Porsche Take Me Away

I'm leaving in a sports car, don't know when I'll be back again. Oh, Babe, I'm glad to go. LOL A little poetic license there. I'm taking a road trip to Charleston to visit a friend and then we are driving to Atlanta. Yay, us. I'll be back next month. Does anyone know any quilty shops in Charleston or Atlanta?

In the meantime, Happy Quilting.

ta ta for now :) Yuki

Susan won the books

Susan from SewManyThingsToSay won the books from this past weeks giveaway. So Susan, send me your snail mail info and I will get those books out asap.

As a follow up on my previous post about misfortunes in shopping, I wanted to thank everyone who emailed and/or commented. I was a very loyal customer of that shop and to be honest my feelings were hurt.

July 1998, I moved from the Washington, DC metro area to San Francisco. I had to come back to DC one week out of every month for business. I made it a point to stop at that store to shop every time. I buy fabric whenever I travel but I really did make a special effort to visit that shop. Anyway, I did that until Jan 2000, when I moved back to the DC area.

I sent my Stitch and Bitch group an email about my experience and one of the members tsk tsk the whole thing and cc'd the store. One of the store owners sent me a very nice email and promised me a gift certificate as well as a new punch card. Well, imagine my surprise when I found a very generous gift certificate and a full punch card in today's mail.

So maybe I'll got back after all.

I have no pictures to post. I've been washing and ironing fabric. Boring!

I'm making those star blocks that are the BOM from the Quilt Show. There are a million half square triangles used to make those stinkin' stars. Now I love star blocks, but good grief, why use so many half square triangles when you can make flying geese blocks. There are so many **** seams, that cross each other that they were driving me nuts. When you have 8 seams crossing at the same point, they do not lie flat for anything. I steamed those blocks to death to get them to lie flat and they won't. Then to add insult to injury, when I measured the finished block, it was a quarter inch short in all directions.

Now, I sew a scant quarter inch. I know because I always check.

So, the next block, I decided that I wasn't going to do all those **** half square triangles. I re-worked the pattern so that they would be as few seams as possible. Smart! huh?!? Well, I still had a couple places where too many seams crossed but not nearly as bad as the first block. I used lots of steam to get this sucker to lie flat and I still was not happy. I measured this block and again, it's a quarter inch short.

I'm getting pretty pissed off and can't figure out what is going on. I make another half square triangle to test. Measure twice cut once. Finger press, measure, everything looks fine. Press again, with lots of steam and measure and it's a hair or 2 shorter. I am using the Kaufman Fusions for these blocks and it's shrinking due to all that steam. Can you believe it?

So, rather than continue on, I washed all that fabric. There are 11 yards of beige, plus another 22 yards of colors. The pattern said to use a half yard of this color and a quarter yard of this color, which is similar but not exact. Anyway, they had like 30 colors. I could only find 22 that I liked and I bought 1 yard pieces. I think this is an awful lot of fabric for a quilt that is supposed to finish 84 inches. Is this insane or what? Anyway, I'm thinking that someone goofed somewhere but I would hate to run out when I am halfway through. At the rate, I am going on BOM's, I won't know until sometime in 2014. Kaufman may not even be making Fusions anymore.

I kept some 2.5 inch strips aside to compare against the washed and pressed fabric and there really is a noticeable difference. But, I still love the way the Fusions look. Even after washing, the colors are still true. From a distance these fabrics seem to glow. I'd thoroughly recommend them.

So that is my rant for the day.

ttfn :) Yuki

Misfortunes in Fabric Shopping

I had an unfortunate experience yesterday at Capital Quilts in Gaithersburg and I guess I'm interested in reading other people's opinions.

This store had been my favorite for many, many years. Over the years, I have spent way too many $$$ there. I was there Sunday, with Jane and bought well over $100 in fabric. I had purchased 5 yards of a particular beige for the background of a quilt that I am making for an online BOM.

I got home and found that the instructions require 10.5 years of background fabric. That seemed like an awful lot but I stewed about it and decided to bite the bullet and go back to and buy the additional fabric. Better too much than not enough. I certainly don't want to get into September and run out.

