The sample of the Shell Collection Block of the Month arrived in the store this week. What a disappointment! We agreed to participate in Maggie Walker’s program at Quilt Market last October. Standing with her in her booth, in front of a beautifully hand appliquéd quilt we scheduled to have the sample in our store. Maggie’s work is exquisite and having that sample to inspire people to participate would be a definite bonus.
Last week we received a letter from Maggie telling us where the quilt would be arriving from and where we need to send it as well as strict packaging instructions and a warning that we would be charged $65 each if we lost any part of the intricate packing containers.
Imagine my surprise when we opened the box to see that the sample we were sent is fused and not hand appliquéd. Not only is it fused; I would rate the workmanship as far below average. Why would Maggie want something like this to represent her work? I understand the risk of allowing your quilts to travel; mine do it all the time. There is the danger of loss, theft and damage with each new destination. I recognize the need for a less valuable fusible sample, for all I know Maggie has several of these crisscrossing the country. That doesn’t explain the workmanship. And I still think the situation smacks of bait and switch.
On the other hand, no matter what your skill level, one look at this sample and you will be able to say, “I can do better than that”! Maybe that is the inspiration level she is looking for?
Last week we received a letter from Maggie telling us where the quilt would be arriving from and where we need to send it as well as strict packaging instructions and a warning that we would be charged $65 each if we lost any part of the intricate packing containers.
Imagine my surprise when we opened the box to see that the sample we were sent is fused and not hand appliquéd. Not only is it fused; I would rate the workmanship as far below average. Why would Maggie want something like this to represent her work? I understand the risk of allowing your quilts to travel; mine do it all the time. There is the danger of loss, theft and damage with each new destination. I recognize the need for a less valuable fusible sample, for all I know Maggie has several of these crisscrossing the country. That doesn’t explain the workmanship. And I still think the situation smacks of bait and switch.
On the other hand, no matter what your skill level, one look at this sample and you will be able to say, “I can do better than that”! Maybe that is the inspiration level she is looking for?
3 comments:
I was at TQC on Saturday and when I saw the sample from across the shop I made it a point to get up close because I anticipated some beautiful applique work ... it was, after all, a Maggie Walker piece, right? I kept getting closer and closer to it because I thought those can't possibly be raw edges that I'm seeing ... but they were. Yes, like Karen I was disappointed in the end result of this piece ... after all it was supposed to "inspire" you to try and outdo her applique ... and, yes, you can tell yourself that you can "out do" the sample but I was very disappointed in what I saw ... glad I signed up for a different BOM ...
funny thing is from what I understand Maggie doesn't do her own applique she has people who make her quilts for her.
What an unprofessional misrepresentation!
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