annlittle1 Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 Up until about two hours ago my day my day was going just fine. Now I have tears running down my cheeks and I'm ready to pull my hair out. Since I don't have any quilts this week and my MIL is coming tomorrow I've been cleaning house this week. I nearly have things ready, just need to put fresh sheets on the guest bed. My MIL is a really sweet person and I'm looking forward to her coming. She called about two hours ago just to make sure I had the right info for her flight since she gave it to DH and he sometimes forgets to tell me things. In our conversation I asked her what she likes for breakfast and what flavor of Boost she likes to drink so I could be sure to have some on hand. She told me not to worry about it because with the diet she's on she can't have chocolate Boost and about all she can eat for breakfast is bacon and eggs and she can have chicken, but, of course, she doesn't like chicken; she's not supposed to have beef but if I make chicken fried steak she's going to have some; the only green vegetable she can have is lettuce, but it gives her gas. But don't worry about it because she can always find something to fill up on. Oh yes, she can't have sweets and she can have white bread but no whole wheat or anything like that. What the heck am I going to feed her for two weeks? I called DH to give him an earful of "Why didn't you tell me?" but he claims she told him she had gout and that she had to watch what she ate but didn't say anything about a special diet. I downloaded a diet for Gout patients from the Web. It sounds almost nothing like she told me. I'm sure between the two of us we'll work something out so she has plenty to eat. It was just a shock. Nothing I'd planned for meals is going to work. Well, that was problem #1. Problem #2 I get a phone call from a lady asking what I would charge for a queen size quilt with a pantograph. I explained that I charge .01-.015 per square inch so a queen size is going to run between $100 to $150 depending on the design she chose. Her response was "You are higher than the lady in Purcell I've been going to." I asked her how much the other lady charges and she tells me its $55.00 for a queen size with a pantograph. She didn't want to make the trip down to Purcell, so she was looking for a quilter close by. I've been advertising in the Guild's newsletter and I've had several calls, but its only brought in one custom quilt. All the other's have said they'll get back to me, which basicly says to me that my prices are too high and they just didn't want to say so. Before I started this I asked at several stores in Oklahoma City and was told most were charging about .01 per square inch. Obviously, I didn't do enough homework. I didn't think to check what quilters are charging in the small towns 50 miles or so outside of the City I worry myself to death over customer quilts. Now I'm wondering should I sell my machine and all the stuff that goes with it and forget about it or should I lower my prices to compete with these other people. Her $55.00 fee for a queen size works out to about .0055 per square inch. But if I charge that for a pantograph then what am I going to charge for custom work? I'm not going to do it for .01 or .015 per square inch. I just finished a custom double size quilt that took me twenty hours to do. I charged her .02 per square inch and for the work that I did I probably should have charged twice that. It was a Dolly Parton special, if you know what I mean. I needed a third hand to hold down the fullness in the diamonds. It was beautiful when I finished it (even if I do say so myself) and the customer was pleased, but I figure that I made about $6.50 an hour on the quilt. I can flip burgers for more than that. Now for Problem #3 While I was contemplating all of this the doorbell rang. It was the mail carrier. She handed my mail to me and a package. I looked through the mail and noticed an envelope from the bank. I couldn't figure out why I'd be getting anything from the bank since I already had my statement. Inside I found an NSF notice. They had returned a large electronic funds item. Yikes! So I started researching it. The amount sounded like it was close to the balance that I remembered from a credit card. Sure enough it was the balance at the time that I paid the bill on Monday. When I paid my bills on line I checked the wrong box for the payment amount so even though I filled in the amount I wanted to pay it made a payment for the amount of the balance. (My hair is getting thinner and thinner even as I type this!) I tried talking the bank out of the service charge because it was a one time happening and obviously an error. That didn't work because it wasn't a bank error it was mine. I called the credit card company to let them know about it. There wasn't anything they could do about it until they get the debit returned to them. I can't even make the payment that I meant to make so I can avoid the late charge which will be added to my account on top of the NSF fee that they will charge for the returned debit. All because I clicked the wrong button. The worst thought is that because of that error I will probably wind up paying at least half of what I earned on that custom quilt in fees.:mad::mad: Thanks for letting me get this all out. Now I just have to explain it to DH. Its after 2:00 p.m. and I haven't had lunch. I think I'll