I entered these two quilts in the show:
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| ORCA BAY - Mystery Quilt Pattern from Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville |
and
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| ONE BLOCK WONDER - from the book by Maxine Rosenthal & Joy Pelzmann: |
The pictures from the show will be up on the guild website any day now. www.victoriaquiltersguild.org.
I also had 7 items in the guild store but sadly none of them sold. Someone said my prices were too high. I have mixed feelings about that. Here's the deal... and I get this now that I'm creating and selling my own patterns. If I create a sample to put in a store to sell my patterns, I can write off my fabric and supplies for that sample as a business expense. If I then go to sell that quilt sample, I can put a lower price on it because I've already recouped my expenses in the business. Comprendo? I also might be able to buy my fabric wholesale. Here's my point...little old quilter for pleasure decides to sell her quilt in the guild store and is now competing price wise with quilter for business. I find this entirely unfair. But that's the way the cookie crumbles.
I've decided that I'd rather give my quilts away (like to those that have lost everything in the Fort McMurray wildfire) than to sell them for less than I paid in supplies and long arm services. And that's what I'll be doing with some of my quilts that I would have otherwise sold.
And speaking of Fort McMurray and losing possessions, we had a close call a week ago last night. My hubby woke me up yelling FIRE!!!! at 3:30 a.m. He heard a weird noise outside our bedroom window and got up to investigate. It was our neighbours' house on fire. And we are talking inferno!! I don't want to post an image because frankly we were very traumatized and I'm trying not to go there visually anymore. Feeling the heat of the fire from our deck and seeing it consume our neighbours' house is not something I want to re-live in pictures. When we thought we'd have to evacuate and that our house was surely going to be next, I didn't think about grabbing my quilts. They are valuable to me but they are just things. Rather, I thought about putting the collars on my dogs and keeping them calm and ready to go at a moment's notice. It was frightful. My immediate reaction was to pray that the fire would be contained and it was, thank God!
I can only imagine the horror of the people escaping the Fort McMurray blaze. I'm thankful that no humans lost their lives to that blaze but am well aware of the critters in the forest that did. I love my two little fur babies and am thankful that we are all safe and sound and that our house is still standing.
I am very joyful at the thought of sending some quilty hugs to those whose houses are lost. It can't bring back their possessions but hopefully it will let them know that people care.
In gratitude,
Mavis
Mavis I know what you mean about the pricing of the quilts. I was watching a video about long arm quilting with Jamie Wallen a couple of weeks ago and he used the term "I quilt to eat". What he meant was, he doesn't undercut himself because quilting is how he makes a living. I like that term. Too many people undercut their services especially woman. Of course there is the other thing too, too many consumers go to quilt shows thinking they can get a bargain, like it's a yard sale or something. As long as there are woman willing to sale their quilts, services, patterns etc for less than they are worth it will be harder to change this attitude.
ReplyDeleteIt is highly commendable of you to give those precious quilts to those in need in Fort McMurray. God bless you for your generosity of heart. What beautiful gifts.
ReplyDeleteWell said Mavis.
ReplyDelete