Anyway, I took a swatch with me to match and apparently did not do a good job. I picked up the wrong bolt and asked for 6 yards. The lady cutting looked at the swatch also and said that they matched. 2 sets of eyes are supposed to be better than one. Wouldn't you think that someone working in the store would be more familiar with what they had in stock? I also bought another 4 yards of other stuff while I was there.

I paid for the fabric and went to the bathroom. Right next to the bathroom, I saw the fabric that was a match. I brought the new bolt to the counter and asked to exchange. They said no.

I couldn't believe it. I've been a good customer for years. I was upset. One of the owners of the store was there and said it looks like I am drowning in beige. I was not amused. As I stood there at the counter, I looked at the fabric that I did buy and noticed a flaw. I pointed it out to the lady behind the register and she said, 'What do you want me to do about it?'. I was stunned and said I didn't know. Well, the lady walked away as I just stood there. I waited a few minutes and she was off in another area of the store sorting fabric. Did I say I was stunned?

I picked up my stuff and left. I was totally pissed! I drove a couple blocks away and fumed and came back to the store. I had a punch card from that store that was almost full, worth $26. I really did want the other beige that did match.

I got another 6 yards of the beige that did match, used my punch card, and charged the balance on my visa card. They wanted to give me another punch card. I told them to give it to someone else. They got me for about $300 this week but I will never spend another dime there.

Now my question to you is, How hard would it have been to take the 6 yards of fabric and make a swap? How many times have you been to a quilt store and have seen multiple pieces of the same fabric on one bolt? I didn't think this would have been a big deal. They were both very similar in color and the same price. Is this worth losing a good customer over? Was I being unreasonable?

At any rate, this experience put my ego in check. I was arrogant enough to think that my loyal patronage was worth something. Silly me.

ttfn :) Yuki

Quilt Label Books to Giveaway

I am giving away all these books next week. Just post before Monday and you will be entered.

The quilt label books have great suggestions on how to make labels for your quilts.

The blogging book has really nice pictures. I think any blogger would enjoy this.

So post a comment and I will have Snowflake or one of the other Mainers chose a winner. All folks who posted this week will be entered into the drawing.

ttfn :) Yuki

Zlaty from ZlatySews awarded me this Blogger award! Thank you very much, Zlaty! She has a great blog. I enjoy her pictures and seeing what she is up to. She is a recent winner of one of my Mariner Compass block kits. I'm anxious to see her finished work.

I have to pass this award to 7 other bloggers:

Victoria over at BumbleBeans, Inc
Marj over at Eclectic Quilter
Wanda over at Exuberant Color
Jackie over at Canton Village Quiltworks
Abbe over at Copper Patch
Jenny over at Elfantz
Sue over at Alderwood Quilts

I'm also supposed to tell you 7 things that you don't already know about me. You folks probably already know more than you care to but here goes:

1 I have an adult daughter. Yes, I know, I am much too young. LOL
2 My daughter has 3 adorable boys. Can you believe it?
3 I drive a sporty car when the weather cooperates. When it doesn't, I drive an old raggety SUV truck.
4 I love to travel. I want to see the world.
5 I'm a makeup junkie. I can apply false eyelashes in a flash.
6 I love, love, love shoes, especially high heels with open toes.
7 I'm an avid reader. I'll read just about anything.

A guy I was used to be friends with, told me his favorite book was Confederacy of Dunces. He gave it to me as a gift and it was so thick and long!!! The characters were borish idiots. I did not like the book and kept waiting for it to get better. It did not. I could not figure out what this guy saw in that awful book.

Another friend gave me the Poisonwood Bible. It was so depressing. I kept waiting for it to get better. It did not.

Someone else recommended a Long Walk in the Woods by that Bryson guy, can't remember his name. The main character wanted to walk the Appalachian Trail. I cannot understand why anyone would, when there are perfectly good hotels. I also do not get camping. Anyway, the guy had a tough time finding someone to walk with him. He finally found an unemployed acquaintance to go along but did not seem to really like him. The companion was a lazy somebody. I kept waiting for these guys to have some kind of fist fight and give up and go home. It was not a fun read.

