I've been doing a lot of looking around at all the different quilt shops online, and I'm amazed at the variety of styles and service out there! To be honest, I'm not sure I would ever buy quilting materials online, just because the sheer variety of shops and the uncertainty of ordering from someone you've never met is so intimidating! It has given me a new found appreciation for all of you who order from me online. Thank you for your business and your confidence in my abilities. I hope I can live up to it! Now, I thought I'd tell you what happens when you place an order from my online shop. I know that I would like to know just who I'm ordering from, so maybe this will help you all out too!
When an order comes through my website, I get an email notification of it. Since I'm online constantly, at home or at the shop, I always see these within an hour. If I happen to be away, my Mom is online just as much as I am, and she sees it and tells me. Orders late Saturday through Monday will be sent out Monday (and are often packaged by me in my pajamas). You'll receive a shipment confirmation upon shipment.
If it's a business day before 4pm, I try my hardest to get the order out that day. Our mail leaves town at 4:15, and quite a few days I've been at the Post Office counter at 4:14 dropping off packages! Our postmaster probably wants to run away when she sees me coming! If it's a Saturday, I have a harder time getting it out same day, because the counter's only open for 1 hour, I can never seem to remember which hour that is, the mail leaves earlier than during the week, plus I'm usually working at the shop alone Saturday. These days, my husband usually gets to be the post office runner.
If you order more of something than I have in stock, I might do one of several things. It it's fabric, I will send whatever's left if that's what you indicate on the order. I may call you if you've indicated "cancel short items," to be sure you don't want it, especially when I'm only short by a small amount. If it's a pattern or book or notion, I'll probably contact you and say I don't have it, or that I will have it within a week. I absolutely hate not being able to fill an order, but it does occasionally happen. The website has grown enormously with my inventory, and since it's just me and my sister and mom who do maintenance, we occasionally miss removing something when it sells out.
Now for shipping costs. The domestic costs are for the most part correct at checkout. International costs are more unpredictable. If you need an exact quote before checkout, just call or email and I can get it right away for you. If I can send it for less, I will, as long as it won't take a lot longer to get to you, and as long as I feel it's safe to do so. I prefer to send USPS Priority in order to have tracking capability, but I will send something first class if it saves a lot of shipping costs for you.
If you receive a damaged shipment, I do my best to replace it immediately. This has only happened twice, ever. I can almost always send you a replacement immediately, and if not, refund your purchase.
I often send a snack pack of almonds with your order, as long as the small added weight doesn't change shipping costs. I don't put these in with international shipments, since I'm not sure about the rules of sending edibles, and don't want the post office police knocking on my door!
If you have any questions about an item or a fabric, don't hesitate to ask before ordering! I can send you samples by mail of fabrics, and I can answer any questions about particular products or patterns. I also welcome special requests and can usually order in patterns and notions I don't currently have. It never hurts to ask! (Unless you're asking What's so crazy about me?, Where's my shop hop bunny?, or how old I am!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Basket BOM 1-3
Here are the first three basket blocks for the new Block of the Month, planning to start in July. There are 12 blocks, set on point with sashing and setting triangles. $5/ block, finishing kit for sashing, setting triangles, and 2 borders will be about $28.00. Finished size is about 60x70ish.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Weekly Happenings
My week of quiet afternoon bliss is half over, and it's going by way too fast! My kids are in Vacation Bible School through Friday this week, leaving my afternoons nicely peaceful. Here's what I've been trying to accomplish:
Today I started piecing a shop sample of a new block of the month I hope to have finished in time to begin in July. I'll post pics of the blocks soon, the first 3 are done. They're baskets made with reproduction prints from Wee Play. Baskets are everywhere these days! The best part is that it's only $5/month!
I'm quilting my brains out this week, and getting nowhere fast. There's still a couple of quilts I'm determined to finish before the shop hop next week.
I still need to make copies for the hop next week, and get organized in general. That's part of tomorrow's list, along with starting the Birdie Sling and finishing the Sunday Dinner Apron.
Tomorrow I'll be ordering a few prints designed by Kaffe Fassett. These are perfect large prints for some future projects I'm planning.
In between everything else, I'm praying for some sunshine. Even if I have to wear snow boots, I'm determined to go to the lake this weekend.
Today I started piecing a shop sample of a new block of the month I hope to have finished in time to begin in July. I'll post pics of the blocks soon, the first 3 are done. They're baskets made with reproduction prints from Wee Play. Baskets are everywhere these days! The best part is that it's only $5/month!
I'm quilting my brains out this week, and getting nowhere fast. There's still a couple of quilts I'm determined to finish before the shop hop next week.
I still need to make copies for the hop next week, and get organized in general. That's part of tomorrow's list, along with starting the Birdie Sling and finishing the Sunday Dinner Apron.
Tomorrow I'll be ordering a few prints designed by Kaffe Fassett. These are perfect large prints for some future projects I'm planning.
