CHAPTER 2 - SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING TRIANGLES (cont'd)

[Deborah W.]

I am just about ready to send in my HST (616) in 22 small baggies of 28 plus some for Hanne-Grete and for Queensland into a larger Ziploc bag. I am following the instruction precisely and have been able to put them in a size 4 Jiffy bag (approx. 10” x 13”) with room for quite a few more HST. I think that is roughly the size of a Priority Envelope. I will let you know Debbie when I post them.

I have never sent anything to the US before so have a question that maybe one of you can answer. What is confusing me is what to put on the customs declaration? Gift? But then what do you put in the quantity and detailed description of contents? I know the weight but how much value do you put on it? I can probably work that out myself. :?

In the UK we have to pay Import VAT on goods with a value that exceeds £18 (which in practise means we have to collect our parcel from the post office to pay the VAT and pay the post office £8 for the 'convenience/pleasure' of paying the VAT. :shock: So can I please remind Debbie, not to put a value of more than $28 to avoid VAT when she send post back to the UK. :wink: :wink:

Another question is – do you get stung for Import duty from abroad and at what value it comes into effect?

I mailed my triangles from Canada and had to do a customs form. I sent 11 sheets of triangles and so I put that my package contained 2 1/2 inch fabric squares (I put the exact number that was enclosed) and I put the value at $15.00 (about 4 cents each I think). I also said that it was a gift. It arrived to Debbie in Texas without any problems.

[Deborah W.]

I finally finished mine! I put all 616 in the same zip lock bag. I'll mail them tomorrow. They are coming from Ontario, Canada. One question: who are Hanne-Grete and Queensland? Should I be sending extras for them? Sorry, that was two questions.

I send an email tomorrow to let you know mine are in the mail.

[Nan T.]

Hi Scottish quilter,

I have never sent anything to the US before so have a question that maybe one of you can answer. What is confusing me is what to put on the customs declaration? Gift? But then what do you put in the quantity and detailed description of contents? I know the weight but how much value do you put on it? I can probably work that out myself.

In the UK we have to pay Import VAT on goods with a value that exceeds £18 (which in practise means we have to collect our parcel from the post office to pay the VAT and pay the post office £8 for the 'convenience/pleasure' of paying the VAT. So can I please remind Debbie, not to put a value of more than $28 to avoid VAT when she send post back to the UK.

I just wrote 'gift' on my customs form becasue I didn't know what else to write. We are not buying or selling anything and there wasn't room to explain the idea of HST exchange :!: :lol: :lol: I think I just wrote Quitling fabric for the contents and £10 for the value - only because you have to write something. I didn't send as many as you.
As for paying the tax on goods received form USA - I don't mnd that so much but certainly do mind having to pay £8 to the PO. When I buy fabric from The States I generally keep it below £18 just to avoid paying the PO. Otherwise its not cost effective.

Nan in Prestwick, Scotland

[Nan T.]

I am doing the batiks exchange and I am marking gift and putting a description of fabric scraps and a value of $10.00, on the custom forms I am filling out for each overseas package. Hope that helps.

[Maureen A.]

Hi Scottish quilter,

I have never sent anything to the US before so have a question that maybe one of you can answer. What is confusing me is what to put on the customs declaration? Gift? But then what do you put in the quantity and detailed description of contents? I know the weight but how much value do you put on it? I can probably work that out myself.

In the UK we have to pay Import VAT on goods with a value that exceeds £18 (which in practise means we have to collect our parcel from the post office to pay the VAT and pay the post office £8 for the 'convenience/pleasure' of paying the VAT. So can I please remind Debbie, not to put a value of more than $28 to avoid VAT when she send post back to the UK.

I just wrote 'gift' on my customs form becasue I didn't know what else to write. We are not buying or selling anything and there wasn't room to explain the idea of HST exchange :!: :lol: :lol: I think I just wrote Quitling fabric for the contents and £10 for the value - only because you have to write something. I didn't send as many as you.
As for paying the tax on goods received form USA - I don't mnd that so much but certainly do mind having to pay £8 to the PO. When I buy fabric from The States I generally keep it below £18 just to avoid paying the PO. Otherwise its not cost effective.

Nan in Prestwick, Scotland

Thanks for the reply Nan. That is what I intended to do - put gift and Fabric pieces. It just worried me that there would be import duty in USA on my package if I put in a wrong amount for value. I had intended to put £16. I hope that is alright Debbie?

[Maureen A.]

Dear Miss Debbie;

Not to be picky, but that was me with the deck work. Hee Hee. We've got the framing done, main support beams up and floor down for the entire front section. Now it will be trim and railings next. My hubby (the engineer) built it with some help so this sucker is solid. Clara

Dear Clara;

Opps, ops: sorry but glad to hear you’re making such good progress on the deck. Sounds like you may be making a large deck. Maybe you can give us a photo when you are done?
Just heard our LQS is closing here :cry: Bummer. It is the only one we have on the Island. So off I go tomorrow to pick up some supplies as I don’t know how much longer they are going to be open ! I hear some of you live in places where there are multiple Quilt Stores!! How lucky you are, it must be heaven!!!
S/ Barbara

[Maureen A.]

