Wednesday, February 15, 2012

This is What I Was Going For!

Ta Da!
This is what I was going for!  It makes a really neat optical illusion when everything is placed correctly.

 

Many of you thought that the bottom row of pinwheels was incorrect; but, they were actually correct.  Every first row has the pin-wheels going one way; and, every second row has the pinwheels going the other way.  However, every first row SHOULD have had the 16-patches rotated a quarter turn so that the whites matched up and the colours matched up.  Now that is not to say that you couldn't have it the other way - with the colour to the white and the whit to the colour - but I really wanted it to "float" like this.  What do you think?  Do you like it?  I think that the other way would be really nice too (hmm maybe another leaders and enders project??) but I really like how the HST and the squares kind of look like spools this way.  Tilt your head when you look at the picture and maybe you'll see what I mean.

6 of you guessed correctly that it was the 16-patches that were out of place.  Most of you thought that I was going for the other setting though and not this one but that's ok!  The pattern was in my head.  So using a random number generator I pulled #2!!

haddie has left a new comment on your post "A Request and a Challenge!":

well I say Nothing Because if your consistent in the mistake then maybe it was meant to be!.. But if I had to guess the 16 patch should be turned so the one white square does not end up in the middle of the White triangles... Lovely work!!! Leaders and enders? And I also try to only buy Cnd as the shipping is horrible. 

Haddie you are the winner!!!  Congratulations!

And on another note I thought that I would share with you the outcome of the crazy shipping quote!  I contacted the designer and quoted the shipping charge to her and she was shocked!  She had no idea that her shipping charge to Canada was coming up like that and immediately worked to change it.  She was absolutely lovely in her e-mails to me and thanked me for letting her know.  Needless to say I have now ordered the pattern I wanted and have paid a much more reasonable $3.45 shipping charge.  

All's well that ends well!

So, my Canadian friends, when you get a crazy quote like that please DO let the company know - they might not be aware that something like this is occurring!  And, my US pattern/template/product designers/sellers, please check your shipping costs to Canada because you might just be losing business if your shipping charges are outrageous!

It's great when everything works out in the end isn't it?

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

A Request and a Challenge!

Hey all!

I have a little request for retailers in the USA.  I'm a Canadian, as most of you know, and a quilter.  I do try to purchase things from the US via the mail and I have to say that a lot of US retailers make it hard on your northern neighbors :-(  Today I wanted to purchase a really cute pattern from a small US company.  The pattern cost was $9.00.  I went ahead and put it in my shopping cart and filled in my information and pressed check out.  This is the total I got including shipping (I copied and pasted it here):

Order Summary

1 XXXXXXX pattern $9.00
Subtotal $9.00
Shipping (Priority Mail International® Flat Rate) $32.95
Tax $0.00
Order Total $41.95

Billing Information

Katrina Chapman
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Canada

 I've blanked out the company and the pattern name etc for privacy reasons but I just wanted to call your attention to the fact that my shipping cost for 1 (as in one) single pattern was $32.95!!!!!!!!!!!!  No other shipping options were listed.  I sent an e-mail off to the company notifying them of this outrageous shipping charge and I hope to hear back from them about it.

This is not the first time this has happened to me.  A while ago I wanted to purchase a template that was $5.00 on the website.  The shipping for one small template was quoted to me as $15.00.  Needless to say I didn't purchase the template.  Another time it was a self-published $20.00 book that the shipping quote came up as $48.00.  I just don't believe that shipping should double, triple and quadruple the cost of the item itself.

Why am I writing this?  Because if you have a small pattern writing company or product company you may be losing a lot of potential sales to customers in other countries because of crazy shipping quotes.  How many other non-US customers took a look at the pattern/template/book loved it and wanted to buy it and saw the shipping amount and simply did not purchase and did not notify the company directly.  I'd say most of them - probably.  So for everyone's sake make sure that your shipping costs are accurate or that you have us mail you for a quote if you that isn't feasible.

Alrighty!  Off of my soapbox LOL!!!

Here's my challenge to you!

Can you see the mistake I made in this quilt top?  Here's a hint - I was consistent in this mistake.  I have now ripped the top apart and have re-pieced it but I thought it might be fun to see if you can spot the mistake. 


All the correct answers will put into a hat and a winner will be drawn for a a little prize from me!  now don't cheat and look at the replies before you guess!!

Have fun!

Friday, February 10, 2012

Winding Ways

I decided to play a bit today!

I got out a die that I have never used before, The Winding Ways die, and I pulled out some red and cream fat quarters I've had sitting around for a while.  I thought about making the pattern that came with the die but I really didn't like the way that the two prints worked together so I pulled out this cream print instead and I think I like it.


What do you think?  Maybe the lighter print in the middle with the darker red around the outside as a border?  I think I might just have to get cutting up the cream print and piece the blocks and decide later.  Sometimes I really like to work like that - just decide as I go along instead of pre-planning everything - it can be fun.  It can be frustrating too LOL!  But, it can be fun.

That said - if you'd like 22 free patterns from Accuquilt you can grab them here!


22 Free Patterns - Download Now

So are you a planner or do you decide as you go along?

Monday, February 06, 2012

I'm Back!

I'm Back!  

Did you miss me?  If you belong to my Facebook page I announced that I was going to Cuba for a week with family - and we had a great time!  Great music, great food, great people - what could be better??  Oh ya, I got to go swimming with dolphins!!  Yey - that was so much fun!

 

Aren't they cute??! I just loved the whole week but this was a highlight for me so I thought that I would share.  I will definitely be going back to Cuba again - it was just the nicest tropical vacation I have ever had.

 

Before I left, I managed to get this quilt completely finished and bound and onto our bed.  It only took from 2007 to 2012 to finish from start to finish LOL.  Ok I DID put it away from 2007 to 2011 so some of those years don't really count right?

I just thought that I would check in with you all and let you know that I am still around and that I am back safe and sound from my Cuban vacation.

Happy Quilting All!

2022 Christmas T-Shirt Quilt Gift

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