Little Pink Peonies

Saturday, February 16, 2019

So, I've had this post written since November. But I haven't published it because when I mailed the quilt to my friend, USPS LOST it!! Fast forward three months. I've remade the quilt, mailed it, and my friend received the new one (phew!), so now I can share the saga with you here.

In early November, Hawthorne Supply Co. sent their weekly newsletter just to me. I mean, I'm sure it went to other people too, but really, it was meant just for me.

A friend of mine had a baby in October, and I just couldn't decide what kind of quilt to make her new little girl. However, when the Hawthorne newsletter featured a few of their own fall themed fabrics, I knew it was exactly what my friend would love!

This trendy floral whole cloth quilt with soft minky back is the perfect baby quilt for a girl!

I loved the entire palette in the email! However, I couldn't decide what quilt pattern to use.

Hawthorne Supply Co. fabric

Instead, I opted to get just 1 yard of the Little Peonies in Autumn Fog (44" wide) and 1 yard of the Minky Dimple Dot in Shell to make a whole cloth quilt.

Hawthorne Supply Co. Little Peonies fabric

I pin basted the minky, Warm & Natural batting, and the peonies fabric on my dining room table. I used painter's tape to hold the minky taut, then placed the batting on top and smoothed it out flat with my hands, then did the same with the peonies fabric.

This trendy floral whole cloth quilt with soft minky back is the perfect baby quilt for a girl!

For quilting, I free motion quilted loops on my domestic sewing machine using Aurifil 50wt thread in #6723 Fairy Floss.

50wt Aurifil thread is great for free motion quilting
Free motion quilting with Aurifil thread

A
fter quilting and trimming, I used an Art Gallery print with gold metallic bits in it (Winterberries in Snow from the Blithe collection by Katarina Roccella for Art Gallery Fabrics) for the binding. I now always cut my binding 2 1/4" wide and machine sew it on (tutorial here).

Machine sewn binding

The finished quilt measured about 34"x42" - a great size for tummy time or covering a carseat in the winter cold.


This trendy floral whole cloth quilt with soft minky back is the perfect baby quilt for a girl!

But then it all went downhill.


This trendy floral whole cloth quilt with soft minky back is the perfect baby quilt for a girl!


After mailing the quilt to my friend, the tracking number showed it went on a journey very much unlike what should have happened. And after a week, it stopped moving at all. It appeared it was stuck in a distribution center in Florida.

This trendy floral whole cloth quilt with soft minky back is the perfect baby quilt for a girl!

I spent weeks trying to convince USPS to look for it. Once I was even told it had been found, but then nothing transpired. So I filed an insurance claim to try and recoup the cost of materials. And in the meantime, I re-ordered the exact same fabrics to make the quilt again.


Quilting with minky on a longarm

This time, I ordered enough to make two quilts. I loaded the pink minky onto my longarm, being careful not to stretch it. I used Warm & Natural batting just like in the first one.

Quilting with minky on a longarm

Then I quilted it with small loops using 50wt Aurifil #6723 Fairy Floss.

Binding a quilt by machine

I ordered a different gold metallic dot fabric for the binding - this one is Spatter Dots in White Metallic by Michael Miller.


Minky wholecloth quilt made with fabric from Hawthorne Supply Co.

The second quilt has the same minky back and the same binding. However, the digitally printed fabric for the top is Butterfly Field in Light Mint.

Minky wholecloth quilt made with fabric from Hawthorne Supply Co.

This quilt got a large meander stitch on it in the same 50wt Aurifil Fairy Floss thread.


Minky wholecloth quilt made with fabric from Hawthorne Supply Co.

I'm happy to report that this quilt made it safely to it's new home and is already being loved and used by it's new one-month old owner.


Minky wholecloth quilt made with fabric from Hawthorne Supply Co.

The remake version of the peonies quilt also made it safely to its new home this week!

Minky wholecloth quilt made with fabric from Hawthorne Supply Co.

I will say, I watched the tracking number like a hawk!

Minky wholecloth quilt made with fabric from Hawthorne Supply Co.

