Quilting New Year's Resolutions for 2015???

[Nancy R.]

Wow, what a wonderful backing, Rosemary! I like to piece my backings to make something fun, but I don't have the patience to do a whole new quilt!

[Nancy R.]

The back was created using some of every fq that I was sent for running the exchange. Unfortunately I cannot find the photos I took of the front - I've got a nasty feeling that they got lost when the old computer went fizzt last year. Looking forward to getting it put together. And yes I am into double sided quilts, I get twice the piecing fun per blanket/wadding, and since they are for the guest beds it makes sense (to me at least).

[Beverly C.]

Wow, Rosemary! What a great way to use the special fabrics!

[Catherine S.]

Rosemary, when you get the top out to sandwich, please take another picture for us. Wow, it is like two quilts for the price of one. Great idea. Of course, you may have to buy a bigger bed. Was the top close to 108 inches, or will you need to trim back the backing? What a shame. Maybe you can make some shams for the pillows with what is extra.

[Joanne K.]

Kathy love your daughters and your quilt !!

Rosemary wow that's a beautiful quilt

[Joanne K.]

Cathy, I cannot remember the size of the front, but I know that the back is way oversize, it's just that that was the easiest size to make it, each quarter had one strip of each fq in it, with one contribution from me too. I then made each quarter separately using Bonnie Hunter's scrappy trip around the world technique, with a little bit of organisation as to where the colours were to lay.

Beverley - sure saved going out and buying some backing for the quilt :whistle: :P :cheer:

[Beverly C.]

Rosemary, I understand! My 2015 resolution quilts are all going to be pieced to use up my scraps except the TQS 2014 BOM.

[Judith A.]

Rosemary,
I love your idea about 2 quilts for the price of 1. Great idea.

I balk at spending a fortune on backing and batting.
Now that I am retired, money to spend on quilting is harder to come by - especially since the price of cotton started going up a few years ago. I thought the market price of cotton went up due to a temporary bad growing year for cotton, but it seems to me that it went up rather suddenly and stayed up. I may be wrong, but it appears to me that the price of fabric has risen at a greater rate than the cost of living. Making a quilt has become much more expensive.

And batting.. After I use up the batting I have now, I am thinking about buying some fleece and figuring out how to make my own wool batting. Don't know why not. I used to spin and I still have a drum carder. People have done it for centuries.

Judith

[Rita C.]

Judith, if you think quilting supplies are expensive where you are you should try it here. €16 per metre of fabric (that's about $19 dollars) and if you want to get wide back fabric then it's €26! Batting can be anything from €12-20 per metre as well. And forget about the notions they are just off the wall. And because most of the quilt 'shops' are run in women's homes we have to book an appointment to go and buy - once we have made enough money to be able to. :lol: We used to be able to buy things from America and even with the postage it was still economical but the USPS rates have gone through the roof now too. I was going to get something from AQS recently, just a small thing and the postage offered was $77.00! hmy:

[Judith A.]

I had heard that quilting supplies cost more on the other side of the pond, but I had no idea they were THAT much more expensive.
$77 to ship a small item!!! That is astounding. Just plain awful. What was it?
Some quilt shops in my part of the country have gone out of business. I have noticed that those that stay are carrying less inventory.
Quilt shop prices in my area appear to be about 25% less than yours. I drove about 125 miles recently to go to a quilt shop to look at some Moda fabric. The prints were $15/yd and the batiks were $19/yd. I didn't buy them. At least I didn't have to make an appointment.
I will make do with what I've got and be thankful for it.
I wish I could send some of my fabric to you. Anyone who quilts so beautifully as you and Rosemary and Wendy deserves lots of fabric.

Judith

[Lorraine R.]

I have read some of you say fabric and notions are so expensive where you live, but also didn't realize how expensive. My stash would not be what it is if I had to pay those prices. I am fortunate to have several quilt shops within an hours drive that have all the top manufacturers and designers fabrics for under $10.00 and then they frequently have 20%, 25% or 30% sales. Wish I could buy and find an inexpensive way to mail it across the pond.

[wendy w.]

Wow you're so lucky. I took a spare suitcase when I came over years ago, the difference is so great.

[Rita C.]

Wendy, my husband went mad in a quilt shop when he was in America a few years ago and I am still working through some of the fabrics. Hancocks of Paducah used to do free international shipping about once a year if you bought over $100 worth, but now they don't seem to do that anymore either, and I can see why. If it costs $77 to ship a 'binding miter tool' (which must be all of about 4"x2") and a packet of 'perfect circles' - total cost of about $11 - then I guess $100 worth of fabrics is going to cost more than the fabrics themselves in postage. :lol: I think maybe the postage would be cheaper from the Far East, but then it takes about 6 weeks to get here, by which time I will have forgotten what I wanted the item for in the first place. :lol:

[Rita C.]

Rita, that postage price is ridiculous, and to think that in UK we would the be hit with a double whammy of VAT and an £8 bill to Royal Mail for the privilege of paying the VAT. Just what you need a friendly Lorna for :whistle:

[Pamela N.]

I am paying on average £14 per metre for fabric. Last year I ordered fabric from the US, which was about half the price I would pay here. My parcel was opened by the Royal Mail when it arrived and I was charged duty, so my great bargain was ruined.
Best Wishes
Pam