Dear Miss Debbie;

Not to be picky, but that was me with the deck work. Hee Hee. We've got the framing done, main support beams up and floor down for the entire front section. Now it will be trim and railings next. My hubby (the engineer) built it with some help so this sucker is solid. Clara

Dear Clara;

Opps, ops: sorry but glad to hear you’re making such good progress on the deck. Sounds like you may be making a large deck. Maybe you can give us a photo when you are done?
Just heard our LQS is closing here :cry: Bummer. It is the only one we have on the Island. So off I go tomorrow to pick up some supplies as I don’t know how much longer they are going to be open ! I hear some of you live in places where there are multiple Quilt Stores!! How lucky you are, it must be heaven!!!
S/ Barbara

We have a wrap around porch on 3 sides of our house. We worked on just one side. Our WQS closed over 2 years ago. :cry: But there is another about an hour away. I'm going to try and put a few pictures of our porch up for you. Crossing fingers. (double click on the photo to enlarge) Clara

[Margo C.]

Clara, I love demo/remodeling/building, and your deck is looking great! I love the fact that the kids are helping! One day you will look back on those photos and wonder where the time went! Trust me!!

[Caroline A.]

Oh Margo you're so right! When we built our house our first grandson wasn't even born yet - he's now 23! Time sure flies.
Fi

[Caroline A.]

Clara, I love demo/remodeling/building, and your deck is looking great! I love the fact that the kids are helping! One day you will look back on those photos and wonder where the time went! Trust me!!

One of my hubby's favorite memories as a boy was helping his Dad build stairs at his Grandfathers house. There is a picture of him (about 6) hammering nails in the stairs. That's exactly why I took all my pictures. Mikey (my boy) came to me later all excited about helping his Dad and said "he loved doing that more than the games on the computer." A moment caught forever. Clara

[Caroline A.]

I just got home yesterday from a 6 week driving trip out West. The suitcases are now unpacked and the laundry is done! Now, the mail will be picked up tomorrow ..... the papers, books, and thread should be here! I have been following all the post while on the road and I can hardly wait to get started on my HSTs!!!!

Deanna

[brenda h.]

I am really excited. The HSTs are going in the mail today. It was so exciting to look at 616 exact duplicates that I am proud to send to everyone. I am NOT a precision seamstress by any means. I have been working for years to get more accurate in my cutting and stitching and have bought many gadgets to help with it. I am probably the only person who can do die cuts that aren't exactly the same :!: :? I never would have tried HSTs, much less 2 1/2 inch HSTs had it not been for this exchange. Thanks to Debbie and Clara for putting this together.
Brenda from Houston

[Debbie W.]

I am doing the batiks exchange and I am marking gift and putting a description of fabric scraps and a value of $10.00, on the custom forms I am filling out for each overseas package. Hope that helps.

Thanks, Ritzy. Ritzy sent me an email last week with the suggestion to do this with the SoTTT's custom forms and I am planning on doing the same thing.

Debbie

[Debbie W.]

Hi Scottish quilter,

I have never sent anything to the US before so have a question that maybe one of you can answer. What is confusing me is what to put on the customs declaration? Gift? But then what do you put in the quantity and detailed description of contents? I know the weight but how much value do you put on it? I can probably work that out myself.

In the UK we have to pay Import VAT on goods with a value that exceeds £18 (which in practise means we have to collect our parcel from the post office to pay the VAT and pay the post office £8 for the 'convenience/pleasure' of paying the VAT. So can I please remind Debbie, not to put a value of more than $28 to avoid VAT when she send post back to the UK.

I just wrote 'gift' on my customs form becasue I didn't know what else to write. We are not buying or selling anything and there wasn't room to explain the idea of HST exchange :!: :lol: :lol: I think I just wrote Quitling fabric for the contents and £10 for the value - only because you have to write something. I didn't send as many as you.
As for paying the tax on goods received form USA - I don't mnd that so much but certainly do mind having to pay £8 to the PO. When I buy fabric from The States I generally keep it below £18 just to avoid paying the PO. Otherwise its not cost effective.

Nan in Prestwick, Scotland

Thanks for the reply Nan. That is what I intended to do - put gift and Fabric pieces. It just worried me that there would be import duty in USA on my package if I put in a wrong amount for value. I had intended to put £16. I hope that is alright Debbie?

I am certainly no expert on International pacakges or customs declarations. Basically these are scraps of fabric and paper, so I would think the value is something that only the sender can determine. I have received several international packages already and have not encountered any problem with those packages being delivered to me.

For the customs form on your return packages, I will do as Ritzy suggested and declare them as fabric scraps with a value of under $12.

[Debbie W.]

The thought occurred to me while all the discussion was going on about declaring the fabric HST in customs. They are gifts from one quilter to 615 quilters and back from 615 quilters to one quilter. It's like a giant happy birthday party. Clara :lol: :lol: :lol: