Sister's Choice Quilts

Teeny Tiny Complaint

Now that I have moved away from civilization and live out in the boonies, I find that I purchase most of my fabric online.  I do try to order from brick and mortar stores that also do online business.  One place that I have often bought from is Fatquartershop, who I have praised many times for their customer service, promptness and the attractive way that they package your purchase. 

Fabric prices have gone way up, as I am sure many of you have noticed.  I don't have much of a discretionary income, now that I am not working full time, so whatever money I budget for fabric purchases is very dear to me.  It is so lovely to receive those packages that I have been waiting for with such great anticipation.  It is doubly lovely when the vendor has taken the time to package the fabric with some sort of care and attention.

This is how a recent package from Shabby Fabrics arrived:

Notice how they stacked the fatquarters so a smidgen of each one shows? See how amazing they all look together?  That fabric looks like it is WORTH something.  And they even labeled the collection for me so in the future when I get to use it, I will be reminded of what the group is.  I spent $55 on this fabric, and when it arrived, I was pleased and felt my money had been very well spent.  I felt like I got my money's worth.  Presentation.  Worth it's weight in gold.

I ordered some fabric from another online vendor last week.  And spent $93 on it.  This is how it arrived:

Stacked sloppily and tied with a sad little string.   How completely uncerimonious and joyless.

Deplorable.  I am NOT a happy camper.  That does not look like almost $100 worth of fabric.

I did call the company to express my disappointment, and got an immediate call back from the owner.  She was very gracious, and very concerned with my dissatisfaction, which I appreciated.  Her excuse for the sloppy packaging was that they make every effort to get orders shipped out the same day as the order, that they are a small company, two new girls in shipping, etc etc.  Truly I thought it was fantastic that she responded so promtly and with such sincere concern for my complaint.  I told her I would send her an email with a photo of the Shabby Fabrics package compared to a photo of her company's package.  She immediately emailed me back saying, "I see what you mean". 

Whether anything will change on their end I can't say.  Maybe it will.  I think my voice was heard.  I will probably order from them again mainly because the owner was so genuine in her distress that I was unhappy.  I am convinced she would bend over backwards to address the issue and try to make me stay on as her customer.  However, if I have $50 to spend on fabric, and Shabby Fabrics or Fatquartershop carries the same thing, I would be inclined to go with them because it is way more fun to open their packages.

Am I unreasonable?

 

 

 

A Little Stop on the Way Home...

We had a very relaxing and fun time while we were in Palm Desert.  I swear, I don't remember the last time I was on a vacation.  Last year was certainly not the year for getting away anywhere fun. 

My husband was able to be with Grandpa and I for four days, and then Grandpa and I were on our own.  Mostly we relaxed, read books, watched the golfers and chilled out.  I made lots of progress on my Birdie Stitches blocks.  On the way home Thursday, we took "The 10" freeway and guess what was going on, literally right off the freeway, in Ontario?  No, I won't make you guess!  It was The Road to California Quilt Show!

No way was I going to drive right past it without stopping.  I simply could not help myself.  Now, when you have a 90 year old gentleman in tow, this poses more challenges than you might think.  Believe me, things would have been a lot simpler if Grandpa had remembered to bring his handicap parking placard, but we managed regardless.   We got there about a hour before the show began, and I dropped Grandpa off at the back entrance, telling him to stay put until I parked the car, got my ticket, and got back to him.

Crowded?  Oh man, was it crowded.  I had called in advance, making sure there were chairs in the lobby where an older disabled person might be able to sit for an hour or so while I breezed through the quilt show.  Oh yes, plenty of tables and chairs, and places to get a cup of tea.  Well, it turns out that the lounge area was on a second level, which was a bit of a walk.  Before we got up there, Grandpa needed to stop and rest a minute.  A woman was sitting at a table, with an empty chair next to her.  "Is anyone using this chair?  Could Grandpa sit in it for a minute?"  Oh sure, that would be fine the woman said.  Then out of the blue, another woman swooped in, grabbed the chair saying "We have NO chairs at our table, and we need it more".  And she took it.  Seriously.  Here I am with a bent over ancient person who is using a cane and taking about ten steps a minute and she takes his chair as he is about to sit down on it?  He was even wearing his Navy Veterans cap.

Ok, deep breath.  By this time I was feeling like a very very poor caregiver, to get myself and Grandpa into such a big mess.  After he leaned on his cane and collected his strength for a bit, we managed to get to the lounge area, and a very nice lady invited us to sit at her table and gave her newspaper to Grandpa to read while I zipped through the show.  He sipped his hot tea and had a cherry danish and seemed happy enough to sit awhile.

I have to tell you, I don't think anyone has gone through a major quilt show as quickly as I did!  Honestly, this must be a world record, I am telling you.  There were awesome vendors (that I had to breeze by) and hundreds of spectacular quilts to see.  I did take a couple of photos, and even managed to stop long enough at a very special booth and make a purchase.

Isn't this the most breathtaking thing you ever saw?  The blocks are small, complex, fabulously made, beautifully quilted, and well, they are red and white (which makes this a perfect quilt).

This may be one of my favorite quilts ever.  I have no clue why there isn't a first prize ribbon hanging on it.  The picture above may be a bit blurry because I was running by as I snapped the shot.  lol

In one hour, we were back in the car, headed home. Grandpa was such a good sport, and no worse for the experience, but I definitely would not take an older or disabled person to an event like that again.

On the way out, I saw that the line to get in to buy tickets was blocks long.  As fool hardy as it may have been for me to subject Grandpa to the experience, at least we got there early and could get right in without an ordeal.  If you can, buy your tickets in advance before you go to a major quilt show, and avoid standing in line for an hour at the door!

Not much to share today.  Lots of drama going on at that little part time job of mine though.  Every morning I get a call around 10:00 from someone asking if I can come in.  Between illness and colleagues having hissy fits and huffing off home in a snit, I am picking up a lot of hours!  I'll be happy when I get the check next week, but man, do my feet hurt!  What is it about standing around for eight hours that makes ones feet ache?  I swear I am wearing my slippers the next time I have to work.  No one will notice, right?  If I wear really long pants?

Oh, and what is it about the After Christmas sales that bring out all the people who never enter a store the rest of the year?  Here I am struggling to move about 24 heavy sweaters on wooden hangers to a new clothes rod.  You can hardly see me over the mountain of sweaters I am carrying.  This woman says to me:  "Do you work here?"  Gee, what was your first clue, Lady?  And how about this, an old lady points at a purse we have on a shelf and says "Excuse me?  Excuse me Miss!!!  Did someone leave their purse here?"  Umm, no, that would be a purse we have for sale in our store.  That white thing would be the price tag...?  And my personal favorite, "Where are all the size Larges?"  Have you ever in your life been in a store where all the different sizes were in specific areas?  "Yes Ma'am.  The Smalls are all on the right side of the store, and all the Mediums are upstairs.  The Larges would be right there next to the cash register".  Good gravy, don't these people get out?

But, back to me...

Something very odd is going on with my eyes.  When I wake up in the morning they are all swollen and weepy.  I look like a prize fighter the day after the big fight.  Like my Grandma Agnes used to say, I have "a cold in my eyes".  No redness, so I don't think it is pink eye or conjunctivitis, but it is aggravating all the same.  I can't wear my usual eye makeup and look very pitiful and puny.

So, I am kinda miserable from top to bottom.

I have Wednesday off, so I plan to do some catching up with Thelma on our Belle Meade half square triangles, plus I am wanting to make more blocks for Shiloh.  And maybe I can convince my husband to take me to see Black Swan.  Has anyone seen it?  Reviews please!

We saw True Grit over the weekend, and I did enjoy it.  Very graphic violence in a few scenes though, which took this big baby by surprise.  Totally unnecessary.  The young actress who stars in the movie along with Matt Damon and Jeff Bridges was a real scene stealer.  Bet we see a lot  more of her!  Remember this name:  Hailee Steinfeld.

Thanks for all your kind wishes on my future grandchild!  Sara has updated her blog, The Winemaker's Wife, and has the baby's first picture on display!  It is kinda rattling around in there if you ask me.  Grow, Baby, Grow!  Grandma Nicki wants to play.

