Monday, February 23, 2015
A place to lie my head.
PLANTATION floor plan by the now defunct Jim Walter Homes. Replace the upstairs window to french door and make a small balcony where the arbor is. Wrap the porch around the front living area too.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Monday, October 11, 2010
Kehler Klassics - a consumer's disappointment!
So sad to have trusted a disreputable online merchant!
I found some darling smocking plates at www.kehlerklassics.com and placed/paid for my order in good faith. I received one of the four plates I ordered, with a note that the other three had been back-ordered. Two weeks later, I received a second plate, with a note that the final two were still on back-order.
Now it is almost 2 months, and I cannot get the merchant to answer the phone or respond to my messages. Unfortunately, PayPal only allows 45 days for disputes, but this merchant uses the back-order notation and slow shipping to lull customers into thinking they will eventually get what they ordered. I have been duped, and will not shop with Kehler Klassics, and encourage others to boycott her as well.
I placed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau in her area, and see that there have been two other complaints against her in the past 6 months --- for poor customer service, and poor product quality.
10/15/10 Update: I finally tracked Kehler Klassics via her Etsy account and got a reply from her. I requested that she either return my money, or send alternative plates. She agreed to send alternatives, and I received them today. I have notified the BBB that we have resolved the issue, but i still think she needs to work on her customer service skills.
I found some darling smocking plates at www.kehlerklassics.com and placed/paid for my order in good faith. I received one of the four plates I ordered, with a note that the other three had been back-ordered. Two weeks later, I received a second plate, with a note that the final two were still on back-order.
Now it is almost 2 months, and I cannot get the merchant to answer the phone or respond to my messages. Unfortunately, PayPal only allows 45 days for disputes, but this merchant uses the back-order notation and slow shipping to lull customers into thinking they will eventually get what they ordered. I have been duped, and will not shop with Kehler Klassics, and encourage others to boycott her as well.
I placed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau in her area, and see that there have been two other complaints against her in the past 6 months --- for poor customer service, and poor product quality.
10/15/10 Update: I finally tracked Kehler Klassics via her Etsy account and got a reply from her. I requested that she either return my money, or send alternative plates. She agreed to send alternatives, and I received them today. I have notified the BBB that we have resolved the issue, but i still think she needs to work on her customer service skills.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Building a Quilt
So, I'm making my very first "real" quilt. I've made a few cheater quilts --- the 3 t-shirt lap-quilts for the kids, and one out of pre-quilted fabric I still have that I made when Gina was a baby --- but this is my first quilt with a pattern that will be used as a comforter. (In-progress photos to follow.)
So, step one was to find a pattern I like. I chose the Disappearing 9-patch. Mama T on SewForum.com has done many and I really like the way they look. So, thanks Mama T!
Step two was to find some fabrics that coordinated well. Sarah's only request was that it incorporate some lavender, since that's the color of Katherine's room. I am horrible at coordinating colors, so was very happy to see that Moda Fabrics puts together "Charm Packs" of pre-cut squares in a lovely assortment of coordinates. I chose the Kashmere IV assortment.
Step two would be to find and buy a nice solid color to coordinate. I thought about getting lavender, but decided a nice cream color would be more complimentary.
Step three is to cut up the solid into squares. Now, I'd read somewhere that the charm packs are 5" squares, so I proceeded to cut up 2 yards of the cream colored cotton into 5" squares.
Next step was to pin the squares together into 9-patch sets, then to sew up the 9-patch squares. This is where my first mistake was discovered. The charm squares are actually 5 and 1/8 inch square. So, step three should have been to measure the charms and then to cut the solid cotton the same size.
Now that the pre-cut charms are now cut into 5" squares, and pinned together in sets of 3, it's time to stitch. The 9-patch pattern is pretty basic: row 1 - print, solid, print; row 2 - solid, print, solid; and row 3 - print, solid, print.
Sew 3 squares to make a row. Do this 2 more times and press open the seams.
Sew the 3 rows together and press open the seams.
Now, you have a 9-patch square. Now comes the "Broken" part of a broken 9-patch.
Fold the patch in half, top to bottom and finger-press. This is your cutting line.
Now you have two strips. Fold them in half also, and finger-press. This is your second cutting line.