I recently finished Dear John by Nicholas Sparks. You can imagine the tone of the story from the title. Like most Sparks books, it takes place in North Carolina, near the beach. It was an enjoyable read, bittersweet. There are a couple lines that really touched me. If you've ever been in love, these might ring something in you, too.

The female leads writes, "When I close my eyes, I see your face; when I walk, it's almost as if I can feel your hand in mine. Those things are still real to me, but where they once brought comfort, now they leave me with an ache." That guy really gets it. I wonder if he is single. LOL

ttfn :) Yuki

Winners

Snowflake picked Marls to win the golf fabric and Carolyn S to receive the Mariners Compass block kit. So send me your snail mail info and I will get those packages in the mail asap.

This is what was left of the snow last week. I'm happy to say that it's all gone now. It's been a dreary rainy couple of days here which has caused some flooding in lower areas.


Had a great time Saturday at Stitch and Bitch. I worked on my Baltimore Bunny applique quilt. I'm on block 7. Yay! This BOM was started February 2008 at Sew it Goes in Laurel, where I met Jane. We became fast friends. Jane has completed all her blocks and appliqued all the borders. She's nearly finished with her BOM. She hosted S&B and made yummy brownies, chocolate covered strawberries and we had ice cream for desert. I don't remember what we ate for lunch. LOL You can see where my priorities lie.

I really enjoy sitting around with my quilty friends sewing and talking about stuff. Of course, having chocolate never hurts.

I was able to spend some time in my sewing room last week. I made these house blocks for V over at Bumble Beans. She needs more house blocks, so take a look if you are so inclined.

I also worked on my pastel quilt. You may remember these blocks which I ended up taking apart. Snowflake seemed to like it ok. I think, now it looks more like a pastel quilt rather than a white quilt.

Ok, maybe in this picture, it still looks like a white quilt, but in person, I think it looks better.

This week I am giving away some cute little books that I bought sometime ago about labels. There is also a book about blogging. It has nice pictures. Post if you'd like to win these books. I'll send them all to one lucky winner. Or post if you feel like it. I really do enjoy reading your comments.

ttfn :) Yuki

I'm Tired

Have you ever been so tired that you just didn't want to think about anything and just totally veg? I worked so hard these last few months, my brain is tired.

I've been looking forward to taking this month off but spent the first week recovering or trying to recover. Spent 1 day preparing for a business meeting and another day having the business meeting, 2 days running errands and another day fighting with my insurance company about the damage on my house.


There were leaks every where. Here is Silas checking out a bucket of water. Yes, the bucket did fill and Silas did knock it over. What a mess!!




Luckily, the insurance company did send someone out with these huge dehumidifiers to dry out the house. Snowflake really liked them. They were very loud and they vibrated. She would lay on them for hours at a time. There were 3 of these huge monsters on the main floor of my house. It was so loud, that I could not sleep with them on. I had to turn them off.


The estimate for the house itself was ok, I think but they did not include the motion activated outdoor light fixture that was ripped out of the wall or the damage done to the deck. Good thing I had pictures! I have to call them again because the wood specified on for the deck is not defined as being pressure treated. Who builds a wood deck and does not use some kind of treated wood? That just does not make any sense.
Can you see my nosey kitties looking out the sliding glass door?


I finally had time to spend in my sewing room this weekend. I found another Mariners Compass block, if anyone wants one, please post.


I have some golf theme fabric that I would like to give away if anyone is interested. Silas likes it. I have 2 yards of the dark and 1 yard of the light. Post if you are interested.

This is a picture of a RR quilt that I did in 1998. I moved cross country with the x for his job. My father had just died and didn't know anyone in San Francisco where we were moving. I found a lady on the internet, who lived in Canada, who wanted to start a Round Robin group. I think there were 6 of us. I remember 1 lady lived in France, 1 in Maine, 2 in Australia. We followed a book called Rounds of Friendship. This quilt was a year in making but it's one of my treasures. I just love it.

I love hearing from you folks. Post if you want to win the Mariners Compass block kit or the golf fabric. I'll have one of the kitties choose a winner Sunday.

ttfn :) Yuki