What Sort of Blog Do You Like?

 
First of all, this is not my Christmas tree, not my mantel, not my house.  Pretty picture though, huh?  Thought I hadn't better reveal too much about my personal situation.  My husband said to me at dinner yesterday,
"Say, you don't get too personal in your blog do you?  I mean, you don't talk about us, do you?"   He would freak out if he knew what I told you guys.

Yesterday I told the world that Sara was getting 10 presents and every one else in the family was getting 2 gifts each and that I needed to go shopping and get some gifts for the other members of the family.   Is that what you mean by too personal?  Lord, I hope I am not embarrassing myself by talking about such things.

Honestly, my blog is my personal life's journal, right?  I have to talk about what I am doing, don't I?  We all know life is about things outside of quilting.  How boring would it be if I had the sort of blog where I just showed "I made this, and I made this, and I made this."  (OK, that could be of interest--annoying though).  "Oh, and I bought this, and I bought that, and I am planning to buy that..."  Seriously.  I cannot abide blogs that are all about what someone bought, in particular.  Hello, are you ever going to actually MAKE something with that $6000 worth of fabric you are always telling us you have purchased?

I don't mean to be controversial, but really, come on now, what are these gals thinking when they just post on what they buy?  How interesting or creative is that?  Show me what you made, show me how you store it (!), show me at least some ideas you have as to what you think COULD be done with it.  Heck, tell me what you do for a living that lets you buy all that stuff.

What do you all think?  What sorts of blogs appeal to you?  Do you get tired of the ultimate bragging consumer type of post, as I do?  Do you like to feel as if you are getting to know the blogger and what her life is about, outside of what she buys?  Or, do you like to know that you have arrived at a quilting blog and that the blogger is going to stay on topic, gol darn it, come hell or high water?

 

No Resolution

Thank you to everyone who commented on Sara's issue with the long arm quilter who switched the backings on her two quilts.  I was amazed at the response from so many of you Long Arm Quilters who said you would do ANYTHING to make the situation right again for your customer, including picking out all the quilting and re-doing both quilts.  I even got a phone call from MY long arm quilter, offering to re-quilt Sara's quilts for free.  (Haven't I been telling you that Debbie is worth her weight in gold?).

Unfortunately, the long arm quilter who did Sara's projects was not so generous. 

She said she was very sorry.

And that was that.

No offer to make it right by re-doing the quilting.  No offer of a refund on the quilting price.   No offer of a reduction on the price of the third, yet to be quilted quilt.  

But she was very sorry.

So, Sara asked her to mail her back the remaining unquilted top and backing.  She expressed her disappointment in the service, in the waste of her time and materials, and by the apparent lack of concern regarding the major error that was committed.  And her shock that no compensation was offered.

Sometimes, "sorry" just isn't enough.

Added later:  Sara has no interest in "outing" this quilter, as many readers have suggested.  She has no vindictive feelings towards the woman and her business.  The quilter lives out in the middle of nowhere, and probably doesn't have many customers as it is.  And now she has one less.   So, what have we learned here?

When you first try a new quilter, ideally, it should be based on the recommendation of others who have used her services, not sight unseen.

Be very clear as to what materials are to be used with each quilt.  Perhaps make an inquiry as to how the quilter stores the customer's materials so they do not become mixed up.

Have a detailed conversation with the quilter regarding thread, quilting design, batting, etc.  If she isn't writing down some notes to keep with the quilt top, encourage her to do so.

To start out, just give the quilter one project and see how that goes.

What Would You Do?

Sara called me in a bit of a panic today.  You see, she had taken three quilts to a new quilter in her area, and had gotten two of them back.  The quilting was well done, and it was expensive to pay for the work.  She still has one quilt left to pick up and pay for.

Even though the quilting was well executed, there was a problem.  You see, the quilter had gotten the backings mixed up between the two quilts.

This quilt is going on the brown leather couch in Sara's living room.  This quilt was supposed to have a modern brown backing that coordinated with the April Cornell Sonnet fabrics.  (Sorry, the furry creature in the foreground is Remy.  He just had to be in the mix of things).

This quilt was meant for a baby (hence the Sandy Klop American Jane prints) and was to have the paler, more child like, green print backing.

