Hard Lesson: AccuQuilt

Play Time

I bought myself a new toy, an AccuQuilt Go fabric cutter. It was on sale at their website at the end of August, so I ordered. As soon as it arrived, I used the basic die to cut pieces for several quilt blocks. The cuts are precise and the blocks went together perfectly. I loved it at first use, so easy and quick!

Play Time is a sampler quilt from those blocks plus a couple of test squares from recent projects. The bright red, aqua and white colors blend these different designs into a pretty 32” square.

Unfortunately, my happiness didn't last. I was enthusiastically cutting and sewing up a storm, when I saw AccuQuilt advertise a new sale on Labor Day. The cutter I just bought is now $50 less for the month of September, "lowest price of the year." I contacted AccuQuilt customer service twice and found out that their 30-day satisfaction guarantee is far from satisfying. They would not give me the $50 discount, even though it had only been 10 days since my order.  All they said was NO, have a nice day and here's a link to our latest sale. WHAT???

They just took the joy right out of my new purchase. I truly like the product, I even did an positive online review right after purchase, but their company policy stinks. They could at least offer a discount on another die, or a coupon, or something. Now every time I use the thing, I remember that I got fleeced.

I guess I'm used to nice merchants who want their customers happy so they will continue buying their products. I found out the hard way that AccuQuilt is NOT one of those.

One customer 

well taken care of 

could be more valuable 

than $10,000 worth 

of advertising.  

Jim Rohn

Your most 

UNHAPPY customers

are your greatest source

of learning.

Bill Gates

Stormy Path

Stormy Path

Finished in early March, this modern quilt is crafted from navy, cream, and blue fabric set in squares and rectangles. The back features one large centered square with blue borders on each end. I used navy thread to quilt on the diagonal with a scalloped fancy stitch. The size is 33” x 44”, perfect for a crib quilt, wall hanging, or table topper.

I took two weeks off from sewing to camp at Defeated Creek back in April. It did storm a couple of days, but most of the time was pleasant and relaxing.  Except for the 24 hours that the dog tied up in a nearby site barked...constantly...with no intervention from his owners. The six adults were too busy loudly screaming at their eight kids, putting up tents, and hollering back and forth at each other to notice the poor dog. Finally the camp attendant told them to hush up the dog or leave. Amazingly, after that the dog didn't bark much, but his people were still inconsiderately loud. 

Still, there's always a bright side:  I'm happy they only stayed one weekend, and I feel extremely fortunate that they don't LIVE next door to us.   

✤✤✤✤✤

Some people need a shock collar,

and I need the remote. --Unknown

(But I wish I had thought of it myself)

✤✤✤✤✤

Practicing Patience

patience [pey-shuh ns]

• the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like
• an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay
• calmness, stability, and persistent courage in trying circumstances

After sixty-one years, you'd think I'd be pretty good at being patient, but apparently I need more practice. I want to focus on the without complaint, loss of temper part. 

Maybe yoga, meditation, or some kind of diversion would help. 

There's always a big glass of wine or a margarita.  Yeah, I'll take that. 

“Sometimes the fastest way

isn't always the best way.

Sometimes the best things in life

take a while.”

--Emily Beth

Patience is a virtue,

except when I'm the one

who has to put up with 

unnecessary crap.

--Unknown

Seven Things I Could Really Do Without

Reality TV – Who in the universe thinks any of this is real? It's a tv show, with a script and cameras, for heaven's sake. One or two of them were slightly entertaining, but now every network, including the weather and history channels, has multiple “reality” series that are just tiresome and stupid.

Drug ads – I do not want to learn about medication side effects like diarrhea, swelling of tongue or throat, vaginal discharge, erections that last four hours, bloating, gas, constipation, and bleeding while I'm cooking dinner or trying to read an article in Better Homes and Gardens. If I want to know, I'll look it up myself or ask my doctor.

Gossip presented as news – National and local newscasts lead with stories about someone who has had a sex change operation or molested a family member. Then the same story repeats for days, with opinions from anyone who will comment. Oh, and by the way, that person has a new book/tv show/movie coming out next week. Who cares? I want to hear real news stories, not crap, marketing ploys, or someone's opinion.

Too much skin – Please keep your clothing in its proper place, not yanked down, pulled up, or hanging half off of your body. I do not care to see your underwear or the tattoos you have on your butt, your boobs, or below your bikini line while I am eating at a restaurant or shopping. Save showing off your fine (or not so fine) self for the lake, the pool, or the privacy of your own home.

Weather panic – There's a thunderstorm or snow predicted! Go to your safe place! There's water ponding on the roads...do not drive! They're zoomed in to street level for a tiny orange speck on the radar. I'm glad we have access to early warning weather information, but these panicky sounding weather people make a little storm line sound like a catastrophic major event for days before it arrives. 

 

Movie remakes – If the original movie was good, it should stand on its own. That's why they're called classics. If it wasn't, then why bother to make the exact same film again? Lazy Hollywood ought to come up with original ideas. There are plenty of interesting novels that would make great films.

Formulated “music” - The sing-song chanting stuff that is being passed off as music is just horrible. You can't tell one whiny singer from the other, pop or country. None of them can carry a tune and most go outside their range to the point of screeching. The same four word chorus is repeated over and over and over again and called a hit because it fits some formula.

Thank goodness I can choose to avoid most of these by changing the channel, muting or turning off the offending sounds or shows. If only I could erase images seared onto my brain of people's inappropriate and unfortunate choices for public attire.