The Meaning of Customer Service

All to often it seems that customer service is a thing of the distant past. Oh yes, everyone uses it in advertising but rarely is it dispensed. Most times a customer service complaint can be answered easily. With just a little give and take, most of us would leave the exchange feeling satisfied. Now I don't spend a lot of time complaining about things on this blog, unless of course, it's my own stuff and that isn't going to change one bit, but I am going to send out a cyber pat on the back to two companies, one small and one large that still know the meaning and PRACTICE of customer service.

The first company is Nylabone. Those of you with dogs probably know them and they make a wide range of great dog toys and chews. I happened to buy a new to me chew toy that was advertised for aggressive chewers, of which I have many. It lasted maybe 15 minutes before the seam gave way on this hard bone and it had to be relegated to the trash. After Christmas I wrote a little e-mail off to Nylabone about my experience with this particular item. Mostly because not everyone watches toys as closely as I do and well the company should know. Low and behold, within 24 hours I got a response, a very nice response too and there was both good follow-up and feedback. My faith in Nylabone remains.

The second company is a small one, Petite Plus Patterns. I purchased a pattern (one of many from this company that I have plus a great book),

and found it to be a little faint in the printing. Not only did I get a fast reply to my query, but I got it from the owner/designer of the company Kathleen Cheetham herself. We had a wonderful few exchanges too. Ms.Cheetham owns a loom and would like someday to get back to weaving. Selfish as I am, I hope she has a number of creative and productive years designing more patterns, because they are FANTASTIC and you will get support with them. I didn't just get good customer service I got great customer service.

So there, if you need dog toys or great clothing patterns you know where to go!

Both companies were a joy to deal with.

Parting Shot: I'm so Pretty and Witty and Wise!

Fan Mail From A Flounder

If you were all Rocky and Bullwinkle fans you might remember that line. And believe me, I have tried for YEARS to work that one into a conversation. Since it has proven utterly impossible so far, I figured a blog post about postcards might be as close as I'm ever going to get.

So I stuck my toe back into the quilting waters and up popped a quilted postcard. Two have been made in fact. One was, well posted off to it's recipient, the other is staying right here with me. It's taken me a long time to come to grips that I don't have to quilt big, or even medium sized to quilt. I can just do an itty bitty thing and be happy.

In fact, I can do an itty bitty thing on my woven leftovers and be extremely happy. And that's just what I did. I took my idea of a prayer flag, and quilted one to a piece of woven pillowcase left over, ( this was the short piece I did to test the threading and such before digging in for the long weave).

Then I used a diamond lozenge also in silk and appliqued it right one underneath the flag. This is the Native American symbol for wind. The knots and fringe are leftover thrums. On the back a piece of fabric with dragonflies.

The first piece was sent off to Lorna's owner, because dang I just know it's going to take a bit of time to get all the prayers written out for this run of flags, and Lorna was a special little Scottie.

As you can plainly see from the post card pics, the towel warp is in process too and I am winding the 1000 plus yards of flippin fine silk for a scarf.

I could have sworn I said I wasn't going to work with really fine threads for a while, but there it is. That silk has just been begging to be made into a scarf.

Of course we are talking an 8-10 inch wide warp as compared to 25. So, I have justified it.

The cold is on the move, downward as they usually do. I am so grateful that my eyes are starting to actually clear up. We have gone from Lucifer red, to tired and strained pink. A VAST improvement. I can actually see what I'm doing most of the time.

I am giving you all a heads up. Next week I will be doing a Pay It Forward Yarn Give-Away. I have cleaned out my surplus and have bundled it into batches. I think there are four or five. Details will be forthcoming with the post.

Parting shot: Our Own Fractured Fairy Tale- Necessity Makes Strange Leash Fellows

Finally an Empty Loom

Yes, as promised, here is the Delta, free of her 9 month burden of the 20/2 pillow case warp. Fraternal twins! I could not torture myself longer and just cut them off without any additional hem weaving.

I am very happy with the results though and the cases are soft, drapey and I can hardly wait to change sheets this week and put them on!

The diamond pattern shrunk as expected and made a soft crepe like fabric. I wish you could all feel the hand on these. I only did a very light pressing. I suppose I could have gone hot with steam and starch for photos but it seemed silly. These are not meant to either look or feel like a cotton percale case.

