Can you believe this is the last week of March already? We're getting dangerously close to Christmas, which should be here sometime early next week. Or so it seems.
This week I've finished a few projects or at least parts of projects. I finished quilting and binding the Flying Colors quilt for the Quilts for Quilters swap. I'll be putting this one in the mail to my swap partner within the next few days.
This is frustrating me a little bit as often happens with "all-inclusive" blocks of the month. The kit was to include "all cottons" and "all floss". When I received the kit, there was no blue floss. The online store wrote to say they were mailing the blue floss, but some two weeks later, I still haven't received it. Not to worry, I had some left over from another project, and so I used that. Even if it doesn't match, I doubt it will make a difference from block to block.
Also, there was to be fabric included for the block borders, but none came in the original mailing. I wrote to inquire whether "all cottons" being included meant that I was to be supplying my own fabrics for the block borders. The reason given for not including them with this stitchery was that the packages were getting too large. (Huh?) The fabrics are supposed to be included with the second mailing which should go out today. I've already pulled fabrics from my own stash to use, and so I might stick with what I have and, assuming the promised fabric actually arrives, I might just put that into my stash.
What do you think about this? When a kit is supposed to be all-inclusive, does it frustrate you when parts are left out and promised later? For example, the Home is Where the Heart Is quilt was a block of the month also. It began in January, and I received the January and February blocks in order. Then the mailings skipped to the May block. Somehow I thought a block of the month that goes through the months of the year and starts in January would have me working on the block that went with the month I was in. Maybe I'm just too picky. And maybe if I'm going to participate in blocks of the month, I should expect these sorts of things.
I suppose I can look on this as an opportunity to practice patience. Being organized has always been a strength of mine, and so I'm easily frustrated when the disorganization of others affects me. Life is short. Deep breath. Relax. This is definitely "small stuff."
This week I've finished a few projects or at least parts of projects. I finished quilting and binding the Flying Colors quilt for the Quilts for Quilters swap. I'll be putting this one in the mail to my swap partner within the next few days.
The quilt really is square, but I was standing on a bar stool to take this image, and I held the camera sort of cattywampus. This one was free motion quilted on my domestic sewing machine, and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Here's an image of the quilt motif I used:
With that finished, I turned my attention to finishing the top-stitching for the December block on the Home is Where the Heart Is quilt. That was the last block I needed to do, and yesterday I was able to sew all the quilt blocks together. Today, I'm hoping to get at least the first border sewn on, and to get started on the log cabin blocks for the second border. There are 64 log cabin blocks in the second border. It sounds daunting when I write it like that, but by chain-piecing them, they should go pretty fast.
Then this morning, I finished up the stitchery on the first block for the Vintage Miniature Sewing Machines block of the month quilt I've started. I still need to add borders to the block.
This is frustrating me a little bit as often happens with "all-inclusive" blocks of the month. The kit was to include "all cottons" and "all floss". When I received the kit, there was no blue floss. The online store wrote to say they were mailing the blue floss, but some two weeks later, I still haven't received it. Not to worry, I had some left over from another project, and so I used that. Even if it doesn't match, I doubt it will make a difference from block to block.
Also, there was to be fabric included for the block borders, but none came in the original mailing. I wrote to inquire whether "all cottons" being included meant that I was to be supplying my own fabrics for the block borders. The reason given for not including them with this stitchery was that the packages were getting too large. (Huh?) The fabrics are supposed to be included with the second mailing which should go out today. I've already pulled fabrics from my own stash to use, and so I might stick with what I have and, assuming the promised fabric actually arrives, I might just put that into my stash.
What do you think about this? When a kit is supposed to be all-inclusive, does it frustrate you when parts are left out and promised later? For example, the Home is Where the Heart Is quilt was a block of the month also. It began in January, and I received the January and February blocks in order. Then the mailings skipped to the May block. Somehow I thought a block of the month that goes through the months of the year and starts in January would have me working on the block that went with the month I was in. Maybe I'm just too picky. And maybe if I'm going to participate in blocks of the month, I should expect these sorts of things.
I suppose I can look on this as an opportunity to practice patience. Being organized has always been a strength of mine, and so I'm easily frustrated when the disorganization of others affects me. Life is short. Deep breath. Relax. This is definitely "small stuff."