She paid for the quilts, and when she got home, realized the error.  What would you do?  She still has one quilt left to pay for.  Should she tell the quilter of the mix up and ask for a reduction on the price of the third quilt?

She says she is very happy with the quilting, but is really bummed out about the backings being mixed up.  Obviously it isn't reasonable to have the quilting taken out and the backings swapped out.  Do you think some sort of monetary adjustment is in order or should she just live with the mistake?  Should she even tell the quilter that a mistake was made?

Tell us what your thoughts are.  Would you make a fuss?  Ask for some compensation on the  price of the third quilt?  Just live with it?  Would you go back to this quilter in the future?

Improvements

I loved hearing all about how you organize your recipes.  I think the binder idea is fantastic for all those great recipes we print off the Internet.  Allrecipes.com, epicurious.com, tastebook.com, Tasty Kitchen, and many wonderful food blogs are terrific sources for new cooking ideas and inspiration.  You can print off a recipe in an 8.5 by 11 inch format and if it works out for you, put it in a sheet protector in a binder that you can access any time you like.  And of course, we mustn't forget about those terrific little Post It flags that can be used to mark a recipe you love that is in a cookbook!

Today was a puttery sort of day around the house.  My husband installed all new towel bars in our bathroom, which nudged the look up considerably.  He also recently put in some new light fixtures, replacing our old and outdated shiny brass ones.  This is the one in our foyer, which I think is pretty classy. 

Not sure exactly why we continue to update the look of the house.  It seems that we will be putting off our move for at least a year.  Due to the combined facts that my husband got laid off his job again, and the miserable real estate market in our area, we have lost the opportunity to move nearer to our kids in Angels Camp.  For now anyway. And we lost the house on which we put the deposit.  Very sad news for sure, but better times will come.  Meanwhile, we sit in a very spiffily updated home near Monterey, CA.  (Where the temperatures have barely gotten above 65 all summer).  There is always something positive in every situation.

So, here's what I did today.  I had purchased two cute necklaces on sale recently, but felt that a shorter length would be more flattering on me.  With the idea that I could purchase some jewelry making implements and "findings" to alter my necklaces, I ventured off to Michael's.

Now, I am going to admit something, and many of you gasp in shock and horror at this revelation, but.... I do not care for Michael's.  At all.  In all the dozens of times I have either phoned them up with a question, or gone into the store in search of something, I have found the place to be extremely confusing, and the staff to be not only unknowledgeable about the merchandise, but flat out unhelpful.  So there.

After standing in some confusion for ten minutes or so in the jewelry section, I approached the girl at the cash register and asked if any help was available for that area.  Shortly, a pleasant enough woman approached me.  I explained that I wanted to buy a tool to use to shorten a metal chain and then to pry open those little circle thingies to add on a new clasp to the chain.  She knew even less than I did, and was only able to suggest that I read the labels on all the tools to get a clue.  That pretty much sums up my typical Michael's experience.  If anyone associated with Michael's reads this blog, let me suggest that you might want to try to be more like an Orchard Supply Hardware experience for your customers.  Hire or train your employees to actually understand the merchandise they are selling.

Well, I got off on a little tangent there didn't I?  Go on, go get a refill on your coffee or tea.  I'll move on.

I couldn't decide what tool or tools would do the job for me, so I ended up buying a little tool box for beaders that contained four different implements.  Surely that would do the trick.

The good news is, that using a combination of two of these implements indeed did work, and I was able to cut the chain and install a new clasp.  Ta da.  I did all by my ritty self.  Cutting the chain was hard work, and I didn't get it quite short enough.  That's why you see the little tail there on the circle end of the clasp. 

 

Mission accomplished, but, I should mention, that when I opened the plastic cover of my new tool box this happened:

Ooops.  Another note to Michael's:  maybe consider carrying better quality merchandise?  The bad news is, I have to go back to Michael's again for my refund.

Under the Deep Blue Sea

I have really switched gears with my Neptune quilt.  I started out with the idea that I would use mostly medium and dark fabrics, and not add in a lot of contrasting lights.  That was ok, but well, sorta dark overall.