Now, I would make changes. As I have said before, 20/2 and I just aren't going to meet again for a while and certainly not in something that is 25 inches wide. Next round I will use a 10/2 or 12/2 unmercerized cotton for warp. The second thing I think I will do is NOT weave the hems. I rather like the idea of the woven body of the case with a pretty commercial cotton fabric hem. There are a couple of reasons for that. One is the hand woven fabric doubled is rather heavy and the other is, I just love some of the prints I could go with. I also think this arrangement could extend the life of the case itself. Most cases wear at the hem folds. If the fabric gets worn I can easily replace it and save the woven pillow body.

Now pretty much sewing, weaving and knitting is at a standstill. This is one of the worst colds I think I have ever had. Slow moving too. I had made a Dr.s appointment before the holidays for next Tuesday and Boy, am I glad I did. I should be a stunning patient dragging my red eyes and snotty nose in for a check up with a new to me physician. :)

Parting shot: Please, please, PLEASE Pick Me Up!

2011 It's Not Just for Looms

In fact, I would bet all the weavers have other fiber pursuits besides weaving, like spinning, knitting, crochet or sewing! I know I do. So weight in, what other fibery pursuits do you have or want to have in the new year?

Here is my inventory of fiber tool goodness (madness?) going into 2011.

Four working sewing machines, three of which are Singer's. The 401A, the new little Featherweight and a give-away, a vintage 1970's Genie complete with mod flower decals. Who didn't want one of these as a teenager in the early 70's?

The last is my Bernina, the go to machine for fine or knit fabrics and fun decorative stitches. I have renewed my love affair with this machine after the slip cover sewing incident. The Morse 4400 Fotomatic is not pictured here because it is not in working condition. The foot pedal is downright scary electrically and a new one needs to be ordered before that baby can be up and running.

A most useful White serger. Those stickies identifying the thread number and path have been a godsend. My Dad put them on when he adjusted it and I've kept them in place.

The spinning wheels are a herd of two, the little Schacht Ladybug

and the Timbertops Leicester wheel.

Both wonderful spinners, although there may be changes in the line-up in 2011.

In farm news, the snow has been pushed aside and while we have a lot of it, getting around the farm has improved. Good thing too since Bob the Tractor is laid up in the barn waiting on a new water pump. Gene has been staging two bales by the gate every day for me with his pick-up. The water pump can't get here fast enough!

Other than that it's been pretty low key. I would like to say I have been a whirlwind on the fiber front but the truth is we both have been sick with flu and colds. Gene is feeling a bit better but the head cold that came to me also brought a case of pink eye and it's been downright miserable.

Since I haven't been taking any pics the last few days, I'll leave you with this parting shot: Jack, waiting for the "helper" to finish up so he can get weaving.

A Day in the Life of Looms 2011

This is a wonderful tradition started by Meg.

Here is my clutch of looms, taken about seven this morning.

The Louet Hollandia (Hannah) 8 shafts/14 treadles has on a towel warp in 8/2 cotton that was just started yesterday.

The Louet Delta (Hey Baby!) 8 shafts/10 treadles has on the last of the endless pillowcase warp in 20/2 cotton. Just finished and waiting for cut off.

I have some warp left over so I'm thinking about weaving just a little more for decorative hems for more pillowcases. Haven't decided if I want to torture myself longer or not.

The Glimakra Julia (Julia surprise,surprise) 4/6 CM set-up has the start of more Prayer Flags.

The little Schacht inkle loom is collecting dust, but I really want to get it out and do some little bands for towel tabs.

That about covers my loom herd for this year. Anyone with a loom can join in and flash their looms! Sue at Life Looms Large has her looms up here.

Miss Bea is the loom room snooperviser today. Happy New Year!

Night, Day, Old, New

I am not big on resolutions, but I have no problem with intentions and completions.

For 2011 I have decided to devote a loom to nothing but white and naturals this year.

Concentrate on structure and techniques. The loom of choice for that is the Hollandia with her 14 treadles. The Julia will stay with Prayer flags of which I have more requests coming in. Mostly Rainbow Bridge Flags. I would fall on my knees in thanks if someone requested a New Companion or some other happier flag although I am blessed to be able to offer the RB flags to so don't not ask. You all know what I mean no doubt.

The Delta loom will be the playtime loom. Short warps, color experiments etc. In fact I have a new warp planned for when the pillowcase warp comes off. Only 9" to go. Next time you see them, they'll be on the pillows!

It's time to refine my sewing skills. While years spent quilting, little time was spent on tailoring techniques and pattern fitting. A local quilt store is having a multiple Saturday pattern fitting course, but the final class takes place when I'll be on my New England visit. Might take it anyway.

More riding, more riding, more riding! Also as much time with my inside crew as possible. Dennett turns 18 this year (Jan) and Peter 16, Bea is getting up into the mid teens too.

