Redwork Quilt

Unfortunately, my loyal Quilt-Holder-upper is out of town at the moment. He's in Anchorage, Alaska, taking an arctic survival class on what to do while installing FAA radar and a bear...or a moose...or a snowstorm..gets in the way. Sounds interesting (but better him than me!)

This quilt is for Aurora, seeing as how I worked on the redwork blocks last month, when we were waiting for her to be born...as well as during her first week of life, when I was visiting in Utah (and waiting for a turn to cuddle her!) Aurora's nursery is pink and brown. Redwork is red! How to combine it all? I hunted online and was delighted to find fabric with a pink background, with red, pale pink, and brown spots on it! One of my favorite places to hunt for specific fabric is www.virginiaquilter.com I love that site. Their fabric is searchable by theme, color, manufacturer or designer. That makes it so easy to find exactly what I'm looking for. I think the quilt turned out pretty cute!

Quilted Kitty update

I received part of my order from the Quilted Kitty today. At the end of July, during their sale, I ordered TWO sets of their fat quarter bundles. Each bundle contained 15 fat quarters (for you non-quilters, that's a piece of fabric 18 inches by 22 inches) Now the way I add 15 plus 15, I come up with 30....but I guess the folks at the Quilted Kitty are using a new math, as they only sent me 21. What happened to the other 9, which I have, btw, paid for? I am SO frustrated with these people! Three and a half months to get me part of what I ordered and it still isn't right.

arghhhhhhhhhhh

More Baby Goodies

Here's a fun baby quilt I just finished, being held up by my loyal and overworked Quilt-holder-upper, Tom. Oddly enough, it isn't for our new granddaughter. I must be slipping, eh? This one is for a friend who is going to have a daughter in a few weeks.

But don't worry, I'm not neglecting Aurora! Here is a project I just finished for her---a set of fabric baby blocks. The pattern is from BH&G "Quilts And Gifts to Give," 2008. Very easy to do---the sides of the blocks are 3 inch squares. Sew four of them together in a row, then connect them on one end to make a "box" with no top or bottom. Be sure to use a 1/4 inch seam allowance when you sew. Start your sewing 1/4 inch in and stop 1/4 inch from the end. This will make it a lot easier to sew the top and bottom of the blocks on. Add another 3 inch square on each end but be sure to leave a gap in one seam, so you can turn the blocks right side out! If you go to www.allpeoplequilt.com/061, you can get the patterns for the letters, which are sewn on with a buttonhole stitch. I traced the letters on a fusible web first, then ironed them to the fabric I was using, cut out the letters and ironed them onto the 3 inch squares. As you can see, the blocks can spell out Aurora! I added enough letters for other important words: Mama, Daddy, Jeff, Frieda. It was fun finding novelty fabric in my stash, with animals and other cute images for the sides of the blocks without letters.

I made enough blocks to fit in a cake carrier from WalMart. It has a nice snap on lid as well as carrying handles.

Quilted Kitty quilt shop, Nebraska

I've tried to only post positive things here at my blog, but I am so frustrated, I need to complain a bit. What better place than my blog?

What happens when you order from an online shop, and don't receive your order? What do you do? The Quilted Kitty quilt shop has been, for at least the last decade, one of my favorite online shops. Items I ordered were good quality and always mailed promptly. When I was needing something, I always checked the Quilted Kitty first. I never hesitated to recommend it to a quilting friend as a reliable source of all those goodies we quilters seem to need. So, at the end of July, when the shop was having a week long sale, I didn't think twice about placing an order for some fat quarters. A few days later, another sale item caught my eye, this time for a Minkee kitty quilt kit. Perfect for the granddaughter due to be born in October and ordering it at the beginning of August, I would have plenty of time to make the quilt for her. HA! I waited for the items to arrive, hoping they'd put them all together in one package. However..here it is, mid-November, and I AM STILL WAITING! Aurora was born October 15th. While she has six other quilts from this Grandma, there isn't the Minkee one that I was planning on making. No big deal, except the non-existent quilt kit cost me $49.95 and I have nothing to show for it!

I have emailed Nanci, the shop owner, a couple of times. She isn't answering my emails anymore, which btw, were polite and friendly--with the tone of "what's going on and when can I expect my order?" After all, I liked Nanci (notice the past tense? Yes, I am feeling cranky!) I know it never does any good to be all riled up and I'm not the yelling sort anyway. After all these years of good service from her, I knew there had to be something wrong somewhere and was willing to cut her slack for that. But really, is it too much to expect to receive what I've paid for--and in a timely manner? Nanci's excuse is staffing problems. Apparently the person who was filling the online orders had been terminated, because she was doing a lousy job. That's for sure! Nanci promised, in her email, to send my order out soon. Okay, so that was back in September when I found that out and but now, with it being mid-November, I am wondering what her definition of "soon" is? And..I am way beyond the point of being sympathetic to her "staffing problems." Two weeks ago I spoke with Nanci on the phone and she promised to send me the fat quarters (where have I heard that before?), but was out of Minkee for the kit. Well, at least I'd get the fat quarters, that's a start. Drumming of fingers....wait wait wait...where ARE they? Today I called the Quilted Kitty again and spoke with Roz, an employee at the shop, since Nanci is out until tomorrow. Roz told me Nanci is at least three months behind with the online orders but seemed hopeful that eventually I'd get what I'd ordered. I am not hopeful, however, considering how Nanci has been making promises and not keeping them for months now. I am VERY FRUSTRATED! I told Roz I want what I ordered, or I want my money refunded. Oddly enough, there wasn't any problem at all with them charging my credit card--August 4th is the date on my credit card statement. Pretty prompt with that, aren't they?