Then my fabric guru suggested that maybe the addition of some lights would really add something nice to the mix.  And she kindly sent me a collection of six or seven mini polka dot fabrics to try out with my Nepture fabric.

Once I started playing with the fabrics, I discovered I much preferred the blocks with the lighter contrasting polka dots.  I ended up making many more blocks than the pattern called for, which gives me lots of options as to my layout.

I played around all day and stopped with this-- It isn't final by any means, but you get the idea of what the overall look will be.

One thing I learned is that I really do need a design wall.  I am assigning my husband that task, so we shall see what he comes up with. 

Anyway, I love the predominantly light "backgrounds", but think it is really interesting to mix up the placement of the "lights" and "darks" in the blocks.  Plus, I like the look of tossing in a low contrast darker block (a red/blue or a green/aqua) here and there for some spice.

I am going to pick up all these blocks, which are now spread out on the bed in the guest room, mix them up really well, and start all over again with my layout in a week or so.  Why do I have to wait a week?  Because I ran out of material for the setting triangles and had to order some online!  Blah.  I hate that.   

Speaking of ordering fabric online, and because I am feeling chatty, I want to share a recent experience with you.  If you don't like complaining or ranting of any kind, stop reading now.

I went online searching for some fabric that I had not bought enough of, but wanted to get before it was completely gone from the planet.  The fabric was the French map fabric from one of the Fig Tree groups.  Patisserie, I think.  I found  a shop that claimed they had 5 yards of it.  Sarah's Fabrics in Lawrence, Kansas.  I ordered it and paid with my credit card.  Full price, not on sale.

Then I got an email from the shop owner, saying they only had 2 1/4 yards, did I want that?  Guess they don't update their website all that frequently.  I would hate to think that they advertise that they have more of a certain fabric on purpose, but now I am not so sure.  I said I would take the lesser amount, and to please credit my card.

Oh, no, sorry, said the shop owner.  Can't do that.  Would you like to order something else, since your card has already been charged for 5 yards of fabric?  Um, no, I would not.  After some argument, she said "We will issue you a refund check".  Huh?  If you can take my card for a purchase why can't you take the same card for a refund?

Shop owner emails me back to say fabric has been sent, refund check will follow "shortly".  This was May 30. 

I received the fabric promptly, but it has been 10 days and there is no sign of a refund check.  So I emailed the owner again, who I had been corresponding with.  She said she was "on vacation", and no one else at the shop had the authority to issue a refund check.  Then she proceded to *blame her staff* for not telling me she was on vacation and the check would be delayed.  Excuse me? 

So, I got cranky and emailed her that she was wrong to blame her staff, it was she herself who had been dealing with me, and she herself who indicated the refund would come "shortly", and she herself who made no mention of a delay due to any vacation.  And when the heck could I expect my refund?  And that they had misrepresented themselves with me from the get go.  And that in this economy, I was surprised that customer service was not a higher priority for their small business.  And that with all the fabric purchasing I do online, I have never experienced anything like this.

Guess what?  She emailed me back and said I should phone the shop and her staff will issue a refund to my credit card that I used to make the purchase in the first place.  She had originally stated she would refund a portion of the shipping charge as well, but now was not willing to do that.

Can you believe it?  Have you any argument in defense of this bone headed shop owner?  Please, if you can see her side of things in any way shape or form, explain it to me.

This and That

Gosh, I struck a nerve with my post yesterday.  Nobody likes spending a boatload of money on a quilt that has poorly written and non-tested instructions!  I think Lisa D hit the nail on the head when she said she suspected a lot of shops plan out their patterns on EQuilter and never bother to make a sample or test out the instructions.  I was surprised at how many of you told me that you had similar experiences with your Web Sampler projects.  The one I signed up for was two years ago in 2008.  I know they are still doing them and wonder if things have improved?

Di asked me if I had contacted the shop owner to give him/her my feedback.  I haven't.  Do you think that it is a good idea to do that, even after all that time?  I just figured that that particular shop wouldn't get any more of my business and that I would not be doing another Web Sampler.  Maybe money talks louder than words?

