Finished Quilts

Wednesday 16 January 2013

Day 16 - double ouch

so I've caught the lurgy that Laughing Boy has had since I gave it to him just before Christmas.  It's the kind where you are hot and cold at the same time and where your sinuses throb unless you move your head and then it's just flipping sore.  This means that there has been minimal sewing at the boiler HQ over the past few days.  I have been working on a couple (or four) Figure of 8 scarfs using a couple of kits bought from Brenda...

Figure Eight Scarf Kit - Cherry and Vivacious        Figure Eight Scarf Kit - Midnight and Lilac

I decided to cut each width in half so that the scarves will be 9" wide rather than 18" (I'm a short ar*e and didn't want swamped).  I'm still working on them as I am getting much slippage and movement from the voile, despite using my walking foot and pinning like mad.  Still, two down (almost) and two to go.

My other ouch today was a muckle big customs charge for a rash fabric purchase from a US online shop.  It was a late night click-a-thon and I am a little ashamed by it and then just knew it was caught by customs when it took so long to arrive.  Nearly 20 quid charges!  Flipping heck - mind, when I opened the parcel up and saw some lovely Center City....



and some Architextures.....



not every print from each collection but all half yards - what was I thinking?!  Sorry there are no photos of the actual real life fabric but it's just too dark all the time.

So with that and USPS putting up their prices big style and the general feeling that a fabric fast is required, my wagon just doesn't cover the booze but also fabric purchases - both are OFF LIMITS!  And if there is an absolute need, I'm buying British!  Anyone know a good FAA support group?

*wanders off for a lie down, all jacked up on decongestant and self pity*

12 comments:

  1. You and me both babes, you and me both. My final purchase of 2012 is at the post office waiting for me to pay £15 customs charge.... Soooo pissed off that my first and only fabric spend in 2013 is a CUSTOMS CHARGE. Snot fair...

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    1. oops, meant to say, feel better soon - lurgy sucks.

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  2. Hope you feel better soon. And a definite ouch to the customs charge

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  3. Arsing custom charges, a litho ugh it really is the £8 PO charge that sends me loopy! Get well soon x

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  4. Awe sinus pain sucks! Feel better soon, customs charges and the admin charge suck even more! Happy fabric stroking, think there could be a lot more fabric fasting going on amongst us!

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  5. The cheeky bastards! I'm yet to be got by customs... but same same about postage costs (I'm glad I've already resigned myself to no fabric!) Hope your feeling better soon, lurgy sucks xx

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  6. Sorry that the lurgy has returned. I'm sure that you have had more than your fair share. As for the fabric shopping - lovely fabric but ouch on the customs. Enjoy that fabric though. Di x

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  7. OMG, I have ordered that same scarf kit as in your top photo. I have been wondering if I should cut it in half, but 2 people said to leave it at 18 inches.

    Cant wait to see yours finished, and hopefully I'll get mine in the mail soon.

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  8. Ooooo I love the Centre Cities and the Architextures! Bummer that you got stung for import duty. It's the £8 flat processing fee that gets my goat.

    I was going to get some of the AMH voile for a tunic top - I guess I should expect it to be more slippery if it is nice drapey fabric but I wonder if it is going to be beyond my dressmaking skills? I am doing a girlie dress with double gauze at the mo and I am finding it quite stretchy but I am hoping it will be worth it in the end for a nice floaty finish.

    Hope you will share some real life fabric shopping spree photos soon! x

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  9. Oh my gosh - we don't have those customs charges in NZ thank goodness. Definitely think there needs to be some sort of online FAA group...

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  10. Oh I hope you get well soon! I have just got over something rather similar, but in the midst of it it seems like you'll never feel well again! Gorgeous fabric choices (as usual) and it sucks to be charged import duty. I have escaped it up until now, but am on a fabric freeze too. *Sigh* Seriously I am making my next quilt out of Richard's unwanted shirts he keeps trying to throw out! Needs must XXXXX

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  11. Hope you feel better soon! In terms of customs, I always use Fabric Shack as they list the value of their parcel at $20 and they always get through, or Hawthorne Threads as you can set the customs label yourself and send it as a gift. To yourself!

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