15 comments:
Lovely work. This is why I don't do pre-packaged kitted BOM or any other type. Yes you should be frustrated - you paid for that service and that is what was advertised.
very pretty work! However how frustrating! the last and only BOM i took part in was like that. they kept on sending out corrections, but only with the next months fabric. At least I didn't get it done so I know where the mistake in their pattern are...LOL
Perfect, you're talented
Hello good week
Barbara, Your free motion quilting is lovely. I like the quilt you created. What a great feeling to be able to make something start to finish. I also love your stitchery. You did a really nice job. What (if anything) to you use to back the stitchery? I'm starting Promises and Borders BOM but haven't figured out what to use yet. The instructions suggest "Whisperweft" but I haven't ever used that. In the past I have simply used a second piece of light weight fabric to hide the threads.
Great projects. The butterflies' quilt is gorgeous. The applique one is amazing. you are most talented. BOMs have always "scared" me, probably that's the reason why. It's so frustrating when we don't get what we pay for.
It sounds so trite to just say everything looks so pretty -- but it really does!! I love your little stitchery! And I'd very *very* frustrated with both of the two BOMs you're dealing with -- it's not just you. I think shops bite off more than they can chew. I hope your service gets better. :)
I am not thinking about Christmas or I'll go insane.
You've been really busy. Love the emborideried sewing machine. I don't do much with all inclusive kits, mainly for the reason you've noted. You are depending upon someone else to pull it all together. Hope you get all your parts and pieces.
Barbara, your Home is Where the Heart is quilt is going to be so cute! You'll knock out those log cabins in no time.
I know what you mean about the BOM/kit situation.... Remember my Moonglow block was short on one of the fabrics. One of our LQS does a BOM each month and is always leaving out something or not providing enough fabric! I think if they said "all inclusive" then all cotton & fabrics should have been included. And who on earth wants to work on May's block in March? Just crazy!!!
Had to giggle at the Christmas comment. Great quilting on the butterfly quilt & your stitching is terrific on the BOM (& I agree with everyone else-if the stuff is to be included, it should be there when they are sent out OR a notice should have been sent with the mailing that the other items would be coming later). And I hope you weren't standing on that barstool in a bar when you took that picture or that could be the reason for the wonk ;)
I can completely understand your frustration...I am an organizer, too, and when things get out of whack, or someone else isn't as careful as I, my world gets a little cloudy. I guess it is small stuff, but it's not really to me. I worry that if it isn't done now, it just won't get done. That BOM situation would really bother me.
In my work, I often will pick up and carry balls that get dropped by others. Would they learn to do better, if I didn't do that? Maybe. Would I be embarrassed if it didn't happen as promised? Absolutely. :)
Oh, gosh, I can relate! To the early arrival of Christmas, to your frustration, everything!
I signed up for a Saturday Sampler, where we're supposed to get the first block for $6.00, then, if we bring it back completed the next month, we get the next month free, and so on...so, it should be a whole quilt (their words, not mine) done by Dec, for only $6. OK, so I guess it should have been a warning when the first block out was really $6.50. Somehow, they forgot to include the tax. And now, only 3 months into the project, they tell us the "rest" of the project will cost us $90. You could have heard my jaw hit the floor! I knew that a "whole quilt" for only $6 was too good to be true, so why was I so surprised????
And, each week, we get started later & later, and each week, they have some sort of confusion over the cutting and we have to check our bags to make sure we have enough fabric to do the block...arrgh. It's frustrating.
But you're right - in the grand scheme of things, it is small potatoes. So your FMQ is absolutely lovely. And the paw print border is adorable! :) Have a GREAT day!!
For the cost of that BOM, they should have included everything at one time. I'd love to do that quilt, but, it's pretty pricy. They should include everything but the backing and batting (and those are included sometimes, too). Oh well. At least you aren't learning on this BOM. That would be very frustrating.
I've only done a couple BOM from a local quilt shop and really enjoyed it. None of my kits ever had anything left out and I'm sure that if they did leave something out I could just call or go in and get it replaced. I was always afraid of what has happened to you would happen to me - - - phone calls and emails later I have to purchase locally what I missing in the kit. Mad and Frustrated - Yes. I know that mistakes can happen, I've gotten kits at classes that were short fabric or whatever and all but one teacher fixed my problem or gave me a whole new kit. Thinking about that, I would not be afraid to name names of those who did fix problems.
Your sewing machine looks wonderful. I agree with you. All inclusive means everything is in there, and it's all there for the month. A Block of the Month that's a monthly theme should be in order. Not everyone organizes logically, I suppose.
Whew, deep breath indeed! But your sewing machine Is lovely! I think all inclusive should be just that, and should be prompt. That said, practicing patience and airing the frustration at the same time ain't too shabby a decision. Personally, I'd be hoping or winking for a stash compensation a little above what I'd been promised, to make up for my having to scramble and dig into my stash. But that's me. Good for you for persevering!
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