go eat lunch, drown my sorrows in a Dr. Pepper and a big bowl of ice cream. Then I'll throw on a practice piece and try to lose myself in quilting until DH gets home and I have to tell him about it. Sorry its so long! Phyllis Hughes Oklahoma City www.myheartlandquilts.com (for now at least) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 ((((( PHYLLIS)))))) I know what that kind of day feels like. Keep your chin up, give your MIL a hug and tell her how glad you are to see her, call the quilt customer and tell her you won't do it for that price, but you can guarantee quality work that will last a lifetime; and try calling the bank manager. Sometimes that helps, rather than speaking with a teller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 Oh, Phyllis. So sorry to hear all the bad news. So, here's my thoughts: I think your last paragraph will solve most of your emotions right now. Do that first -- get yourself some food in that belly. You'll feel much better and with that full tummy, you'll have a clearer mind to think things through. Some things are within our control, some things aren't. Re: you MIL, just roll with the flow. Shop for groceries in little bits, not all at once. Maybe dine out a few times so she can get settled and relaxed a little. It will be OK. Re: the bank payment. Get a second opinion from the bank. Call again and ask to speak with someone else. Sure...things happen sometimes and we goof up but there are always exceptions to things and most businesses (even banks) will bend the rules to accommodate special circumstances. All of this will pass. Tomorrow is another (better) day. It could be a whole lot worse....try to keep things in perspective and your eyes on the horizon. :cool: PS: My hubby is down in your neck of the woods right now going to school in OKC. He works for FAA and has to take a nav aids class and get his certification. He's been to OKC quite a few times over the years. In fact, he really really likes the people (they are perfect strangers) in Oklahoma...he says they all go above and beyond ---- he says their kind, genuine and nice manners always make him feel so welcome there. They always call him by his name, and thank him for coming and welcome him back any time. Hang in there... let us know how things pan out. Shana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyL Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 Phyllis: Oh, my! Sounds like you are having a bad day. I've always heard that these things happen in "3's" so maybe you've gotten them all out of the way and things will be looking up. As far as the MIL, when she gets there, tell her that you're having a heck of a time figuring out what to feed her. Each morning or the day before, let her know what you are planning for meals and ask for her suggestions on how you might tailor the meals to suit her needs. What would she be doing if she were at home? She can give you some suggestions. As far as the customers, I have never lowered my prices to suit the needs of my customers nor to compete with other quilters. I set my prices based on what I want to make and on what I feel is fair for my skill level. Since Day #1 for me, I have been much more expensive than other local quilters, and probably a bit less than what some of you charge but it has never hurt my business at all. There are a few who will tell me that others charge less and they can't afford to pay what I charge. That's fine. I always explain to them that yes, I know the quilter down the road charges less and I've heard very good things about her work and encourage them to do whatever they know they have to do. My feeling is that if you lower your price for one, you will have to lower it for everyone because if one person finds out you have charged them .015 and charged someone else .005 to do the same thing . . that is not good. Can't offer any suggestions on the bank/credit card issue. Hope you get it all resolved soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 Phyllis, my little friend, I am sorry to hear you are having grief. Chin up, little buddy...you are a great quilter - don't give in. Your machine is paid for so don't worry about it....(that was suppose to be the bright side). The woman that quilts so cheap probably does a plain panto and the same one all the time. Don't get discourage. Your news about your MIL was good....at least you have a good one! Can't help with the credit card problem....but I'm there for ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 Phyllis: What a mean day you have had...these are the ones I like to just wish for a do over. I can't help with the bank either, but like the other have said I would at least talk to someone with bigger stripes to see if something can't be done....as long as you have a good record with them...they very well could decide to make things easier on you. I am so with JudyL....DO NOT lower your prices for anyone...if you do it for one it will spread faster than you can get off the phone, and everyone will be at your doorstep wanting the discounted rate. I too have had several that I stood my ground with, and have never regreted it once...some have come back later when the other quilter did something wrong, and others I have never seen. And gathering from Mary Beth's comment...things will go very well with your MIL....AT least your's like you, mine only talks to me IF she has too, and its not very nice. She will call here