Huricane Harvey Update and Custom Quilting Schedules
I wanted to update everyone that all is well at our home. Our area received about 45" of rain but our home elevation and drainage in my subdivision served us well. Lots of devastation all around us as a creek is very nearby that flooded but thankfully we were spared. We sheltered in place, coming home early from a family vacation so that we could gather our pets and all be in one area. Day 4, we developed a small roof leak from around a vent but my husband was able to get that stopped. Minimal sheet rock damage over the stairwell that did not necessitate cutting it out... yet. All equipment and quilts on hand remained dry and safe!
We have been very involved with our community and helping others with rescues, shelter needs and with demolition to flooded homes. It is wonderful seeing the people of our city coming together to help those in need. I won't post more photos... I'm sure you have seen enough to last a lifetime!
I was already running slightly behind schedule due to 6 weeks of almost daily thunderstorms (we have to shut down and unplug) over the summer plus a few unexpected life events. As hours turn into days into weeks, it becomes impossible to make up a couple of weeks! My body can only do so much each day. This disaster also has really helped to put things in perspective for me. I strive to complete quilts as I have committed to you but when life happens, it is difficult to get back on schedule. In the past I would work 7 days a week, neglecting other aspects in my life trying to catch up... but that just brings on burn out and major stress on my part trying to stay on a schedule that I often have little control over. I must go to a different system of scheduling. Most of you do not have show dates that is imperative for completion.
Your suggestions are welcome on tips for scheduling! In the past, I took reservations for time slots, scheduling 2 big customs per month. Most of my customs are Quiltworx highly detailed patterns. You might be planning to start a show quilt soon and ask me to pencil you in for June next year, so that you will be ready for your fall show or whatever your needs are. So, I reserve time slots for quilts that are not even made yet and then I have clients that quilts are completed and I assign a date with the next soonest opening. Which of course made it impossible to say.... you are #4 in line... the whole list gets moved back because some of you are booking very close to your deadlines for a show and did book a year ago! Also, you miss your deadline by a few weeks getting your quilt to me... my entire schedule is now scrambled again trying to accommodate my commitment to you to get your quilt done for a certain show deadline as well as my commitments to others. One year I intentionally only booked 1 custom for December so that I had some time to deal with holiday shopping etc. My January customs were not in house yet. At the last minute I realize my December is going to be a no show and I have no income! It turned out that January's were late getting to me as well. The whole year off schedule already and it is just January! So you see all aspects of this system are not working for me.
I will do my best to try to accommodate your advance bookings for specific show dates but I think I am going to have to go with a numbering system. For example, you contact me and you might be #6 on my list which would hopefully be in about 3 months. If I am off a week or 2 in any direction, the entire schedule gets moved. Ideally, I would like your quilt about 45 days in house prior to quilting so that I can keep my schedule flowing smoothly and I have a chance to review for any specific thread orders that I may need for your project. I will contact you approximately 60 days prior so that you can get your quilt top to me. At present, slots are booked by due date so I will number your status accordingly based on that due date and move all forward.
Again, I apologize for the disruption to my schedule and I hope that we can make my new scheduling procedure work for the both of us! Thank you all so much for your support and trust. Meanwhile, I need to re-work my current schedule! I will be in touch with you soon.
We have been very involved with our community and helping others with rescues, shelter needs and with demolition to flooded homes. It is wonderful seeing the people of our city coming together to help those in need. I won't post more photos... I'm sure you have seen enough to last a lifetime!
I was already running slightly behind schedule due to 6 weeks of almost daily thunderstorms (we have to shut down and unplug) over the summer plus a few unexpected life events. As hours turn into days into weeks, it becomes impossible to make up a couple of weeks! My body can only do so much each day. This disaster also has really helped to put things in perspective for me. I strive to complete quilts as I have committed to you but when life happens, it is difficult to get back on schedule. In the past I would work 7 days a week, neglecting other aspects in my life trying to catch up... but that just brings on burn out and major stress on my part trying to stay on a schedule that I often have little control over. I must go to a different system of scheduling. Most of you do not have show dates that is imperative for completion.
Your suggestions are welcome on tips for scheduling! In the past, I took reservations for time slots, scheduling 2 big customs per month. Most of my customs are Quiltworx highly detailed patterns. You might be planning to start a show quilt soon and ask me to pencil you in for June next year, so that you will be ready for your fall show or whatever your needs are. So, I reserve time slots for quilts that are not even made yet and then I have clients that quilts are completed and I assign a date with the next soonest opening. Which of course made it impossible to say.... you are #4 in line... the whole list gets moved back because some of you are booking very close to your deadlines for a show and did book a year ago! Also, you miss your deadline by a few weeks getting your quilt to me... my entire schedule is now scrambled again trying to accommodate my commitment to you to get your quilt done for a certain show deadline as well as my commitments to others. One year I intentionally only booked 1 custom for December so that I had some time to deal with holiday shopping etc. My January customs were not in house yet. At the last minute I realize my December is going to be a no show and I have no income! It turned out that January's were late getting to me as well. The whole year off schedule already and it is just January! So you see all aspects of this system are not working for me.
I will do my best to try to accommodate your advance bookings for specific show dates but I think I am going to have to go with a numbering system. For example, you contact me and you might be #6 on my list which would hopefully be in about 3 months. If I am off a week or 2 in any direction, the entire schedule gets moved. Ideally, I would like your quilt about 45 days in house prior to quilting so that I can keep my schedule flowing smoothly and I have a chance to review for any specific thread orders that I may need for your project. I will contact you approximately 60 days prior so that you can get your quilt top to me. At present, slots are booked by due date so I will number your status accordingly based on that due date and move all forward.
Again, I apologize for the disruption to my schedule and I hope that we can make my new scheduling procedure work for the both of us! Thank you all so much for your support and trust. Meanwhile, I need to re-work my current schedule! I will be in touch with you soon.
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