Do "Quilt Emergencies" Really Exist?

January 28, 2009

As I write this, Iowa is in a deep freeze and ice and snow are pelting much of the eastern half of the U.S., leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity. As a child, I looked forward to these events with great anticipation, because it meant no school for at least a day, maybe longer. Even if it was too cold or snowy to get to school, it was never too bad for us to throw on snow pants and snow boots and head outside to enjoy a free day.

At our house, the sled selection consisted of one round saucer, one sled with runners, and one toboggan. First choice went to the child who was out the door first. The trick was to remember to put your boots on after your snow pants, not the other way around. Each sled had its plusses and minuses. If you chose the saucer, you'd sail to the bottom of the hill like a kite, but without steering control could easily be taken out by one of the trees in the yard. If you snared the toboggan, the ride wasn't as fast, and if our St. Bernard dog decided to jump on the back, you weren't going anywhere. If you were stuck with the runner sled and the snowfall wasn't wet and packed, you were simply stuck, period.

If you aren't from a part of the world that sees a lot of snow, this reminiscing must seem meaningless, especially for QuiltTalk. But alas, I DO have a quilting point to make, and my story helps to break the ice, pun definitely intended.

During every class I teach to beginning longarm quilters, I bring up the subject of an "emergency preparedness plan". It's one of those uncomfortable subjects like discussing wills and insurance policies (because we are forced to think about our own mortality). But it's important to plan, whether you quilt just for fun, or as a business.

Your plan should include at least two chapters; one would be devoted to emergency situations while the other would address operational continuity. In your emergency plan, list all the possible scenarios you can think of where your quilting would be affected, along with your plan to address the situation.

If you're in business, also include a list of all the mistakes or problems you can encounter that would affect a customer's quilt. For example, what will you do if you accidentally snip a quilt with scissors? What if your dog chews on a corner of the quilt? What if you break a needle and make a hole in the quilt? Spend some time brainstorming and think of all the possible "bad things" that could happen on any quilt, and then come up with a solution and action plan.

Your "operational continuity" section of the plan would outline how to carry on the business in the event something dreadful happened to you. Teach someone your organizational system. If you slipped on the ice and wound up unconscious and in traction at the hospital, who would know what to do about the quilt on your machine? Whose quilt is it and what you were doing with it? Who would notify customers on your schedule about possible delays in getting their quilts done? Where would they find the contact information?

Even if you aren't in business, it pays to plan ahead (and yes, it's hard to think about). If Your Maker calls you home and your granddaughter's wedding quilt is only half-way finished on the frame, will someone know what to do next? After everyone has shed tears at your passing and eulogized you as a wonderful quilter, someone will discover the unfinished quilt and will wonder, "Now what?" Write down your thoughts/ideas for each quilt, and keep them near your project. Teach a friend how to use your machine, or develop a relationship with a professional quilter in your area who could take on an incomplete project. Your granddaughter can then remember you lovingly as she snuggles in the quilt instead of discovering that Grandpa didn't know what to do so he sold the machine "as is, quilt included."