to talk with hubby, but NEVER talks to me....which is totally okay...I don't need to talk to her either. Chin up lady...tomorrow will be a nicer day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annlittle1 Posted October 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 Thanks everyone. It helped to just get it all out. Getting your encouraging responses was even better. I ate my lunch, drank my Dr. Pepper and ate my ice cream. Then I took two Tylenol and sat down and did some stitching on an applique piece I'm doing. DH came in, I told him, broke down and cried, then took a nap because my head was pounding. I guess DH thought I'd sleep through dinner so he fixed it and took care of the dogs. The nap and Tylenol took care of the headache. I've calmed down now. I finished my applique and loaded the practice piece so I can work on it tomorrow morning before MIL gets here. Actually, I did pretty good because I only cried. I realized a few minutes ago that I didn't take my anxiety medications this morning. Its a miracle I could even breathe! I'll fix the things that I know MIL likes, and I'm sure she'll eat what she wants. I will go get some cubed steak so that I can do the chicken fried steak. I really do have the best MIL. I've always hoped that I could be as good a MIL as she is. Bless her heart, she knows I'm a bad housekeeper, but never says a word about it. The credit card company I'll deal with when the reverse comes through. I've been on the other side handling a customer/member problem enough that I know if I persist I can get some of the charges waived. I'll go to the supervisor if I have to. I've been a customer of theirs for eight years and this is the first problem they've ever had with me. I still swear that I hit the right button, but since I didn't print it, I can't prove it. I'm sure I'm not the only one that has ever made that mistake. The business is my biggest concern. I love what I do, but I went about three months this summer without any customer quilts. That hurts. I was thinking this afternoon about offering a holiday special for a queen size quilt, with three choices of pantographs for $65.00. I'll have to think about it some more. I don't mind doing pantographs, but to do two or three over and over again without thought as to what is best for the quilt would not be my desire. I took a class with Nichole Webb last year. There was a woman in the class that said all she did was a pantograph called "Raindrops". She could do it in her sleep. That would take all the joy out of quilting for me. I'll have to think about it for a few days. Maybe if I just did it for a month it would help get my name out there more. Hmmm. There was some good news today. The package that came in the mail was from my out of state customer. Its an Autumn colored Turning Twenty to be quilted. Yeah! I also finished my first needle turned applique piece. Shana--Its funny your DH is at the FAA Center here. I worked at the credit union on the Center for three years. Managed it the last 18 months I was there. Then I transferred back to the main office as a R.E. Underwriter. I left there two years ago tomorrow. That's a long story. One of the best things I ever did! Thanks everyone. Phyllis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sylkamode Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 Phillis, When I have ordered my Millie, things went wrong with payment b?cause of my bank! I have asked them to wire the international money order ( we live in The Netherlands, Europe ) so my Millennium would be send in about 4 working days. Even after 7 days nothing happend, so I called APQS, and found out that they had not received the money yet, but that was nothing to worry about. Even 14 days later, again nothing, and when I called my bank, and APQS, and visa versa - remind you, we have only 1 hour to solve banking problems when the USA is concerned, because when it is 4 o'clock in the afternoon here, it is about 9 o'clock in the morning in the USA, and the staff of my bank closes at 5 in the afternoon, so always in a hurry to call America and hope to have an answer before my bank closed etc.... but finally we found out that my bank forgot to fill out one bank account number, because we had to transfer the money to a first bank, they would wire it to the bank of APQS, and th?y would transfer it to the actual bank account of APQS, so a lot went wrong. The money was wired back, and I could start all over again.... Then I called a collegue, and she told me the best way was to wire the money by credit card. I have called the bank again, to tell them to raise the limit of my credit card, and in half an hour I have wired the money by calling the accountant of APQS, and she made things right in only 30 minutes... think of the stress in those 14 days, when you know things went wrong, but there is nothing to do but wait! Everybody was telling me things were ok, but if I have not called and called APQS and my bank, I st?ll would not have my Millie... but she was worth waiting for. Closing with just letting you know with your story, that there are more banks that are not handling things the right way, and you are always the person to get it right, not matter what! Hang in there, and hopefully your problems are solved in no time.. Sylvia Kaptein Sylka-Mode www.sylkamode.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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