In between everything else, I'm praying for some sunshine. Even if I have to wear snow boots, I'm determined to go to the lake this weekend.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Projects Update
Here's a picture of the just finished Blossom.
My sister pieced the top for me. What's that, you say? You want to know why "Blossom" is in MY to do list on the left? Oh, didn't I tell you? I'm changing the name of that list from "Current Projects" to "Projects I might attempt, but will finally just con my family and friends into piecing for me."
If you like our quilt, you'll need 2 Dandelion Girl layer cakes, plus yardage for the sashing and borders. We used the Snow Moda Bella Solid instead of making a scrappy sashing, so it took about 1.75 yards total of the Snow solid.
My sister pieced the top for me. What's that, you say? You want to know why "Blossom" is in MY to do list on the left? Oh, didn't I tell you? I'm changing the name of that list from "Current Projects" to "Projects I might attempt, but will finally just con my family and friends into piecing for me."
If you like our quilt, you'll need 2 Dandelion Girl layer cakes, plus yardage for the sashing and borders. We used the Snow Moda Bella Solid instead of making a scrappy sashing, so it took about 1.75 yards total of the Snow solid.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Never Old Enough
What's the saying? "Never Too Old?" Well, not in my case. In my case, it's "Never Old Enough." And just in case I get off topic and start ranting and raving, which I'm prone to do on this topic, the moral of this story is "Do not ask me how old I am. No matter how young I appear, it just makes you rude."
I've been dealing with a complex about my age since about 2nd grade. I skipped first grade, so from 2nd grade on I was a year younger than my "peers." I was labeled as the youngest one in the class, and I wasn't old enough for certain things at the same time my classmates were, like Driver's Ed.
Then, I had to deal with years of rude people who think it's perfectly acceptable to comment on my age in relation to my children. As a result, "Wow, you were young!" or "How old were you?" make me want to reach out and strangle someone. I'm perfectly aware of how old I am and was, I don't need everyone else to remind me.
At least they stopped asking, and just when that problem seemed to be going away, (which I took as a sign of my ever increasing wrinkles and gray hair), a new age issue has cropped up. What could I possibly still not be old enough for, you ask? Why, quilting, of course! Now, it seems, I am not "old enough" to own a quilt shop. Strangers everywhere have taken my business ownership as an opportunity to once again utter that fateful question, "How old are you?"
Until now, I've always been truthful. Age matters so little to me these days that I often have to stop and think before I answer. But I do answer, because any comment I can come up with would just be rude. And I am not the rude party in this exchange! God help the next person to come up and ask me how old I am. They'd better hope I woke up on the right side of the bed that morning, or they should fear for their life. And if I did wake up on the right side of the bed? I'm going to tell them I'm 34 or 43 or 38 and let them figure it out for themselves! (I'm 26, in case you're wondering. There, now you don't have to be rude.)
I've been dealing with a complex about my age since about 2nd grade. I skipped first grade, so from 2nd grade on I was a year younger than my "peers." I was labeled as the youngest one in the class, and I wasn't old enough for certain things at the same time my classmates were, like Driver's Ed.
Then, I had to deal with years of rude people who think it's perfectly acceptable to comment on my age in relation to my children. As a result, "Wow, you were young!" or "How old were you?" make me want to reach out and strangle someone. I'm perfectly aware of how old I am and was, I don't need everyone else to remind me.
At least they stopped asking, and just when that problem seemed to be going away, (which I took as a sign of my ever increasing wrinkles and gray hair), a new age issue has cropped up. What could I possibly still not be old enough for, you ask? Why, quilting, of course! Now, it seems, I am not "old enough" to own a quilt shop. Strangers everywhere have taken my business ownership as an opportunity to once again utter that fateful question, "How old are you?"
Until now, I've always been truthful. Age matters so little to me these days that I often have to stop and think before I answer. But I do answer, because any comment I can come up with would just be rude. And I am not the rude party in this exchange! God help the next person to come up and ask me how old I am. They'd better hope I woke up on the right side of the bed that morning, or they should fear for their life. And if I did wake up on the right side of the bed? I'm going to tell them I'm 34 or 43 or 38 and let them figure it out for themselves! (I'm 26, in case you're wondering. There, now you don't have to be rude.)
I'm No Kim Diehl
Unfortunately, it's true. I officially stink at applique. Invisible machine applique at least. Turns out I arrived at that class completely unprepared. I know what to do, but my mind wasn't in the right place and I didn't have a few very helpful tools that I should have. Looks like my applique project is getting put on the back burner for, oh, let's say......a few months......at least.
In order to make finishing my project even possible, I've ordered in a few new tools for the shop. Check them out under Notions. They work great for other things as well, but if you're thinking about applique, you must have the Europro Iron, the Omnigrid Foldaway, the Collins Glue, and the Perfect Circles!
In order to make finishing my project even possible, I've ordered in a few new tools for the shop. Check them out under Notions. They work great for other things as well, but if you're thinking about applique, you must have the Europro Iron, the Omnigrid Foldaway, the Collins Glue, and the Perfect Circles!
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