Hello again! A little update on my machine saga... I really liked the suggestion from my friend Flaun, so I've gone with ... <drumroll> Dita! Isn't that fun? I like it! I was really leaning toward Heidi, but only for the German novelty of it and I won't be here forever!
So, in our last episode, I was dragging my family onto a train, bus then taxi to a town south of Cologne called Lohmar to visit a shop called
Quilter's Point. It was a cute place with a clerk who gave me lots of quiet time to explore by myself.
My goal (with all my quilting supplies in a household goods shipment that we will not receive until we move into our permanent housing) was to get a few basics that would allow me to complete a doll quilt swap and several bee blocks that were getting to be late. I
tried to get everything done before we departed, but with the moving company sending out a team of 8 guys, in no time my house looked like this and I had to box up my machine and sent it to myself here in Germany.
Too late I realized that I hadn't sent any tools/notions, or my doll quilt fabric just the machine and the fabric for the bee blocks I was working on. At the shop, I was able to put together a little starter kit for myself: I tried not to repeat anything I already own, so I grabbed a small rotating map, smallest rotary cutter, and some fabric for my DQ. (150 euros, ouch!)
It has been a tragedy of errors ever since. I waited a whole month for my machine. In the interim were many conversations with our shipper who had triggered over 500 euros in customs fees for our package. Eventually, while we argued, they sent the package back to my empty house in PA. Finally, Dita arrived. Since she had been serviced prior to our departure, the accessory tray was empty and I had no needles or bobbins, so I had to order them. A week later when I finally sat down with everything I needed and got her set up I found
no power cord or foot pedal. I am so bummed! After all that, I still have to wait until we move into our permanent house - April 1. I'm trying to enjoy learning about Germany in the meantime, but I've been really disappointed in missing deadlines for swaps and things I've committed to.
Which brings me to a little question: My block buddies were very understanding and patient about the delay, but understandably, a swap angel had to step in for me so my partner did receive a quilt. My intent all along has still been to make/send the quilt I had planned. Is that what you would do? Considering the delay, if it were you, would you rather receive the fabric or maybe a gift certificate? I am feeling so guilty about this and when I wrote to thank the person who had sent to me & let them know I'd be returning it, the response was pretty hostile. I wanted to explain because my feelings were hurt, but the party I'm most concerned with is my partner. Any advice?
Francine