And just two days ago, I received a letter from USPS saying they denied my insurance claim for the missing quilt.

 Minky wholecloth quilt made with fabric from Hawthorne Supply Co.


I sure hope both of these girly quilts get lots of love and use in their new homes! There's not any pink around our house, so I love getting to use it every once in awhile!

  Minky wholecloth quilt made with fabric from Hawthorne Supply Co.

And now you'll have to excuse me while I go file an appeal for that insurance claim...


Linking up with Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt, What I Made Monday at Pretty Piney Quilts, Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River, Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts, Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter, Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication, Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation, and Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts.

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19 comments:

  1. Oh, what a bummer that you have to appeal the insurance claim. I think whole cloth baby quilts are a fantastic idea and I am sure the minky on the back will be a fantastic tactile bonus, too.

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  2. These are beautiful and I am sure they'll be very loved. I am sorry to hear about your frustrating experience with USPS. You really have to wonder what happens to all the things that get "lost", don't you? Good luck with your appeal!

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  3. How incredibly frustrating!! I hope you win your appeal! At least it wasn't an intricate, paper-pieced quilt that you invested hundreds of hours in that you would never get paid for no matter what! That's why I hate mailing anything important...I'm always afraid it will get lost!

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  4. And they wonder why people go crazy when dealing with USPS. I wasn't receiving my mail, and I went to the PO and was told that I had moved! After further questions, I was told that the Mail Carrier was told by one of my neighbors that I had moved, so she, on her own, decided to not deliver my mail. Of course I got bills, but nothing else. Tool me a half hour to find out what happened and start receiving my mail again. Keep at them, and get your money. Good Luck!!

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  5. What drama from USPS! Great job keeping your chin up, Laura, and keeping on. Your an inspiration to all of us.

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  6. What a tale for a wonderful quilt. I hope it reappears someday - just that it isn't lost forever! Good luck - I am sure you will get them to reimburse you - how about something for the emotional trauma, too???

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  7. Is it any wonder that the USPS loses money. My packages go on trips to places in the opposite direction that they were sent. We sure pay a premium price for poor service. It so unfair to deny a claim. The postage should be refunded as well as costs incurred.

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  8. My biggest fear when I mail a quilt or anything handmade is that it may get lost. No amount of insurance can replace it, and in most cases, it is so hard to recreate the same quilt. I'm glad you were able to do just that. I hope they pay your insurance or find the quilt they lost.

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  9. I had to read your post twice because it just seemed too unreal. Don't give up the fight. Next time, send via UPS. Fun baby quilt, btw!

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  10. All of these quilts are so cute! That is crazy that they would deny your insurance claim especially on a tracked item. They need to produce you the quilt, preferably, or at least reimburse you for the loss.

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  11. Ugh!!! You must have put a value on it when you mailed it so I don't understand why they would deny your claim. Perhaps they decided to "try harder" to locate the package? Do keep us informed! I want to know how this ends.

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  12. Beautiful quilts, horrible UPS Story. I am sure the two babies are enjoying those soft cuddlies. It is nice to work with a color you don't usually use....for obvious reasons.

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  13. Love this fabric and a great choice for a wholecloth quilt. So frustrating that USPS seems to have given up on it AND won't reimburse you. I'd be interested in the rest of the saga once their is one. I rarely mail quilts but it's stories like these that scare me when I need to.

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  14. I love minky on a quilt. Good luck with the appeal.

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  15. All of the quilts are so soft and lovely and THAT ROYALLY SUCKS ABOUT THE POST OFFICE. Hope you have a good outcome fighting that decision. Thanks for linking up to What I Made Monday!

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  16. Oh my! I never think to take the insurance when shipping a quilt. I sure will now though. Glad it wasn't a difficult quilt to reproduce, but gee whiz! Stupid post office. Thanks for sharing your story on Wednesday Wait Loss.

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  17. I have heard stories of quilts delivered to the porch by UPS and then disappearing as well. So I hold my breath every time I mail quilts. Your two baby quilts are lovely and I'm sure the babies enjoy the softness. (However, I hate sewing with the stuff.I do though, and get lint everywhere.)

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