Now, re-arrange the 4 patches so that you have a sash on the right and bottom edges with a small square at the lower right corner of each.
So, step one was to find a pattern I like. I chose the Disappearing 9-patch. Mama T on SewForum.com has done many and I really like the way they look. So, thanks Mama T!
Step two was to find some fabrics that coordinated well. Sarah's only request was that it incorporate some lavender, since that's the color of Katherine's room. I am horrible at coordinating colors, so was very happy to see that Moda Fabrics puts together "Charm Packs" of pre-cut squares in a lovely assortment of coordinates. I chose the Kashmere IV assortment.
Step two would be to find and buy a nice solid color to coordinate. I thought about getting lavender, but decided a nice cream color would be more complimentary.
Step three is to cut up the solid into squares. Now, I'd read somewhere that the charm packs are 5" squares, so I proceeded to cut up 2 yards of the cream colored cotton into 5" squares.
Next step was to pin the squares together into 9-patch sets, then to sew up the 9-patch squares. This is where my first mistake was discovered. The charm squares are actually 5 and 1/8 inch square. So, step three should have been to measure the charms and then to cut the solid cotton the same size.
Now that the pre-cut charms are now cut into 5" squares, and pinned together in sets of 3, it's time to stitch. The 9-patch pattern is pretty basic: row 1 - print, solid, print; row 2 - solid, print, solid; and row 3 - print, solid, print.
Sew 3 squares to make a row. Do this 2 more times and press open the seams.
Sew the 3 rows together and press open the seams.
Now, you have a 9-patch square. Now comes the "Broken" part of a broken 9-patch.
Fold the patch in half, top to bottom and finger-press. This is your cutting line.
Now you have two strips. Fold them in half also, and finger-press. This is your second cutting line.
Now, re-arrange the 4 patches so that you have a sash on the right and bottom edges with a small square at the lower right corner of each.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Fabric Giveaway at Buente Fabrics
Visit Buente Fabrics, and you can enter to win this pile of fabrics. Yummy! I want the knit especially - wouldn't that make some adorable undies! Just go to her blog and comment on that post to enter to win!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
First Place, Baby!
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That's right ... first place! I participated in the Lillian Optimist Club's "Run for the Mullet 5K" on Saturday morning and earned a first place medal!OK, first place woman.
OK, first place, woman aged 50 - 55.
OK, there was no 2nd or 3rd place winner in my age-group.
OK, my 15-minute miles are the slowest for the entire field, BUT, I did finish the race in a record 47 minutes.
OK, this was my first race, so I can only get better, right :-)
I had fun, I kept my heart rate at 85% of max and lived to tell the tale. I plan on doing more races this fall. {Grin}
Monday, June 30, 2008
More Short Sets for Sean
I had fun this weekend making 2 short sets (Simplicity 2907, size 4) for Sean. I bought the twill helicopter fabric shortly after the last issue of Australian Smocking & Embroidery came out. I found it at Peanutbutter-n-Jelly Kids. Such a cute print and perfect for Sean. AS&E had the shorts paired with a top that had a helicopter smocked on an insert. I just don't think he is a smocking kind of guy, so I found the helicopter applique at The Purple Hat. It worked out very well.
"Swingwing Pilot" is pilot slang. An airplane is considered a fixed-wing aircraft, and since a helicopter doesn't have fixed wings, it's a swingwing aircraft :-)
For this set, I made the shorts first, and couldn't decide what to put on the navy shirt. After searching through designs, I found the Batman symbol and it seemed to fit.
Hopefully Sean gets lots of great playtime out of these 2 outfits. I'm also sending another book on tape recorded by me. Just have to decide if I want to read "Where the Wild Things Are" or "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good,Very Bad Day"!
"Swingwing Pilot" is pilot slang. An airplane is considered a fixed-wing aircraft, and since a helicopter doesn't have fixed wings, it's a swingwing aircraft :-)
For this set, I made the shorts first, and couldn't decide what to put on the navy shirt. After searching through designs, I found the Batman symbol and it seemed to fit.
Hopefully Sean gets lots of great playtime out of these 2 outfits. I'm also sending another book on tape recorded by me. Just have to decide if I want to read "Where the Wild Things Are" or "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good,Very Bad Day"!
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