

Ugh. That looks like a box cutter swipe to me. Regardless, someone should have said something about it a apologized!

Serenity is gorgeous!

Marjorie's Busy Corner said...

Hi Judi...so sorry about your quilt dear....but, I would imagine everyone is right about the box cutter. Still disheartening for you....Now; on a happier note, your other quilt got an honorable mention because it deserived it....amazing quilting Judi...I love hand quilting, but I would love to be able to quilt like you do....it is just simply beautiful work.....flawless.....congratulations

Stitched With Prayer said...

Oh Judi, I am so sorry your beautiful quilt was damaged. I was looking over some of the other comments and I'm thinking that I'll bet Karen is right, that it happened when the box was opened. I can understand why you are upset, I think I would be wanting to scream at someone, but I hope that I would be able to be as kind as you have. I know accidents happen, it's just hard when they happen to our treasured things. Now, as you said, on a happier note...Your Serenity quilt looks breath taking. I love everything about it, the colors, the quilting, everything. Your talent shines once again...of course, it always does. Hugs...

Emma said...

Congratulations on the Honourable Mention! I thik you have every right to be much more than 'a little bothered' by the damage to your quilt. Regardless of how it happened, you deserve an explanation, some form of compensation, an assurance it won't happen again and a MASSIVE apology!

Tamie said...

Congratulations on Serenity! I'm so sorry about your quilt. You are right- nothing can make it the same as it was.

Staci said...

Serenity is just beautiful!
I am so sorry your quilt was damaged! I can understand how upset you are!

Hands Sew Full said...

Oh that just leaves a sick sort of feeling in my stomach. There should have been some acknowledgement of the incident and at least an apology. Your work is gorgeous and people that are borrowing it for displays or shows should be super careful with the art of others. So sorry to hear about that.
Congratulations of the honourable mention that is wonderful!

SewCalGal said...

Your Frame This II is such a cute quilt. Heartbreaking to have it damaged while on tour. I don't understand how the store did not realize what had happened. So very sorry.

Congratulations on the honorable mention. Serenity is a spectacular quilt and I hope you enter it in more shows. It deserves a resume of awards!

SewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

QuiltNut Creations said...

I would be heartbroken if that happened to me! I would let the store know, it's possible they don't even know it happened.

Congrats on the honorable mention!

Brita said...

Serenity is awesome, you did a fabulous job. Yes, submit it to more shows, it deserves lots of ribbons!

Petit Design Co. said...

that is so sad. I can understand why you would be bothered. One thing you should check with the store (or future stores) is what kind of insurance they carry and whether it will cover your quilts against damage or theft. Sometimes the insurance does not and you would have to look at getting some private insurance or having the displaying store pay for it. What if that happened to a $5000 quilt?

Bonnie said...

Have you tried a product called Audreys Bond? I had a flannel quilt where one of the seams had pulled out on the front and wasn't sure what else I could do bur put fusible interfacing behind and zig zag. But a friend told me about this product and gave me what she had left. It is a powder basically that you shake onto the spot. You need paper beneath and over the top. You then iron for a couple of minutes (directions are on the product) and it seals it like a clear glue. It is tacky still while warm but dries clear.

Hope this helps.

Michelle said...

I understand the heart ache, I sent a quilt away to be quilted,sent pattern also and wanted it customised, when I received my quilt back it was a all over pattern, took me ages to bind and finish the quilt-don't feel the same about it like I felt when I finished it.
Happy stitching, Michelle.

Angie @ craftedAngles said...

wow - that is awful! I started reading the first comment, she had a great suggestion regarding the packaging of a quilt. I am just about to ship three quilts as gifts and I should make sure I use extra care packaging.

Quilt Chick said...

I am so sorry about your quilt! I would be so upset. I do think you need to let the store owners know. This might be a lesson for all of us - as a precautionary measure, label the outside with "Do not use sharp object(s) to open package" or something of this nature. Maybe this would help prevent accidental damage to any soft item inside the package.

Deborah said...

Congrats on Serenity!
So sorry to hear about your beautiful quilt. I vote with the box cutter group, too. I'm sure the owners of the shop would be horrified, but I agree they should be told so a box cutter is never used again when opening a box that holds a quilt.
{{{Hugs}}}
Deborah

Think Outside the Box said...

So sorry your quilt was damaged, it's heartbreaking when something you have put so much of yourself into is damaged. Hopefully you can find a way to repair it that won't be too obvious. Congratulations on the "honorable mention"- although I have to say that looking at that absolutely amazing quilting I would say it deserved better, to me it looks absolutely perfect!

Teresa Silva said...

So sorry about your quilt. I would be devastated if that happened to one of my quilts. It's still so beautiful though. And congratuations on your other quilt....I think it should have won the grand prize. It's gorgeous.

Ruth B said...

That is so disturbing. I sympathize with your feelings on your damaged quilt. It is so pretty (like all your quilts) and now it has a scar on it. Maybe you could add a few appliques on the quilt to cover up the hole and if there are several appliques it won't look like a repair?

Susan said...

Oh dear! That was done with a box cutter as they opened the box, surely! Was it packed on the top?? How dreadful for you! I would be upset too!

Razzle Dazzle Quilter said...

Hi Judi

May I reccomend a way to mend your quilt. Iron steam a seam on to the right side of a piece of fabric matching where the slit is. Remove paper, trim your scrap to a size suitable to repair the slit. Slip it between the quilt top and batting. Flick it in with a long pin or sewing stiletto. Press, bingo no one will ever know there was a slit.Trust me I have used this to repair an oops I had. Worked like a dream
Cheers

Linda
in New Zealand

Nanette Merrill said...

That is strange. Looks almost like it caught on something.

Joann said...

So sorry to hear about your quilt being damage I too would have been upset. I once received a Bali Pop through the mail that I ordered and when I went to use it I found a box cutter slit in the center of it...wasn't put there by me because the Bali Pop was ship to me in one of those priority shipping envelopes and not a shipping box, so it must have happened when the store received it's shipment and opened the box with a box cutter. Sad thing is that they had to have seen it...it couldn't have been missed but they sent it to me just to get rid of it. Needless to say the brand new Bali Pop end up going into my scrap bins instead of my project. I didn't want to be bothered with trying to recoup my loses. But the store should have been honest about what they were trying to do. Congrats on your ribbon! I love that quilt of yours :0)

PandaRae said...

Sorry Judi- But hey, it's still a BEAUTIFUL quilt!! Let's hope it was just an accident!

~The Bargain Babe from *Zucchini Summer Blog* said...

Bummer about the quilt.

Love the quilting on the one that got honorable mention! Congrats!

I'm your newest follower. :)

Gigi's Thimble said...

So sorry Judi! It sounds like some people have some pretty good ideas on how to fix it though. Good luck! And, congrats on your honorable mention! That is awesome!

Pamela said...

My first though was box cutter but someone would have to stab pretty forcefully to go through all layers. Definately let the store know what happened. Maybe they had an inexperienced person unboxing who didn't realize what could happen. An applique over the spot would work too.

I've always loved your Serenity quilt!