I will never, EVER order from Nanci again and am warning my quilting buddies to avoid the Quilted Kitty as well. It is apparent that Nanci's word can't be trusted. Where is her integrity? What about good customer relations to insure my continued business? Why tell me she'll sent the fat quarters immediately and then NOT DO IT? Phooey. This is very disappointing.

Consider this a warning. Shop at the Quilted Kitty at your own risk!

Has anyone else ever had a problem like this? And what did YOU do?


UPDATE: I got back from the store to find a message on my answering machine from Roz, the gal I whined to at the Quilted Kitty this morning. SHE has my fat quarters packaged up and ready to go out in the mail, today or tomorrow. Although I have had that promise before, from Nanci, I am feeling a glimmer of hope--and feel I was lucky to have caught Roz when I called, instead of Nanci! Roz also said that Nanci would be contacting me about the Minkee Kitty quilt kit, since they still haven't gotten the fabric back in stock. Phew. Maybe this will work out after all.. Thank you, Roz!

(psst...they've still lost my business F-O-R-E-V-E-R, but that isn't so surprising, now is it?)

Christmas Stockings

Christmas is NEXT month, people! Are we getting ready? I have quilts to quilt, so I am wondering why I'm sitting in front of the computer, blogging. Tsk tsk tsk...do I have time for this? Before I head scurry back to Santa's Workshop (a.k.a.: my quilting studio), here's a photo of two of the Christmas stockings I just finished. I love making these stockings! They are such fun.

Ian is one of my nephews. He's getting married summer 2009 (can you hear his mother cheering? She's getting a daughter-inlaw! YIPPPEEEE!!! Daughter-inlaws are absolutely wonderful, and can lead to even more wonderfulness: grandchildren! ohboyohboy!!!) Karin is the name of Pam's soon-to-be daughter-inlaw. I haven't met her yet, but as a welcome to the family, I thought it would be fun to make her a stocking. Of course since I hadn't ever made one for Ian (oops!), I had to make one for him too. I also made a stocking for Aurora, with fabric Frieda picked out. It's so big, I think Aurora could fit in it! I'm not showing you the photo of that one right now, because...Frieda or Jeff might stop by my blog...and I want to surprise them with the stocking IN PERSON!

Pass this on...

I got this in my email today and thought it was worth sharing.

"If I Had My Life To Live Over - by Erma Bombeck
(written after she found out she was dying from cancer)

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, 'Later.. Now go get washed up for dinner.' There would have been more 'I love you's' More 'I'm sorry's.'
But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute, look at it and really see it, live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!
Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what. Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us."

That last part, about not worrying who doesn't like you....or who's doing what...struck home with me! Those of you who know me and my life situation, are probably nodding your head right now and going, "uh huh!!! Pay attention, Yvonne!" lol Okay, it's time to cherish the relationships we have with those who DO love us! That sounds like more fun anyway, doesn't it?

Another Dinosaur in the family

Back when Jeff was small, maybe 7 or 8 years old, there was a Halloween when he wanted more than anything, to be a DINOSAUR! Having already gone all out in previous years, making a Captain America costume for Jim, and a Spotted Elephant for Liz, it was Jeff's turn for a special costume. Of course, as with the others, I couldn't find a pattern and had to "ad-lib." It turned out very cute, dark green, with a long tail that had yellow spikes on it. The spikes were also on the hood he wore on his head...and they matched the claws on the hand and shoe covers. I found a plastic dinosaur "nose" with an elastic band, that he wore on his face. He accompanied the whole outfit with a very growly dinosaur "ARRRGHHHHH!!!" Very cute. Very Jeff! So...you can understand how, when I walked into our local Fred Meyer shortly before leaving for Utah to meet Aurora, I couldn't resist the Little Monster costume! When I brought it home and showed it to Tom, he laughed and said I was "incorrigible." Hmm. He may be right, but who is to say that is a bad thing?

When I got to Jeff and Frieda's house, I pulled the costume out of my bag and tossed it at Jeff. I told him I'd bought that for him. Of course, being as how it was a newborn size, he had to let Aurora wear it. He was delighted, having fond memories of that dinosaur costume--which he wore often, until he finally outgrew it. He still has it, btw, so maybe someday Aurora will wear that one as well!

Here is beautiful Mama-princess with her sweet Little Monster. (thanks to Bev, Frieda's mom, for sending me these photos. It's good to have the "local Grandma" as a source for photos!!!)