For completions, no new knitting projects until I can get a handle on the ones started, same goes for spinning. The kitchen will be done and that pesky upstairs hallway painted. I need to clean out a closet and tackle the numerous "junk" drawers that seem to have multiplied in the last couple of years. I want to pare down to beautiful essentials. Mostly at the end of each day, I want to have a sense of accomplishment.

The pictures of night and day through this post were taken yesterday, feeding time (4:30a.m.) and just after sunrise, a little before eight a.m.

Happy New Year everyone, I wish you all the best in 2011, heath, happiness and lots of laughter.

And Mom, Happy Birthday!

I Asked For It

In fact I taunted and begged and double dog dared Old Man Winter to muster up a little snow and that he did. He also decided to add a great deal of wind and oh what the heck, let's throw in some stinging freezing pellets too. Gene's comment as he got himself zippered into snow pants was, "This is YOUR fault." "Of course it is Dear, I am woman,I am all powerful. I control the universe." I even put on my very best maniacal laugh! It was impressive I thought. The door whooshed open and DH was gone in a swirl of white with a "Hummmphhh!" let hanging to the cold blast. Needless to say, he's out plowing and while I may control the weather, his driving of that plow in deep snow doesn't make me want to go out and stand in the driveway for pictures. Trust me, we have snow. Everything is well covered in white. It will be there when I decide to go get pics.

The upside is I've had a fair amount of time to do some thinking about the coming new year. Resolutions, no, but things I want to accomplish, sort of a fiber guideline for 2011, yes. There will also be another give-away in January. Books are pulled and yarn awaits culling. I know I want to get more riding in during the nice weather and hopefully can find a schedule that allows that to fall into place. I always do best if I have portions of my day planned out. Another item on my wish list is to try at least one new creative medium. Not to take up another hobby, but to bring a new perspective to the ones I already enjoy.

Come New Years Day, I'll do a yearly picture inventory of my fiber equipment. It helps me sort out what's working and what it isn't and combine it with what I'm hoping to produce this year. So, what's everyone else thinking, planning and dreaming of for 2011?

For parting shots: There were two in the bed

The little one said Roll over, roll over

So they both rolled over

and the little one said, Wake up, wake up! ;)

New and Improved

Besides still feeling like a bloated tick right now from taking the notion of "Make Merry" to heart, I have managed to accomplish an upgrade on the Julia loom.

One of the many wonderful gifts I received was a kit to turn Julia into a countermarche loom from her original counterbalance status.

Of course, I had to untie her, again, and unthread. And I forgot to put the cross back in, but rethreading proved easy and it is only a nine inch warp. Here are some pics of the finished upgrade showing the CM head and jacks that have replaced the bar and horses.

The upgrade took a bit of careful reading and certainly some measuring of the bundles of pre-cut Texsolv, but the one thing that was truly brilliant was the treadle tie method. Best of all, it worked perfectly and I have the best shed I've ever gotten on that loom. Basically you take the treadles off the bar at the back,

rest them on top of the rear support and do your tie-up. It grades the harnesses perfectly. I've fallen in love with this loom all over again.

The snooperviser/weaver in training had to do a thorough inspection to make sure all was up to his lofty standards.

The same weaving Santa who gifted the loom upgrade also included other thoughtful weaving gifts. A McMorran Yarn Balance and a wonderful sley hook from Vavstuga, there was a perfect German made hand drill too and all can be tucked in with shuttles and such into this very handy heavy canvas Boat Riggers Bag.

Not to be outdone Mrs. Claus, sent along a beautiful quilt that matches everything perfectly. It made snuggling in Christmas night extra special. It's beautiful!

The elf crew here also did themselves proud and the sewing room got a new addition.

A late 50's Singer Red S Featherweight 221. She may be small (they really are very small, almost toy sized), but oh what a sweet little machine she is.

Manufactured right around the time I was and I might add, in almost mint condition.

I would love to say we got lots of pics of the dogs and their stocking stuffers, but the truth is with 8 dogs and many toys, it was all we could do to keep the squabbling down. There is always "that" toy someone has and another wants and we needed to keep watchful eyes and ears tuned to negotiate delicate treaties between terrier clans. It's never easy and even Stella was vying for something other than a rubber ball. I can offer up these though.

Who wouldn't want this under their tree, or in our case, on the loom bench!

We capped off the day with roasted beef tenderloin, mashed, gravy, greens, tangerine mousse and a lovely bottle of wine.

While the holiday was bountiful in so many ways, the magic of it (and every day really) is this parting shot. Two good old friends, sharing a walk. Priceless.