I do want to state emphatically that not all Block of the Month projects are like my Web Sampler experience.  I have participated in several BOMs that were sponsored by The Fatquartershop, and those projects have all been perfect.  Instructions written clearly, color pictures with each block so you don't get mixed up about what fabric to use where, perfect finishing kits.  And once, when I screwed up a block (no fault of the instructions, just me not paying attention) I blogged about my wasting the block fabric, and a Fatquartershop employee read my blog.  And emailed me to say she was sending me the materials to re-do the block.  Talk about service!  Will I do another BOM from Fatquartershop?  You betcha.  Those guys are beyond a doubt the very best at providing the quality fabric, patterns and tools that we all want, and their customer service is unparalleled.  I cannot say enough about how great that shop is!  I have done business with them for years and years and have never had the slightest problem.

Well.  I have been feeling better this week (Hallelujah!) and have gotten into my sewing room to make some assessments of the UFO situation.  I am uncovering a gold mine of hidden unfinished projects.  Look at this one!   Tip of the iceberg...

It is a summery April Cornell fabric from a year or so ago, and an adorable Schnibble called Four Corners!  I have most of the blocks made and could finish this up in an afternoon.  If I had one.  Anyway, how cute is that going to be as a summer picnic cloth?  Hey A Quilting Life and Pink Pincushion!  How about picking this pattern for one of your monthly A Year of Schnibbles so I can say I got one done?  lol

Just wait until tomorrow when I show you a another quilt project I started and put away!!  I actually made all the blocks, cute as can be, and never put the top together.  A color combination that is atypical of Nicole, but simply wonderful.  Very Parisienne, tres tres chic.

Take the High Road

Did that make you smile?  Well good. 

That's how I am feeling this week.  Like I need a helmet or a coat of armor or thicker skin or something to protect me from all unpleasantness and misfortune.  I've been having some issues with a Difficult Person that I work with.   We've all been there.  There is always one character in the work place that can make things miserable for everyone else.  So, what is the best technique for handling these people?  DPs let's call them.

DPs come in all shapes and forms, and all forms are toxic.  A toxic coworker can take the form of a cut-you-downer, a two-faced backstabber, a gossip, a meddler, an instigator, or a nasty competitor.  My personal demon is a two faced backstabber and put-downer.  Impossible to have a even a simple exchange of information with this person without them becoming defensive or blaming.  The sort of person who,when they have an issue with you emails you their displeasure and cc's everyone else in the organization.  Ouch is right. 

So how do you handle it?  Ignore them?  Kill them with kindness?  In my opinion, the thing that must happen first is that you address the problem directly with the DP.  Ignoring the tension will not ever work.  It won't go away, believe me.  You must address it.  Confront the person who is bedeviling you and if face to face communication doesn't work, take it to a higher authority.  Do not let it fester.  If you do, you could become so angry that you may do or say something out of anger that you will really regret later.  If you are so darn mad that you are irrational, you will certainly not be in shape to solve the problem with any control or clarity.  You must practice self control.  Anything you do that is out of line will be used against you.

You also don't want to make your issue public.  If you are always complaining to anyone who will listen that so and so is making your life miserable, you will soon be perceived as a whiney baby who can't solve their own problems.  Plus it is embarrassing to be in such a situation.  Above all, do not air your differences in a public format such as a staff meeting.  If you lose your temper in public, no one will ever take you seriously again.

You must be respectful, no matter how impossible that approach seems.  Listen to what the DP has to say, even if it seems a waste of time.  Their perception is their reality, no matter how whacko that is.  Be as kind as you can.  Communicate clearly.

In my situation, I have decided to take the High Road.  After I told the individual that their attitude towards me left much to be desired, I proposed some steps I was prepared to take to endeavor to mitigate the tension between us.  I expressed the desire that this DP would extend the same courtesy to me.  So far I haven't had any response to that olive branch.  However, there has been an exchange of information that was needed to facilitate a project, so that was good.  And I didn't even point out her rude and defensive tone...

I have involved my boss, so she is aware of the situation and what I am doing to try to solve it.  Funny, it turns out that I am not the first person in the corporation that this DP has had interpersonal problems with.  See what I mean?  They are everywhere.

Be careful out there.  It is Friday the Thirteenth after all.