December 2010

OK - which one of you stole two weeks out of December?

Good grief - one day it was Dec 5 and the next day was Dec 20!

This will be brief this month - I'm scared if I write a long newsletter, I'll miss Christmas!

Are you one of those "Do as I say - not as I do?" people?  Well apparently that was me recently - and it's not a pretty story.

As always, everything at the last minute.  I needed a quilt for someone who was leaving town, no time to do it, so out with another raggy - this time bright and twice as big as the other ones.  Time was getting away from me, deadline was looming, so I had an all night session - finished sewing about 4am.  Went to bed got up and went to work and then came home to clip.  Hours later, clipping was done and in the wash.  Wait for the cycle to finish and then into the dryer to finish.  By now it is around 1am.  Great - she wasn't leaving town until later that day, so a few hours sleep, then I'll pop over to say my last goodbyes and give her the quilt.  Woke up early, went to the dryer and took out the quilt. 

I was dumbstruck - I didn't speak, didn't swear, didn't cry - just stood there - couldn't believe what I was seeing.  Obviously during the night, the dryer had overheated, stopped and the quilt smoldered throughout the night, burning a hole in one end and scorching it in several other places.  I seriously believe that my family and I are lucky to be alive, seriously lucky that our home didn't burn down.

Whenever I talk to clients and students about raggy quilts, I always tell them that the lint filter has to be clean and that it will need to be cleaned at least a couple of times while the quilt is drying.  And in a previous life (before the shop) I was the Statistician for the Qld Fire Service and from my work there I know that overheated/unattended dryers are large contributors to house fires.  I know all this!  But of course I didn't heed my own advice and this was the result.

So please if you are going to make a raggy - and they are lovely textural quilts - do NOT leave your dryer unattended - keep cleaning the filter.  If you don't, then you have seen what is the least that can happen and the worst doesn't bear contemplating!

XMAS TRADING HOURS

Our Christmas /New Year Trading Hours are listed on the website under About Us.

I will be here between Xmas and New Year on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10am to 3pm.

 

WHAT'S HAPPENING

We are still waiting for stock of Michelle Hill's new book and patterns.  We are now being told that they may arrive just before Christmas, but if not, January 2011.  So patience, patience - I know they are worth waiting for.

We are starting to get ready for Kaffe's visit in early February.  They will be fun, busy days while Kaffe and Brandon are here with us.  They are two very funny, delightful gentlemen who are also very talented.

KAFFE FASSETT & BRANDON MABLY

We have released the details for Kaffe Fassett's class and lecture.  We have two spots left in the class and plenty of spaces in the lecture.  Click here to see the details of his class and lecture.

CLASSES

We have our regular classes on offer during January for those of you who are able to come to the shop.

Click here, to see what we are up to.

AUNT GRACE CIRCLE OF FRIENDS BOM

This is a fabulous new BOM that we are offering.  For the first 15 participants, there is a special extra gift - about half of those spaces are already gone.

To see the details, click here.

WHAT'S NEW

Lots and lots - check out our Just In New New New section.

For those of you who are wanting to do the Mystery BOM from Vignette, we now stock the Parlan and are waiting the arrival of the Hanky Linen.

The very cute Ooshka Boy has arrived - he is just as sweet in the flesh as in pictures.

MY GIFT TO YOU

To say thank you to all our loyal customers, there is a draw at the end of each calendar month.  Two names - one from in-store shoppers and one from mail/phone/internet shoppers are randomly drawn from the sales for the month.  These two lucky people will each receive a Gift Voucher equal to the amount of their sale.

If I haven't heard from this month's lucky winners by the beginning of January, I will re-draw the prize and announce a new lucky winner.

The draw for November has been done.  Drum roll please .....

Our two lucky winners for November are

Lindy Mc from Chapel Hill ($28.30), and

Caroline B from Cooma ($72.70).

Congratulations to these two ladies.  Please contact the shop as soon as possible to verify your delivery details so that we can get your gift certificates off to you.

And finally, my wish for all of you is to have a safe, happy and holy Christmas with your loved ones.  And here's wishing everybody an absolutely fabulous 2011.

 

Enjoy!