Sunday, October 18, 2009

Sewing

Last weekend I finished a cushion for a bench seat for someone. In late June I had delivered three pillows for this same bench, while I went on to finish the cushion. I sent an invoice for everything with the cushion. Tuesday the client called, supposedly to question the bill, but it quickly became an attack on everything that I had made. It was ugly, it was too thin, the plaids didn't match, made her cry. Never-mind that she selected the fabric and neglected to provide enough to properly cut the cording or do any elaborate matching. The top and bottom had centered plaids, and the cording and sides were cut so that they were each one color and the strips were sew to carefully match the plaid within the cording or sides. There was insufficient fabric to match the sides to the top and bottom panels. And the thickness was exactly what we had originally discussed.

And oh by the way "I didn't receive any pillows." I pointed out that they had been delivered separately several months ago. I was told that I had never sent them. I followed up and my sister had put them in the car herself so the client was mistaken. Not that I wanted to call the woman a liar but the reality is that she called at least once a week until the pillows were completed. I didn't hear anything and concluded that she was happy with them. I didn't hear anything again for weeks until she called about the cushion. Then she called weekly about the cushion, no mention was made of the pillows. She ended the call saying that she would pay me what she owed me but that she was unhappy. (And to date I haven't seen a check.)

Unfortunately I am forced to conclude that this person wants something for nothing and was looking for any excuse to get out of paying the bill. Fortunately I don't sew to earn my living. Nor am I ever likely to do something like this for non-family ever again.

On a happier note, today was sunny and clear and after a week of wet and well below normal temps it was really nice. Blue skies, warm sun and I took advantage of it to clean out the tree beds and plant blue and yellow pansies. They look so cheery.